Advice, opinions, and ideas sought.

[Rich Alderson]

In article <1991Jun26.060931.7815 at usenet.ins.cwru.edu>, mike at snowhite (Mike Sidman) writes:
>Greetings all.
>
>I have two issues, and would appreciate any replies, whether it be
>email or posted.  The two issues are aimed at an academic institution.
>
>The first deals with the distribution of accounts.  I am wondering
>if any of you have a policy for giving out accounts on a departmental
>UNIX machine.  For example, if a student says he/she wants an account,
>what is an exceptable explanation for their request?  Also, what type
>of storage limits do you impose on users that are essentially guests,
>or not the main users of a network?  

Different departments here at Stanford have different policies, but most are
restricted to members of the department only.  This is frequently due to the
fact that departmental computers were purchased with research grant funds.

Further, since by our charter any student or faculty member can have an account
on our systems, there isn't much call for general guest accounts on the
departmental systems.

>The second deals with security.  How would you monitor or approach
>person "A" if a different person (person "B" - friend, curious quasi-
>hacker, etc.) is utilizing person "A"'s account?

Our policy statement, which each person must read before opening an account,
explicitly forbids sharing accounts.  Since our systems are used to provide
cycles for course assignments, sharing of accounts is viewed as giving unfair
advantage.  If anyone is caught using another person's account, the accounts of
BOTH are frozen until a hearing.

Again, departmental systems have their own policies.
--
Rich Alderson   'I wish life was not so short,' he thought.  'Languages take
Tops-20 Mgr.    such a time, and so do all the things one wants to know about.'
AIR, Stanford                                           --J. R. R. Tolkien,
alderson at alderson.stanford.edu                            _The Lost Road_