Create LDAP Linux Accounts

StarlingX includes a script for creating LDAP Linux accounts.

About this task

Note

For security reasons, it is recommended that ONLY admin level users be allowed to SSH to the nodes of the StarlingX. Non-admin level users should strictly use remote CLIs or remote web GUIs.

The ldapusersetup command provides an interactive method for setting up LDAP Linux user accounts.

Centralized management is implemented using two LDAP servers, one running on each controller node. LDAP server synchronization is automatic using the native LDAP content synchronization protocol.

A set of LDAP commands is available to operate on LDAP user accounts. The commands are installed in the directory /usr/local/sbin, and are available to any user account in the sudoers list. Included commands are lsldap, ldapadduser, ldapdeleteuser, and several others starting with the prefix ldap.

Use the command option –help on any command to display a brief help message, as illustrated below.

$ ldapadduser --help
Usage : /usr/local/sbin/ldapadduser <username> <groupname | gid> [uid]
$ ldapdeleteuser --help
Usage : /usr/local/sbin/ldapdeleteuser <username | uid>

Prerequisites

For convenience, identify the user’s Keystone account user name in StarlingX.

Procedure

1. Log in as sysadmin, and start the ldapusersetup script.

   controller-0: ~$ sudo ldapusersetup
   

2. Follow the interactive steps in the script.

   1. Provide a user name.

      Enter username to add to LDAP:
      

      Successfully added user user1 to LDAP
      Successfully set password for user user1
      

   2. Specify a secondary user group for this LDAP user.

      Add user1 to secondary user group (yes/No):
      

   3. Change the password duration.

      Enter days after which user password must be changed [90]:
      

      Successfully modified user entry uid=ldapuser1, ou=People, dc=cgcs, dc=local in LDAP
      Updating password expiry to 90 days
      

   4. Change the warning period before the password expires.

      Enter days before password is to expire that user is warned [2]:
      

      Updating password expiry to 2 days
      

On completion of the script, the command prompt is displayed.

controller-0: ~$

Results

The Local LDAP account is created. For information about the user login process, see For StarlingX and Platform OpenStack CLIs from a Local LDAP Linux Account Login.

For managing composite Local LDAP Accounts (i.e. with associated Keystone and Kubernetes accounts) for a standalone cloud or a distributed cloud, see Manage Composite Local LDAP Accounts at Scale.