Recipe5.27.Using ADModify.NET to Update User Attributes

Recipe 5.27. Using ADModify.NET to Update User Attributes

Problem

You want an application that easily allows you to modify user accounts attributes in bulk.

Solution

Using a graphical user interface

1. Download ADModify.NET from the Microsoft Download Center (see the Discussion) and extract the ZIP archive to a selected folder on the local hard drive.

2. Open ADModify.NET by double-clicking the ADModify.exe file.

3. Click Modify Changes.

4. Choose your domain and domain controller from the drop-down lists and click the green arrow.

5. Navigate through the domain tree and select a container that holds user accounts you wish to modify. Click Add to List. Repeat this step until the right hand pane contains all of the user accounts you wish to modify.

6. In the right pane, select the specific users you wish to modify. Click Next.

7. Navigate through the tabs and fields and select the modifications you wish to make. Remember that they will be applied to all of the users you selected in step 6.

8. Click Go! to apply your modifications.

9. Refer to the ADModify.NET.chm file for more information.

Discussion

The ADModify tool, written by Marc Nivens and Dan Winter of the 24x7 Enterprise Messaging Support team at Microsoft Product Support Services, provides a powerful GUI utility for bulk modification of user accounts. It comes in two flavors, Win32 (Version 1.6) and .NET (Version 2.x) and is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center or from its project home at GotDotNet (http://workspaces.gotdotnet.com/ADModify).

ADModify 1.6 generally provides less functionality than ADModify.NET does, but it does provide the following features that have been removed from Version 2:

• Export Exchange 5.5 users to LDIF

• Export Active Directory users to LDIF

• Perform an LDIF import to Active Directory

• Support for X.500 and Lotus Notes fields

If you don't need any of these features, are not yet running Windows Server 2003, or prefer not to deploy the .NET Framework 1.1 on your management workstation, use ADModify 1.6. It is used in much the same fashion as Version 2 and is documented in the included help file. Otherwise, look at both flavors and use the one that gives you the mix of functionality you need; on Windows Server 2003, this will generally be Version 2.

ADModify.NET provides the ability to export mailbox rights to XML and reimport them, as well as an XML log that provides undo capability. It also adds support for the remote control and Terminal Services fields in Windows Server 2003.