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samba-tool user

The samba-tool user command is a powerful utility provided by Samba for managing user accounts in an Active Directory domain. It offers a wide range of subcommands that allow administrators to add, delete, modify, and query user information, thereby simplifying user administration in mixed Windows/Unix environments.

Overview

Using samba-tool user, you can:

  • Create new user accounts
  • Delete existing accounts
  • Modify user attributes
  • Rename user accounts
  • Manage passwords
  • Unlock, disable, or enable accounts
  • Display detailed user information
  • List all domain users

Below are the common subcommands along with usage examples.

Common Subcommands

1. Add a New User

Purpose: Create a new user account in the domain.

Usage:

samba-tool user add <username> [password] [options]

Example:

samba-tool user add jdoe P@ssw0rd --given-name="John" --surname="Doe" --mail-address=jdoe@example.com

This command creates a new user jdoe with the specified password and additional attributes.

2. Delete a User

Purpose: Remove an existing user account from the domain.

Usage:

samba-tool user delete <username>

Example:

samba-tool user delete jdoe

This removes the user jdoe from the Active Directory.

3. Modify User Attributes

Purpose: Update properties of an existing user account.

Usage:

samba-tool user modify <username> [attribute options]

Example (setting an expiry date):

samba-tool user setexpiry jdoe 2023-12-31

This sets the password expiry for jdoe to December 31, 2023.

4. Rename a User

Purpose: Change the username of an existing account.

Usage:

samba-tool user rename <oldusername> <newusername>

Example:

samba-tool user rename jdoe john.doe

This renames the user account from jdoe to john.doe.

5. Set or Reset a User’s Password

Purpose: Assign or update a user's password.

Usage:

samba-tool user setpassword <username>

Example:

samba-tool user setpassword john.doe

This command prompts for a new password for john.doe.

6. Unlock a User Account

Purpose: Remove a lock from a user account that was locked due to multiple failed logins.

Usage:

samba-tool user unlock <username>

Example:

samba-tool user unlock john.doe

This unlocks the user account john.doe.

7. Enable or Disable a User Account

Purpose: Control the active status of a user account.

Usage:

  • Disable a user: 
    samba-tool user disable <username>
  • Enable a user: 
    samba-tool user enable <username>

Example:

samba-tool user disable john.doe
samba-tool user enable john.doe

These commands disable and then enable the user john.doe.

8. Show User Details

Purpose: Display detailed information about a specific user.

Usage:

samba-tool user show <username>

Example:

samba-tool user show john.doe

This displays detailed attributes of the user john.doe, such as SID, account flags, and other properties.

9. List All Users

Purpose: Retrieve a list of all user accounts in the domain.

Usage:

samba-tool user list

Example:

samba-tool user list

This command lists all the user accounts available in the domain.

Additional Options and Considerations

  • Attribute Options:
    When adding or modifying a user, you can supply additional attributes (e.g., --given-name, --surname, --mail-address).

  • Scripting and Automation:
    The commands in samba-tool user are script-friendly, enabling batch operations for large-scale user management.

  • Privileges:
    Operations typically require domain administrator privileges. Ensure you run these commands with appropriate credentials.

  • Verification:
    After performing changes, use samba-tool user show <username> to verify that the modifications are applied as expected.

Conclusion

The samba-tool user command is an essential utility for managing user accounts in a Samba Active Directory environment. It provides comprehensive functionality—from creating and deleting users to managing passwords and modifying account properties—enabling administrators to maintain a secure and well-organized domain. By integrating these subcommands into your administrative workflows, you can efficiently manage user identities in mixed-OS environments.