Can you copy local user accounts across multiple UPS and PDU NMCs?

[dsalzedo_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 11/27/2013

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I am working on bulk configuration of multiple UPS and PDU's wtih NMC's (Mostly NMC2 AP9631 units) I am using the technique of downloading, editing and uploading config.ini files across them, but the config.ini file does not appear to contain local user account information. It there a way to bulk copy user accounts too? (I don't want to use a RADIUS server for this as those might shut down as and when the power goes out.)

Thanks.

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 12/2/2013

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For NMC2 (AP9630/31) v5.X.X firmware, you'll only find local usernames in the config.ini. Passwords are not stored for security reasons but you can add a keyword to the file and upload it still to do a bulk change. But, if you download the config.ini after the change, you won't see the new password for the reason I just mentioned.

For NMC2 v6.X.X and higher, we now support a multiple user system. You won't find any usernames in config.ini anymore. For bulk changes, creations of new users, etc, you can use a new .csf file type which is basically a script that utilizes the user CLI command syntax. So, you can use that file to bulk add users, adjust passwords, change user preferences, etc. To assist with a default template to make the .csf file easier to deal with if many of your users have the same preferences, you can set up default settings in the web UI or with usrdflt command (I think thats how you spell it anyway off the top of my head - to view all commands, you can type ? or help at the CLI via local console, telnet or SSH.) The only way you can currently view your users is in the interface itself (you can't really download a list in a .txt file direct from the card). In the web, you can find the current user list and click on individual users. In the CLI, you can do user -l to see the current users and their permissions and if they are enabled or disabled.

So I think the thought process here is make a .csf file (just a plain text file that you change the extension for) and type out the commands to add the users/passwords/preferences you'd like and you can upload it just like a config.ini. I believe viewing the current "database" of local users via a file output is no longer an option and I was told for security reasons - now you can only view it by logging into the interface.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[dsalzedo_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 12/2/2013

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Thanks, I'm running v6.0.6 FW so I can use the second method you suggest. Where can I find the proper documentation for this feature?

[BillP]

This reply was originally posted by Angela on APC forums on 12/3/2013

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Now that you mention it, I can't find anything public - how helpful huh? I will put it on my list of knowledge bases I need to create but for now, here is a little bit of information below from trainings I provide to our technical support teams. If you have more questions or need further detail before I get that knowledge base done (hopefully in the next week), then I'll be happy to walk through it with you.

Users can now be added via a CLI script file (.csf) which a user can create using a plain text editor, such as Notepad. It must only contain one command per line. This file can be uploaded to the NMC via FTP/SCP.

It utilizes the same syntax as the user command in the CLI:

Usage: user --  Configuration Options
    user -n 
                   [-cp  ] (Req. For Super User Account)
                   [-pw  ]
                   [-pe  ]
                          (user permission)
                   [-d   ]
                   [-e   ] (Access Enable)
                   [-st  ] minute(s)
                   [-sr  ] (Serial Remote Auth. Override)
                   [-el  ] (Event Log Color Coding)
                   [-lf  ] (Export Log Format)
                   [-ts  ] (Temperature Scale)
                   [-df  
                          dd-mmm-yy | yyyy-mm-dd>] (Date Format)
                   [-lg  ] (User Language)
                   [-del ]
                   [-l   (shows current user list)]

Example:

user -n newadmin -pw apc -pe administrator -e enable
user -n newdevice -pw apc -pe device -lg enUs -e enable
user -n newdev1 -pw dv1 -pe device -e enable

...Before I forget, I think there is a bug and adding read only via the CLI no matter this way or manually doesn't work properly. It would need to be done via the web. The rest of the user types should work. We fixed this for the next release.

If all your users will have similar settings, here is the User Default Settings you could set/review prior so you don't have to adjust them for every user. Again, this should serve as a template and these are configurable via config.ini which you could do first, then set up your users. Then you only need to change the settings for users that are not using the stuff in the standard template.

Usage: userdflt --  Configuration Options
    userdflt [-e   ] (Enable)
             [-pe  ]
                    (user permission)
             [-d   ]
             [-st  ] minute(s)
             [-bl  ]
             [-el  ] (Event Log Color Coding)
             [-lf  ] (Export Log Format)
             [-ts  ] (Temperature Scale)
             [-df  
                    dd-mmm-yy | yyyy-mm-dd>] (Date Format)
             [-lg  ] (User Language)
             [-sp  ] (Strong Passwords)
             [-pp  ] (Required Password Change Interval)

I was thinking this would be the foundation of my knowledge base article I can make for our users. Do you have questions/comments I can help with that I should also include in the article?

[dsalzedo_apc]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 12/4/2013

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OK, I'll try and implement it and let you know if I have any comments. I have some other questions about user accounts that I am going to post separately before I do this.

Thanks,

Daniel.

[dsalzedo_apc · Accepted solution]

This was originally posted on APC forums on 11/28/2013

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I am working on bulk configuration of multiple UPS and PDU's wtih NMC's (Mostly NMC2 AP9631 units) I am using the technique of downloading, editing and uploading config.ini files across them, but the config.ini file does not appear to contain local user account information. It there a way to bulk copy user accounts too? (I don't want to use a RADIUS server for this as those might shut down as and when the power goes out.)

Thanks.