Skip to main content
System Manager Classic

Manage local Windows groups with System Manager - ONTAP 9.7 and earlier

Contributors netapp-mwallis

You can use ONTAP System Manager classic (available in ONTAP 9.7 and earlier) to manage local Windows groups. You can modify group properties, memberships, accounts and assign specific privileges to groups.

Edit local Windows group properties

You can manage local group memberships by adding and removing a local user, an Active Directory user, or an Active Directory group by using System Manager. You can modify the privileges that are assigned to a group and the description of a group to easily identify the group.

About this task

You must keep the following in mind when adding members to or removing members from a local Windows group:

  • You cannot add users to or remove users from the special Everyone group.

  • You cannot add a local Windows group to another local Windows group.

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Groups tab, click Edit.

  5. Specify a name for the group and a description to identify the new group.

  6. Assign a set of privileges to the group.

    You can select the privileges from the predefined set of supported privileges.

  7. Click Add to add users to the group.

  8. In the Add Members window, perform one of the following actions:

    • Specify the Active Directory user or Active Directory group to be added to a particular local group.

    • Select the users from the list of available local users in the storage virtual machine (SVM).

  9. Click Edit.

Results

The local Windows group settings are modified, and the changes are displayed in the Groups tab.

Create a local Windows group

You can use System Manager to create local Windows groups that can be used for authorizing access to the data contained in the storage virtual machine (SVM) over an SMB connection. You can also assign the privileges that define the user rights or capabilities that a member of the group has when performing administrative activities.

Before you begin

CIFS server must be configured for the SVM.

About this task
  • You can specify a group name with or without the local domain name.

    The local domain is the name of the CIFS server for the SVM. For example, if the CIFS server name of the SVM is “CIFS_SERVER” and you want to create an “engineering” group, you can specify either “engineering” or “CIFS_SERVER\engineering” as the group name.

    The following rules apply when using a local domain as part of the group name:

    • You can specify only the local domain name for the SVM to which the group is applied.

      For example, if the local CIFS server name is “CIFS_SERVER”, you cannot specify “CORP_SERVER\group1” as the group name.

    • You cannot use “BUILTIN” as a local domain in the group name.

      For example, you cannot create a group with “BUILTIN\group1” as the name.

    • You cannot use an Active Directory domain as a local domain in the group name.

      For example, you cannot create a group named “AD_DOM\group1”, where “AD_DOM” is the name of an Active Directory domain.

  • You cannot use a group name that already exists.

  • The group name that you specify must meet the following requirements:

    • Must not exceed 256 characters

    • Must not end in a period

    • Must not include commas

    • Must not include any of the following printable characters: " / \ [ ] : | < > + = ; ? * @

    • Must not include characters in the ASCII range 1 through 31, which are non-printable

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Groups tab, click Create.

  5. In the Create Group dialog box, specify a name for the group and a description that helps you to identify the new group.

  6. Assign a set of privileges to the group.

    You can select the privileges from the predefined set of supported privileges.

  7. Click Add to add users to the group.

  8. In the Add Members to Group dialog box, perform one of the following actions:

    • Specify the Active Directory user or Active Directory group to be added to a particular local group.

    • Select the users from the list of available local users in the SVM.

    • Click OK.

  9. Click Create.

Results

The local Windows group is created and is listed in the Groups window.

Add user accounts to a Windows local group

You can add a local user, an Active Directory user, or an Active Directory group (if you want users to have the privileges that are associated with that group) to a Windows local group by using System Manager.

Before you begin
  • The group must exist before you can add a user to the group.

  • The user must exist before you can add the user to a group.

About this task

You must keep the following in mind when adding members to a local Windows group:

  • You cannot add users to the special Everyone group.

  • You cannot add a local Windows group to another local Windows group.

  • You cannot add a user account that contains a space in the user name by using System Manager.

    You can either rename the user account or add the user account by using the command-line interface (CLI).

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Groups tab, select the group to which you want to add a user, and then click Add Members.

  5. In the Add Members window, perform one of the following actions:

    • Specify the Active Directory user or Active Directory group to be added to a particular local group.

    • Select the users from the list of available local users in the storage virtual machine (SVM).

  6. Click OK.

Results

The user that you added is listed in the Userstab of the Groups tab.

Rename a local Windows group

You can use System Manager to rename a local Windows group to identify the group more easily.

About this task
  • The new group name must be created in the same domain as the old group name.

  • The group name must meet the following requirements:

    • Must not exceed 256 characters

    • Must not end in a period

    • Must not include commas

    • Must not include any of the following printable characters: " / \ [ ] : | < > + = ; ? * @

    • Must not include characters in the ASCII range 1 through 31, which are non-printable

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Groups tab, select the group that you want to rename, and then click Rename.

  5. In the Rename Group window, specify a new name for the group.

Results

The local group name is changed, and the group is listed with the new name in the Groups window.

Delete a local Windows group

You can use System Manager to delete a local Windows group from a storage virtual machine (SVM) if the group is no longer required for determining access rights to the data contained on the SVM or for assigning SVM user rights (privileges) to group members.

About this task
  • Removing a local group removes the membership records of the group.

  • The file system is not altered.

    Windows Security Descriptors on files and directories that refer to this group are not adjusted.

  • The special “Everyone” group cannot be deleted.

  • Built-in groups such as BUILTIN\Administrators and BUILTIN\Users cannot be deleted.

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Groups tab, select the group that you want to delete, and then click Delete.

  5. Click Delete.

Results

The local group is deleted along with its membership records.

Create a local Windows user account

You can use System Manager to create a local Windows user account that can be used to authorize access to the data contained in the storage virtual machine (SVM) over an SMB connection. You can also use local Windows user accounts for authentication when creating a CIFS session.

Before you begin
  • The CIFS server must be configured for the SVM.

About this task

A local Windows user name must meet the following requirements:

  • Must not exceed 20 characters

  • Must not end in a period

  • Must not include commas

  • Must not include any of the following printable characters: " / \ [ ] : | < > + = ; ? * @

  • Must not include characters in the ASCII range 1 through 31, which are non-printable

The password must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be at least six characters in length

  • Must not contain the user account name

  • Must contain characters from at least three of the following four categories:

    • English uppercase characters (A through Z)

    • English lowercase characters (a through z)

    • Base 10 digits (0 through 9)

    • Special characters: ~ ! @ # 0 ^ & * _ - + = ` \ | ( ) [ ] : ; " ' < > , . ? /

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Users tab, click Create.

  5. Specify a name for the local user.

  6. Specify the full name of the local user and a description that helps you to identify this new user.

  7. Enter a password for the local user, and confirm the password.

    The password must meet the password requirements.

  8. Click Add to assign group memberships to the user.

  9. In the Add Groups window, select the groups from the list of available groups in the SVM.

  10. Select Disable this account to disable this account after the user is created.

  11. Click Create.

Results

The local Windows user account is created and is assigned membership to the selected groups. The user account is listed in the Users tab.

Edit local Windows user properties

You can use System Manager to modify a local Windows user account if you want to change an existing user's full name or description, or if you want to enable or disable the user account. You can also modify the group memberships that are assigned to the user account.

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Users tab, click Edit.

  5. In the Modify User window, make the required changes.

  6. Click Modify.

Results

The attributes of the local Windows user account are modified and are displayed in the Users tab.

Assign group memberships to a user account

You can use System Manager to assign group membership to a user account if you want a user to have the privileges that are associated with a particular group.

Before you begin
  • The group must exist before you can add a user to the group.

  • The user must exist before you can add the user to a group.

About this task

You cannot add users to the special Everyone group.

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Users tab, select the user account to which you want to assign group memberships, and then click Add to Group.

  5. In the Add Groups window, select the groups to which you want to add the user account.

  6. Click OK.

Results

The user account is assigned membership to all of the selected groups, and the user has the privileges that are associated with these groups.

Rename a local Windows user

You can use System Manager to rename a local Windows user account to identify the local user more easily.

About this task
  • The new user name must be created in the same domain as the previous user name.

  • The user name that you specify must meet the following requirements:

    • Must not exceed 20 characters

    • Must not end in a period

    • Must not include commas

    • Must not include any of the following printable characters: " / \ [ ] : | < > + = ; ? * @

    • Must not include characters in the ASCII range 1 through 31, which are non-printable

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Users tab, select the user that you want to rename, and then click Rename.

  5. In the Rename User window, specify a new name for the user.

  6. Confirm the new name, and then click Rename.

Results

The user name is changed, and the new name is listed in the Users tab.

Reset the password of a Windows local user

You can use System Manager to reset the password of a Windows local user. For example, you might want to reset the password if the current password is compromised or if the user has forgotten the password.

About this task

The password that you set must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be at least six characters in length

  • Must not contain the user account name

  • Must contain characters from at least three of the following four categories:

    • English uppercase characters (A through Z)

    • English lowercase characters (a through z)

    • Base 10 digits (0 through 9)

    • Special characters: ~ ! @ # 0 ^ & * _ - + = ` \ | ( ) [ ] : ; " ' < > , . ? /

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Users tab, select the user whose password you want to reset, and then click Set Password.

  5. In the Reset Password dialog box, set a new password for the user.

  6. Confirm the new password, and then click Reset.

Delete a local Windows user account

You can use System Manager to delete a local Windows user account from a storage virtual machine (SVM) if the user account is no longer required for local CIFS authentication to the CIFS server of the SVM or for determining access rights to the data contained in the SVM.

About this task
  • Standard users such as Administrator cannot be deleted.

  • ONTAP removes references to the deleted local user from the local-group database, from the local-user-membership, and from the user-rights database.

Steps
  1. Click Storage > SVMs.

  2. Select the SVM, and then click SVM Settings.

  3. In the Host Users and Groups pane, click Windows.

  4. In the Users tab, select the user account that you want to delete, and then click Delete.

  5. Click Delete.

Results

The local user account is deleted along with its group membership entries.

The Windows window

You can use System Manager to use the Windows window. The Windows window helps you to maintain a list of local Windows users and groups for each storage virtual machine (SVM) on the cluster. You can use local Windows users and groups for authentication and name mappings.

Users tab

You can use the Users tab to view the Windows users that are local to an SVM.

Command buttons

  • Create

    Opens the Create User dialog box, which enables you to create a local Windows user account that can be used to authorize access to data contained in the SVM over an SMB connection.

  • Edit

    Opens the Edit User dialog box, which enables you to edit local Windows user properties, such as group memberships and the full name. You can also enable or disable the user account.

  • Delete

    Opens the Delete User dialog box, which enables you to delete a local Windows user account from an SVM if it is no longer required.

  • Add to Group

    Opens the Add Groups dialog box, which enables you to assign group membership to a user account if you want the user to have privileges associated with that group.

  • Set Password

    Opens the Reset Password dialog box, which enables you to reset the password of a Windows local user. For example, you might want to reset the password if the password is compromised or if the user has forgotten the password.

  • Rename

    Opens the Rename User dialog box, which enables you to rename a local Windows user account to more easily identify it.

  • Refresh

    Updates the information in the window.

Users list

  • Name

    Displays the name of the local user.

  • Full Name

    Displays the full name of the local user.

  • Account Disabled

    Displays whether the local user account is enabled or disabled.

  • Description

    Displays the description for this local user.

Users Details Area

  • Group

    Displays the list of groups in which the user is a member.

Groups tab

You can use the Groups tab to add, edit, or delete Windows groups that are local to an SVM.

Command buttons

  • Create

    Opens the Create Group dialog box, which enables you to create local Windows groups that can be used for authorizing access to data contained in SVMs over an SMB connection.

  • Edit

    Opens the Edit Group dialog box, which enables you to edit the local Windows group properties, such as privileges assigned to the group and the description of the group.

  • Delete

    Opens the Delete Group dialog box, which enables you to delete a local Windows group from an SVM if it is no longer required.

  • Add Members

    Opens the Add Members dialog box, which enables you to add local or Active Directory users, or Active Directory groups to the local Windows group.

  • Rename

    Opens the Rename Group dialog box, which enables you to rename a local Windows group to more easily identify it.

  • Refresh

    Updates the information in the window.

Groups list

  • Name

    Displays the name of the local group.

  • Description

    Displays the description for this local group.

Groups Details Area

  • Privileges

    Displays the list of privileges associated with the selected group.

  • Users

    Displays the list of local users associated with the selected group.