An Intelligent Network Information Server Search (INSS) decreases search time required for a client to find a network information server. A cumulative history file stores a history of network information server availability, a number of communication attempts, and a communication success rate. INSS uses a ypservers file list, and orders the network information server search according to a cumulative server success rate. A system administrator may optionally define the search order with a user defined weight given to one or more of the servers. The server link and history may be stored in a random access memory to improve performance.