Adding user accounts

When new group members join, they'll need access to our file and program server on both Windows and Linux, and a few odds and ends. Here's how to get that done the right way.

FIRST: Have the user decide on a username and password that they will re-enter continuously during this process. They will be denoted as new_username and new_password throughout this set of instructions.

Linux

Setting up basic credentials

• Log in as root to the cluster head node, either via SSH or at the machine.
• Add the user account:

useradd -g bionmr -m -s /bin/bash new_username

• Add a password to the new account:

passwd new_username

• Add a Samba password to the new account:

smbpasswd -c /etc/samba/smb.conf -a new_username

• Add an Apache password to the new account:

htpasswd /etc/apache2/htpasswd new_username

• Allow the user to log in via secure shell:

sed -e 's,^\(AllowUsers\),\1 new_username,' -i /etc/ssh/sshd_config

• Add a couple lines to the bash config:

echo 'source /opt/bashrc' >> /home/new_username/.bashrc
echo 'source /opt/bashrc' >> /home/new_username/.bash_profile

• Now create a secure shell asymmetric key pair for the user:

su -l new_username
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096
exit

(Use the default file in which to save the key)

Archiving the credentials

• Log in as root to the cluster head node, either via SSH or at the machine.
• Physically plug the sysadmin flash drive into the cluster head node.
• Mount the sysadmin flash drive:

mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt/flash

• Navigate into the flash drive:

cd /mnt/flash/admin-tools/linux/workstations

• Add the user into the sub-scripts:

echo new_username >> bashrc/users.lst
echo new_username >> passwd/users.lst

• Copy the passwd/shadow information:

grep ^new_username /etc/passwd >> passwd/etc_passwd
grep ^new_username /etc/shadow >> passwd/etc_shadow

• Copy the secure shell key pair:

mkdir ssh-rsa/clients/new_username_bionmr
cp /home/new_username/.ssh/id_rsa* ssh-rsa/clients/new_username_bionmr/

• Unmount the sysadmin flash drive:

cd
umount /mnt/flash

Windows

Creating the account

• Log in to the user's workstation on an existing account, and use the Control Panel to create a new Administrator account.
• Add a password to the newly created account. Make sure the user can remember their password.
• Log out and back into the new account.

Setting up the network drive

• Open Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer) and click on Computer
• Click on Map Network Drive
• Type \\bionmr\DATA into the Folder: entry
• Click on Finish

Setting up the PuTTY key

FIXME