Users in SBS

[maya14]

I have now set up my first SBS box and have experience in Windows 2003 Server with Active Directory.
I have followed some peopls advice to create OU's in AD SBS but I see that I have duplicate users appearing on the server management. Users now appear under users in server management as well as the OU's in AD.
To configure user properties, which section of server management should I now use as I found that changing properties of users under users in server management is the option that works.
I have several users that complain about account lockout and prompting of new passwords and I have setup password policies under the default domain policy.
When I was working on 2003 server AD I used to change user properties under the AD user and groups part. But it seems that SBS 2003 prefers the default user group under server management.
Also, I cannot add user with Exchange mailbox using the add the default user part but I have to use AD console to add new users to have an Exchange mailbox.

 

[58sniper]

You must use the wizards in SBS. Don't do it any other way or risk some features not working.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Basically reiterating what 58sniper said.

SBS servers should not be managed in the same way that regular Windows servers are. SBS systems have been setup to be managed by Wizards and if you don't use the wizards, you usually have problems.

 

[maya14]

I have read in earlier threads that i can put users in OU's in AD to manage them better. But which part of Server Management console should i now use to change user properties and GPO's as i have 2 sets of users now.
I have my Default Domain and Password policy GPO enabled but i have also created GPO's under their respective OU's.
Using the wizards only adds a user in the top part of SMC.

 

[58sniper]

You don't use separate OUs. You use the wizards and leave the user accounts where the wizard creates them.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[Danny28]

Leave the OUs alone. You could however, create additional group policies and then change the security filter setting to only apply to certain computer or user groups without changing what OU they are in. Effectively the same thing happens in the end, however moving objects around in different OUs will certainly break all the SBS extras.

 

[maya14]

OK.What should i now do seeing that i have gone and created some OU's in the AD part and have place the users in those OU's.
As i said all the users still appear in the top part of Server Management.
Should i delete those OU's but wont that mess up SBS.
Seems to me i have manage Users and Computers the way you manage them in MS 2003 Server.

 

[Danny28]

I would move the users and computers back to the original OUs, but that's your call. Either way something bad could happen since you have veered away from how the system was designed to be managed.

 

[nsanto17]

If you users have not yet logged in you might be better off deleting the users that you created and recreate the users using the wizards.

 

[maya14]

I have used the wizards when creating the users but i have moved them into OU's under AD Users part.
So i have same users in top part in Server Management console and in AD

 

[markdmac]

I think you are confusing yourself maya.

The SBS Console points to the same AD as AD Users and Computers.

So if you have created the users using the wizards and then moved them in ADUC, you should be fine.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

Work SMARTER not HARDER. The Spider's Parlor's Admin Script Pack is a collection of Administrative scripts designed to make IT Administration easier! Save time, get more work done, get the Admin Script Pack.