UNIX network programming
Practical UNIX security
Managing NFS and NIS
Internetworking with TCP/IP (2nd ed.), vol. I
Internetworking with TCP/IP (2nd ed.), vol. I
TCP/IP network administration
UNIX security: a practical tutorial
UNIX security: a practical tutorial
User-Centric Account Management with Heterogeneous Password Changing
LISA '00 Proceedings of the 14th USENIX conference on System administration
Pelendur: Steward of the Sysadmin
LISA '00 Proceedings of the 14th USENIX conference on System administration
LISA '00 Proceedings of the 14th USENIX conference on System administration
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In many heterogeneous UNIX networks, users require accounts with attributes that vary by machine. This creates a complex management job. This paper reports on a software system for creating and maintaining network accounts. Commercial and publicly available tools are briefly examined. Disadvantages of commercial tools are found to be high expense, difficulty of modification, and uncertainty of availability on future platforms. NIS and NIS+ are found to lack sufficient flexibility. Kerberos is determined to be an authentication system, not a user management tool. The Network Account Management System (NAMS) is described. It addresses two key requirements. First, that users be able to have a single login across machines on a network, creating the abstraction of a "network account." Second, that these accounts allow for attributes such as home directory, expiration date, and login shell to vary by machine.