|
From "Rob Berendt" <rob@xxxxxxxxx>To "midrange400 midrange400 midrange400" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
We have a corporate standard in which we were limiting user profiles to 8 characters. The reason we were doing this was based on the IBM statement: "Some communications methods limit the user ID to eight characters." found at: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=fields-user-profile-name
Well, we're not using SNA nor talking to mainframes so those were no big deal to us.
However SSH was and it was affected.
I opened an "ideal" on this to have it rejected. Apparently they had already came up with a resolution for SSH and didn't want to touch the others.
To resolve it for SSH:
There is an environment variable WRKENVVAR LEVEL(*SYS) called PASE_USRGRP_LIMITED. If you set it to 'Y' it is limited to 8 characters. Starting at 7.4 this is shipped with a value of 'N'.
Ok, the devils advocate in me is wondering why there is such an environment variable. Like, why would you want to limit it to 8 characters? Why didn't they just change it wide open? Does using a larger user id blow some buffers or some such thing to older devices, etc?
At one of the links below I found this: "while traditionally AIX defaults to limiting user and group names to 8 characters."
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.4?topic=system-pase-environment-variable-change
Description of PASE_USRGRP_LIMITED and other such environment variables are found below
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=ssw_ibm_i_75/apis/pase_environ.htm
IBM has software products on other platforms they notify you to change the PASE_USRGRP_LIMITED environment variable to allow more than 8 characters:
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/workload-automation/9.1.0?topic=systems-installing-agents-i
This environment variable goes back to at least 7.1
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.1?topic=ssw_ibm_i_71/apis/pase_environ.htm
Just prior to 7.4 it was defaulted to limit it to 8 characters.
We've stopped creating WRKDIRE entries for users long ago and the entries which are there are for more long term employees. We do not use any folders in QDLS. We do not use WRKDIRE to supply entries for email. I know you can point an 8 character entry in this to a 10 character user id but what eight character entries would you use for these users: ABCDEFGHI2, ABCDEFGHI3, ABCDEFGHI4?
If we're not using SNA,
and we're not using WRKDIRE entries,
and we have the environment variable PASE_USRGRP_LIMITED set to N to not limit it,
is there any reason to not start using 9 & 10 character user names?
We do have some lpars of 7.2.0.0 AIX but the number of users on them can be counted with fingers.
Rob Berendt
-- IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1
Group Dekko
Dept 1600
Mail to: 7310 Innovation Blvd, Suite 104
Ft. Wayne, IN 46818
Ship to: 7310 Innovation Blvd, Dock 9C
Ft. Wayne, IN 46818
http://www.dekko.com
-- This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing list
To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: https://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at https://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.
Please contact support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for any subscription related questions.
Help support midrange.com by shopping at amazon.com with our affiliate link: https://amazon.midrange.com
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2024 by midrange.com and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available on our policy page. If you have questions about this, please contact [javascript protected email address].
Operating expenses for this site are earned using the Amazon Associate program and Google Adsense.
midrange.com
