Multiple Netware logins to a single local account

[bayfox]

Hi Everyone,

I have seen a few posts that are similar to my issue, but nothing exact, so I decided to post. DLU is setup on the network that I inherited from my predecessor. This was fine when only staff had windows XP machines. Now that the student lab has XP machines, having multiple local users accounts is making it impossible to police the browser settings and is fooling around with some of the learning software.

Can anyone tell me how I can setup one local account that all the students can logon to without disabling DLU? (The staff would have a gigantic fit if I did that)

Thanks,

bayfox

 

[marvhuffaker]

Just configure your DLU policy to use a specific Windows account. It's one of the options on the policy configuration in ConsoleOne. Right now it's most likely configured to use the eDirectory account to create the local account, which is how most people do it.

Another great idea is to use a firewall/proxy that can authenticate and track usage so you can do this from a central location rather than trying to do it on an individual workstation.

Another thought I have is that you are not making it any easier to police (or enforce or reprimand) the Internet browsing that is being done. If everyone is logging in as one local user account, it will be very difficult to put blame on anyone - at least nothing that would hold up in court.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[terry712]

get the dlu to utilise volatile
or run a script to get shot of the local accounts

set a gpo to tied the students down - the zen you can actually apply this to a group ()

look at loopback settings etc

the list is endless how you can do it - it's very easy the gpo's with zen can screw them down beyond beleif

 

[bayfox]

Hey thanks for the ideas guys!

I did not say what I wanted to very well. When I said "Police" I meant that I need certain options in the browsers to remain how I set them initially. Such as the homepage and security options.

If a user logs in for the first time and a new local account is created, the browser is set to its default options.

Thanks again for the info.

bayfox

 

[terry712]

all these settings are better from a gpo

my theory nowadays is - if you need to set it on the pc - you've done it wrong
get the network to do the work

set stuff once rather than hundreds

 

[marvhuffaker]

There is another theory that really would be better suited for a Windows forum, but we utilize it when working with ZEN deployements..

Using a "Base Image" mentality, which means that it's a minimal installation of Windows, but tweaked for your own environement and configured to your liking - You should be able to plop that image down, and anybody that logs in will have those basic settings. Then you add on applications and such using ZEN apps.

Going with that thought, this is what you need to do. Login as any user, it doesn't matter. Configure the workstation exactly how you want. All your browser settings, balloon tips, performance settings, screen savers.. everything.. Then you copy that profile to the Default User profile.

When a new user logs in, and a new profile is created, it is created FROM the Default User profile. It's not an option, this is just how Windows does it. So whatever is in the default profile is what the new users get. If you'd done it correctly, it doesn't matter how many people login with DLU - they will have those base settings.

By default, Microsoft configures the default user in a way that EVERYTHING you don't want is enabled. So naturally you end up configuring and tuning lots of things. Why not do it once and never touch it again.

If you adopt this methodology in your workstation deployments, you will spend much less time manually tweaking and tuning workstations after the fact. This applies whether you have ZENworks or not. it doesn't matter.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[bayfox]

Hey All,

Oh my do I feel stupid. I had to apply Marvin's solution to 200 computers when removing Novell from computers when I was working with another company. I will do that. I'm also pursuing altering the DLU, but it does not seem to be working. Thanks again everyone.

Justin Cross
Network Administrator