System Administration Guide, Volume 1

Tools for Managing User Accounts and Groups

The table below lists the recommended tools for managing users and groups.

Table 2-4 Recommended Tools for Managing Users and Groups


If You Are Managing Users and Groups ...	The Recommended Tool Is ...	And You Will Need ...	To Start This Tool See ...
On remote and/or local systems in a networked, name service (NIS, NIS+) environment	AdminSuite^TM 2.3's User and Group Manager (graphical user interface)	Graphics monitor running an X window environment such as CDE	Solstice AdminSuite 2.3 Administration Guide
On a local system	Admintool (graphical user interface)	Graphics monitor running an X window system such as CDE	Chapter 3, Setting Up and Maintaining User Accounts and Groups (Tasks)

The Solaris commands useradd and groupadd also let you set up users and groups on a local system; however, the commands do not change name service maps or tables. The table below describes the Solaris command used to manage user accounts and groups if you are not using AdminSuite 2.3 or Admintool.

Table 2-5 Managing User Accounts and Groups by Using Solaris Commands


Task	If You Use This Name Service ...	Then Use These Commands
Add a User Account	NIS+	`nistbladm` `nisclient`
	NIS	`useradd` `make`
	None	`useradd`
Modify a User Account	NIS+	`nistbladm`
	NIS	`usermod` `make`
	None	`usermod`
Delete a User Account	NIS+	`nistbladm` `nisclient`
	NIS	`userdel` `make`
	None	`userdel`
Set Up User Account Defaults	NIS+	not available
	NIS	`useradd -D` `make`
	None	`useradd -D`
Disable a User Account	NIS+	`nistbladm`
	NIS	`passwd -r nis -l` `make`
	None	`passwd -r files -l`
Change a User's Password	NIS+	`passwd -r nisplus`
	NIS	`passwd -r nis`
	None	`passwd -r files`
Sort User Accounts	NIS+	`niscat` `sort`
	NIS	`ypcat` `sort`
	None	`awk` `sort`
Find a User Account	NIS+	`nismatch`
	NIS	`ypmatch`
	None	`grep`
Add a Group	NIS+	`nistbladm`
	NIS	`groupadd` `make`
	None	`groupadd`
Modify Users in a Group	NIS+	`nistbladm`
	NIS	`groupmod` `make`
	None	`groupmod`
Delete a Group	NIS+	`nistbladm`
	NIS	`groupdel` `make`
	None	`groupdel`