Re: [cpx] User prefix (December 2004) and vsap

[Rus Berrett <rberrett@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Jan 24, 2006 at 02:12:27PM +0100, Fred Bloggs wrote:
>
> Subject: [cpx] User prefix (December 2004) and vsap
>
> Hi,
> 
> I've never writen to this list before, but I've been lurching around ;-)
> 
> I decided it was time to check out CPX again to see if it's time to migrate 
> from imanager pro  to CPX management for our Virtual Hosting plans. The 
> last time we looked it was still superior than CPX for our needs. We don't 
> use iManager(pro) ourselves for adding virtual hosts, but offer it to our 
> virtual hosted clients to maintain their e-mail addresses, online webmail, 
> and setting autoresponders.
> 
> Unfortunatly imanager pro has two limitations (PLEASE correct me if I'm 
> wrong):
> 1. We can't let our client's domain admin aim an e-mail address at two or 
> more pop accounts or other e-mail addresses. (so info@.... can't be mailed 
> to boss@.... and the secreatary@....)
> 2. We can't define a maximum amount of pop accounts to be used for all 
> domains under the domain admin's control. (we have to give him an amount of 
> pop accounts per domain, not for all domains).
> 
> 
> As it's time to re-evaluate the big picture, I added a new vps today and 
> tested a clean cpx install. It looks like it has come a long way, but isn't 
> there yet (I hope I'm wrong!).
> 
> Here are my questions:
> 
> 
> 
> Question 1:
> 
> When we receive an order for a virtual host, a shell script is run on one 
> of our virtual hosting vps servers. This script:
> 
> - adds users (ftp + e-mail-admin) with random strong passwords
> - a www/domain directory in the ftp users's directory,
> - adds the correct config for the virtual host to www.conf
> - adds the e-mail-admin (plus settings) to the imanager pro domainmaps 
> config file
> - sets up other things like weekly statistics processing
> - sends an e-mail with all user details (domain, users passwords) to us.
> 
> If we were to migrate to CPX, Is it still the case that I can use the vsap 
> API to add the virtual host, the domain admin, two standard e-mail accounts 
> (webmaster@.... and info@....),  and let the rest of the existing script 
> set up the stats and send me the e-mail with all details?

yes.  vadduser is cpx aware now and will take a domain name as a command
line arg.  not sure if the user is set as the domain admin for new
domain names or not... Scott could probably tell you (or you can kick
the tires and find out yourself).

> 
> 
> Question 2: (I know I should RTM)... Is it now possible to add domains and 
> canonicals to Verio's DNS, using VSAP? (This could save sooo much time in 
> the backroom).

no, not at this time.


> 
> 
> Question 3:
> 
> I backtracked the CPX list to see if the username prefix (had been added 
> yet. I see it was kind of promissed round the 10th of December 2004 ( I 
> quote James, then Scott and finally Mark) from the "[cpx] not intuitive, at 
> all. (cpx)" thread:
> 
> James:
>  "assigned usernames. (like imanpro)"
> 
> Scott:
> 
>  "What does this mean? Is it like adding a prefix to the username (e.g.,
> 
> jgc_useranme)? We've had a request for this functionality as an
> 
> enhancement already. Am I guessing right?"
> 
> Mark:
>  "Yes, a user prefix (or even an incremental suffix). It is a big 
> timesaver for resellers that are doing virtual sub hosting, to not have to 
> explain why the user 'webmaster' is already taken to each domain admin that 
> wants it. With iManagerPro, I give the server admin the ability to set a 
> login prefix for each domain admin. When the domain admin goes to create a 
> user, the login prefix is prepended to whatever they use (giving you 
> jgc_username type users).
> 
> I also allow the server admin to assign a userid that increments by one for 
> each new user a domain admin creates - and not allow the domain admin to 
> pick a userid. So, if I use 'jgc' as the login prefix for a domain admin, 
> then each new user that the domain admin creates will automatically have 
> the userid assigned for them as jgc1, jgc2, jgc3.
> 
> Finally, we also have the option just like CPX, where the domain admin can 
> create any userid they like, so long as it is not already being used."
> 
> As far as I can see from my test today is that more than a year later this 
> request has not been honored. WHY NOT?

Good question for CPX product management.  My guess is that it just
hasn't had as high a priority as other features.  I've been in a few
meetings where a feature that I myself thought was a "must have" but
eventually was postponed and not included in a release.... mind you,
it wasn't because my request wasn't important, but only because other
items were more important.


> 
> Surely, It can't be that much work to add a prefix string for each domain 
> admin, and then use it for evey username he adds, and also reduce the 
> amount of usable characters for the 'free choice' part of the username 
> *ie... the prefix 'test_' would leave 11 chars of 'free choice').

Lol.  I said the same thing to my contractor this morning about some
corrections I want done to my ongoing home renovation project ("it
shouldn't be too much work", I said).  

The truth be told, yes, it wouldn't take but a day or two to write code
to add that feature (in my humble estimation).  However, I can't speak
to how long it would take to update the documentation and help so that
the feature is properly explained and fully documented.  Also I can't
say for sure how long it would take to get the new strings (that would
be introduced with the new feature) translated into the several 
languages that CPX supports.  Product management has answers to those 
questions.  

My bet is that it is something that gets rolled into a CPX 2.0 release 
this year... and that I'll probably be doing the work.  ;)

cheers.

--rus.


> 
> The prefix helps in so much ways. For instance we can do simple greps on 
> the vlistuser shell command, run it through pipes etc..... call this from 
> automated scripts etc etc....
> 
> PLEASE add it.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Fred
> 
> 

-- 
========================================================================
Rus Berrett                                                    NTT/Verio
                 See Perl. See Perl Run. Run Perl, Run!

======================================================================
This is <cpx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>      <http://www.groupmail.org/lists/cpx/>
Before posting a question, please search the archives (see above URL).