SAP User Name Field

[Former Member]

Does anyone know if there are any plans to increase the field length of the user-ID similar to how the password length was increased with basis 7.0?

Also, is there a way to retain the existing passwords for a user when performing a rename function?

[jurjen_heeck]

>

> Also, is there a way to retain the existing passwords for a user when performing a rename function?

Officially no, but the password (in hashed format) is stored on the system and theoretically could be copied. But why would you want to? Any user that gets a new userid will understand the need of re-entering a password. Besides that, the fact a user hass changed his password on the new account can be reported and thus tell you when the time is right to disable the old account.

Also, when you transfer the password to the new account you still have to do something about the fact that the user will have to change it at first logon. That leaves little added value in my opinion.

Edited by: Jurjen Heeck on Feb 23, 2008 10:53 AM

[Former Member]

>

> Officially no, but the password (in hashed format) is stored on the system and theoretically could be copied.

Even theoretically not as easy as that. In previous releases, a different user with the same password produced a different hash anyway. From 7.00 onwards, code version is used to build the hash, for which same user and same password produces a different hash. So there is a variable in it (I think there are 4 candidates, possibly also a combination of them).

Obviously, changing single fields of USR02 is not such a good idea anymore...

I agree with the rest of your post.

Cheers,

Julius

[jurjen_heeck]

>

> In previous releases, a different user with the same password produced a different hash anyway.

Should have though of that, the original poster wants to change the username.... So bottom line, forget it. Lots to lose, nothing to gain.

[Former Member]

Hi Jurjen,

> So bottom line, forget it. Lots to lose, nothing to gain.

For synchronizing password between users I agree completely. However the reason has changed.

I still have some doubts though.. It sounds as if Edwin only wants to rename the user ID (why else would you copy a user and want to give the new user the same password ?). There have been a few threads on this already.

@ Edwin: Can you confirm your intention is to rename?

Cheers,

Julius

Edited by: Julius Bussche on Feb 23, 2008 8:53 PM

[WolfgangJanzen]

>

> Does anyone know if there are any plans to increase the field length of the user-ID similar to how the password length was increased with basis 7.0?

I assume that you are referring to SY-UNAME respectively USR02-BNAME. Well, since that field is part of the DB key of many tables you cannot simply change it's data structure (since that would require massive DB reorgs).

Actually the so-called "ABAP User Aliasname" (40 characters long) would be suitable to be used as "logon name".

For the web-based ABAP services you can already choose between the "ABAP userID" and the "ABAP User Aliasname" to be used on the interactive logon screens (both: "Basic Authentication" and FORM-based logon screen (aka "System Login")). In the ICF service settings you'll find that at "Service Data" > "Basic Authentication" : "Standard R/3 User" vs. "Internet User".

>

> Also, is there a way to retain the existing passwords for a user when performing a rename function?

Using the "ABAP User Aliasname" will resolve that problem (since the ABAP UserID will remain unchanged).

Actually, changing the ABAP UserID is very critical with respect to all the transactional data which is related to it.

Just think of all those application data (personalization settings, change records, ...) - there are a lot of foreign key relationships.

Regards, Wolfgang

[Former Member]

Hi,

My intention is to rename the SAP user-ID. We are migrating to a new global format for user-IDs in Active Directory and we would like to continue the alignment of the Active Directory ID and the SAP ID. We will not be able to implement any SSO solution in the near term. When the network IDs are renamed to the new Active Directory format, the users will still be able to retain their previous password under the old user-ID format and I was hoping there would be similar solution in SAP.

I'm not sure if the SAP User Alias will work in our case since all our users still logon through the SAPgui except for BI where the BeX Analyzer is used.

I didn't think expect a solution to my issue. Does anyone know of the major impacts that we should be aware of when renaming all our users?

Thanks,

Edwin

[tim_alsop]

Edwin,

I am not sure if you are aware, but when you decide to look at SSO in the future for SAP GUI users, the mapping of Active Directory account and domain onto a SAP user name is something you will have to maintain, and is required for the SAP GUI logon to work. So, perhaps one solution is to wait until you implement SSO and then create a mapping of the Active Directory account name onto a SAP user name (using the old format of user name) and then gradually migrate the SAP users to the new format, and change their mapping + provide them with new password for their renamed user id.

Thanks,

Tim

[Former Member]

In addition to the many many records which have the existing user ID in them, your current job scheduling setup (SM37 etc) could be impacted if you rename a user, or copy it and think that the old one and the roles it requires can be dropped from the system.

Regarding renaming, I am aware of some threads in the past which discussed this:

See for an example and some of the search terms.

Regards,

Julius