Category : Network Files
Archive   : MASSUSR2.ZIP
Filename : README.1ST

MASS USER MANAGEMENT
(MUM)

Finally, there's a MUM to clean-up after you at work!

by Bruce and Shawn Holmstead
Holmstead Partners, Copyright (c) 1992.
All Rights Reserved.


NOTE: This readme.1st file contains limited information; for more
detailed information see the on-line help available with
Mass User Management Demo. Also see the RELEASE.txt file
included in this bundle for a description of program files and
a listing of changes new to version 1.2.


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Mass User Management (MUM) facilitates the management of four
critical areas system managers frequently encounter. These include
adding, deleting, updating and monitoring user accounts.

You must be a SUPERVISOR equivalent for MUM to function properly.
Certain parts of the bindery can only be accessed by a SUPERVISOR
equivalent.

OVERVIEW:

Mass User Management will allow system managers to do the
following:

1) Add large numbers of users from lists generated by a
database, spreadsheet or word processing program. Mass User
Management will verify names of existing users and add those who do
not have accounts.
2) Delete users from a text file listing usernames, a
certain group, disabled accounts and expired accounts.
3) Change user restrictions for all users, users in a
certain group, users with expirations dates older than a specified
date, users with login dates older than a specified date and users
in a text file.
4) Generate lists of user restrictions for all users, users
in a certain group, users with expirations dates older than a
specified date, users with login dates older than a specified date
and users in a text file.

ADVANTAGES OF MASS USER MANAGEMENT:

Mass User Management is an essential tool for all managers required
to manage large numbers of users. It adds and deletes users
dynamically and then allows managers to modify restrictions once
the users are created. It also allows managers to create lists of
users and their restrictions.

1) MUM drastically saves time for the system manager who is
constantly adding new users or the system manager who needs to add
large numbers of users at one time.

2) MUM adds and deletes users dynamically. It allows
managers to define a template for each user group, and then add
users according to a set of templates without separating users into
different lists or having to add each user individually.

MUM vs. UserDef
---------------
- Novell's utility UserDef allows system managers to
define different templates for different groups of users, but
requires that managers select a current template and then add users
one-by-one.
- MUM allows system managers to define different
templates for different departments and then add any number of
users from any of the defined departments all at once.

MUM vs. MakeUser
----------------
- Novell's utility MakeUser allows system managers to
add larger numbers of users at one time but managers loose the
advantage of having templates defined for different groups. The
files for MakeUser need to be specially prepared for MakeUser and
are not really reusable. Users need to be grouped together and the
restrictions file layout is not cohesive to large numbers of users.

3) MUM will delete all disabled accounts or accounts that
have not logged in for a certain period of time. It can delete
all users in a certain server group or delete all users listed in
a text file.

4) MUM allows system managers to modify user restrictions in
bulk after they are added.

5) MUM allows managers to create lists of users and their
restrictions. These lists can be read back into spreadsheet or
database programs.

6) MUM was written to allow system managers to add and
delete users from a batch file. This can be performed by calling
MUM's child process, MassMode.

Overall, no program on the market offers the features to system
managers that Mass User Management does. Some programs limit the
number of users that can be managed, but MUM is not limited by such
restrictions. Mass User Management is a critical tool for managers
to stay in control of their networks.