Creating user accounts....

[Jeffrey B. Layton]

Srihari,

   There was some discussion a while ago (2001) about the pros
and cons of using NIS for clusters (it was on this mailing list).
I can't put my finger on it right now. I hope Don and Greg chime
in.
   However, we have not found there to be a problem copying
files. There are simple scripts for copying files across a cluster
and they can be made reasonably efficient via some tree algorithm.
I'm not sure how well it scales to thousands of nodes, but it works
well for us for all of those clusters Imentioned (and a few more).
   There are lots of little tricks you can do to automate the process.
You can write a wrapper to allow users to change their passwords
and then the new files are propagated (warning - be careful how
you do this since there are some security implications). There are
some other things that people have done as well.
   Has anybody explored LDAP in a cluster? How does it compare
to NIS?

Thanks!

Jeff

>Is there any serious performance/scalability issue to using NIS, as
>opposed to copying the individual files to each and every node on the
>cluster? Is this even a desirable option for large clusters, for
>example? What if I need to add more accounts? I have to copy the files
>all over again, right? Of course I can write scripts to automate the
>whole process, but why not maintain a central user account database
>using NIS? Can someone please elaborate on what the side effects are to
>using NIS?
>
>Srihari
>
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>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: beowulf-admin at beowulf.org 
>>[mailto:beowulf-admin at beowulf.org] On Behalf Of RANGI, JAI
>>Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 5:42 PM
>>To: 'Jeffrey B. Layton'
>>Cc: 'beowulf at beowulf.org'
>>Subject: RE: Creating user accounts....
>>
>>
>>
>>Yeah this is also a good idea,
>>
>>one line ftp can be done this way 
>>Root $ scp /etc/passwd root at node1:/etc/passwd 
>>it will ask for a password type the password and your done
>>
>>and do the same for all three files and on all nodes..
>>
>>I was thinking of writing a script for this and run the 
>>script for that I
>>was thinking of using scp command in batch mode by using the 
>>options -B like
>>this and should not ask for password 
>>
>>root $ scp -B /etc/passwd root at node1:/etc/passwd   
>>//but it says
>>Permission denied (publickey,password).
>>lost connection
>>
>>Any idea how to fix this 
>>
>>Jeff: are you doing the same or do you have some better way 
>>to do it ??????
>>
>>Jai Rangi
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Jeffrey B. Layton [mailto:laytonjb at bellsouth.net] 
>>Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 2:33 PM
>>To: RANGI, JAI
>>Cc: 'beowulf at beowulf.org'
>>Subject: Re: Creating user accounts....
>>
>>Jai,
>>
>>   I personally prefer files. You make the account on the master
>>node and then copy /etc/passwd, /etc/group, /etc/shadow, etc.
>>to all of the nodes. It's worked well for us so far on several
>>clusters (16 nodes, 64 nodes, 65 nodes, 26 nodes, 288 nodes).
>>
>>Good Luck!
>>
>>Jeff
>>
>>    
>>
>>>What is the best way to create and manage user accounts on Beowulf,
>>>Is there a way that you create account on Master node and 
>>>      
>>>
>>all the slave
>>node
>>    
>>
>>>will get information from Master node only.
>>>
>>>I was thinking of NIS, if you use NIS then still so you have 
>>>      
>>>
>>to create
>>    
>>
>>>account on all the nodes.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Jai Rangi
>>>Unix System Administrator, Computing Services,
>>>South Dakota State University
>>>Brookings SD 57006.
>>>email: jai_rangi at sdstate.edu
>>>Ph: 605 688 4689
>>>Fax: 6056884605
>>>------------------------------------------------------- 
>>>In the world with no fences, why would you need Gates ? 
>>>                                         - Linux 
>>>------------------------------------------------------- 
>>>
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>>>
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>>    
>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
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>>    
>>
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