Using SMC to Administer Role Accounts

A role is an account with all the attributes of a user account, including a user name, user ID (UID), password, and home directory. A role also has a specific set of administrative rights. Instead of a login shell, a role has a role shell (for example, Administrator's Bourne instead of Bourne shell). The root account is a role with all rights, whereas other roles may have more limited rights.

When a user is associated with a role, that user first logs in as usual with the individual's user name and password. The user can then use the su rolename command with the role password to assume the rights of the specific role. User accounts can have both individual rights and role membership.

Use the SMC Administrative Roles tool to create role accounts and to administer the user account memberships in each role. Refer to the Solaris Management Console Tools book for instructions on creating and administering role accounts.