Databases Used or Modified by Users Tools

In the Solaris operating environment, almost all network management information is stored in databases (files or tables). When you enter information through the Users dialog boxes and wizards, you are actually updating one or more of these databases.

Users Tools

Table or File*

Description

/etc/passwd

Basic User Account Information -- Includes the user name, user ID (UID), group ID (GID), description, home directory, and login-shell; as with most files managed with the Users tool, the passwd file is commonly found in the /etc directory

/etc/shadow

Password Information -- Includes user name, encrypted password, password options (password option information is not implemented for NIS domains)

/etc/aliases

Email Address Information -- Includes name and addresses; "name" can be a user or a mailing list

/etc/group

Group Information -- Includes the group name, group password, group ID number (GID), and users who are group members

/etc/auto_home

Home Directory -- Includes path to the actual location of the user's home directory if automount is enabled

/etc/user_attr

User Rights -- Includes the user name and the rights the user is granted; specifies whether user is a Primary Administrator; can be changed from the User Properties dialog box

/etc/security/auth_attr

Authorizations -- Includes the applications, or specific functions within an application, that a user is entitled to execute. Can be changed from the Right Properties dialog box -- Authorizations tab.

/etc/security/prof_attr

Rights -- (Called Profiles elsewhere in Solaris) Named groups of authorizations, commands, and previously-created rights. Can be changed from the Right Properties dialog box.

/etc/security/exec_attr

Execution Attributes -- Includes a command associated with a right; the command can be run by those users or roles who have been assigned the right. Can be changed from the Right Properties dialog box -- Commands tab.

/export/home/username

Home Directory -- Default location

/var/mail/username

Mailbox Creation -- Where the user's recently received mail is stored

/etc/security/policy.conf

Rights -- System-wide default rights for all authenticated users and roles**

* Information can be stored in a local file, which includes the path to the file, or in a table identified by just the name (no path).

** In the /etc/security/policy.conf file, use the line PROFS_GRANTED= to specify the default rights granted to all users. This is where the Primary Administrator controls whether non-administrator users have any rights at all. The default value is Basic Solaris User, which grants all users the right to view and list information in the Solaris Management Console tools. See Rights for Normal Users.