6.1 Creating Strong Passwords

Password policies allow you to set strong password policies such as a minimum or maximum number of characters, a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and forced password reset. You set password policies in Novell iManager and then assign them to users. Administering passwords by using Novell iManager automatically sets the Universal Password to be synchronized to simple and NDS password values for backwards compatibility. The NMAS task in iManager allows for granular management of individual passwords and authentication methods that are installed and configured in the system.

For more information on setting up password policies in iManager, see Managing Passwords by Using Password Policies in the Novell Password Management Administration Guide. Make sure that you read this documentation and understand the requirements before rolling out any password changes to your network.

Then, use the Password Policy Wizard in iManager to set up the policies.

  1. Make sure you have completed the steps in Prerequisite Tasks for Using Password Policies in the Novell Password Management Administration Guide. These steps prepare you to use all the features of password policies.

  2. In iManager, make sure you are in the Roles and Tasks view by clicking Roles and Tasks icon on the top button bar, then select Passwords > Password Policies in the navigation panel on the left.

  3. Click New to create a new Password policy.

  4. Follow the steps in the wizard to create Advanced Password Rules, Universal Password Configuration Options, and Forgotten Password selections for the policy.

For information about each step, see the online help as well as the information in Managing Passwords by Using Password Policies in the Novell Password Management Administration Guide.