[rhelv6-list] maximum member unix group in /etc/group

[Paul Krizak]

Yeah this is SOP for NIS-based orgs with large groups.  I wouldn't even 
call it a hack at this point, it's been in use so long.


Paul Krizak                         7171 Southwest Pkwy MS B200.3A
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On 12/01/11 11:17, Iain Morrison wrote:
> Hi Jason,
>    we had this problem with groups in NIS under RHEL4, and whilst it may
> be a bug in RHEL 6.1 the workaround we use might work for you.
>
> [The length of one entry is limited by the NIS protocol to 1024
> characters.]
>
>
> -------------------
>
> There is another way of solving this problem for /etc/group entries.
> This idea is from Ken Cameron:
>
> 1. Break the entry into more than one line and name each group
>     slightly differently.
>
> 2. Keep the GID the same for all.
>
> 3. Have the first entry with the right group name and the GID.
>     I don't put any user names in this one.
>
> What happens is that going by user name you pick up the GID when the
> code
> reads it. Then going the other way it stops after the first match of GID
> and takes that name. It's ugly but works!
>
> ------------------------
>
> so for example we have
>
> largegroup:x:1234:
> largegroup1:x:1234:uname01,uname02,...
> largegroup2:x:1234:uname31,uname31,...
> largegroup3:x:1234:uname61,uname61,...
> largegroup4:x:1234:
> largegroup5:x:1234:
>
> thanks
>
> iain
>
>
> --
>
> Iain Morrison
> IT Manager
> MRC Epidemiology Unit
> Institute of Metabolic Science
> Box 285
> Addenbrooke's Hospital
> Hills Road
> Cambridge
> CB2 0QQ
> Tel 01223 769200
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhelv6-list-bounces at redhat.com
> [mailto:rhelv6-list-bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Jason Keltz
> Sent: 01 December 2011 18:08
> To: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 (Santiago) discussion mailing-list
> Subject: [rhelv6-list] maximum member unix group in /etc/group
>
> Under RHEL4, as far as I can see, there was no limitation in unix group
> size in /etc/group in terms of line lengths or number of users, or at
> least I never came close to hitting the limit.  Under RHEL6.1, I hit the
>
> limit today - 126 members.  It's not clear if this is a bug or a
> feature, or why such a limitation would be imposed.  It's possible that
> it was imposed by a patch, but after applying many patches, it's not
> clear which would have caused it.  Any ideas???
>
> Jason.
>
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