About UNIX and Windows user account mapping

In a mixed UNIX/Windows cluster, LSF treats Windows user names (with domain) and UNIX user names (no domain) as different users. The UNIX/Windows user account mapping feature makes job submission and execution transparent across operating systems by mapping Windows accounts to UNIX accounts. With this feature enabled, LSF sends the user account name in the format that is required by the operating system on the execution host.

Figure 1. Default behavior (feature not enabled)
Figure 2. With UNIX/Windows user account mapping enabled
For mixed UNIX/Windows clusters, UNIX/Windows user account mapping allows you to do the following:
  • Submit a job from a Windows host and run the job on a UNIX host
  • Submit a job from a UNIX host and run the job on a Windows host
  • Specify the domain\user combination that is used to run a job on a Windows host
  • Schedule and track jobs that are submitted with either a Windows or UNIX account as though the jobs belong to a single user

LSF supports the use of both single and multiple Windows domains. In a multiple domain environment, you can choose one domain as the preferred execution domain for a particular job.

Existing Windows domain trust relationships apply in LSF. If the execution domain trusts the submission domain, the submission account is valid on the execution host.

Scope

Applicability

Details

Operating system

  • UNIX and Windows hosts within a single cluster

Not required for

  • Windows-only clusters

  • UNIX-only clusters

Dependencies

  • UNIX and Windows user accounts must be valid on all hosts in the cluster and must have the correct permissions to successfully run jobs.

Limitations

  • This feature works with a uniform user name space. If users at your site have different user names on UNIX and Windows hosts, you must enable between-host user account mapping.

  • This feature does not affect Windows workgroup installations. If you want to map all Windows workgroup users to a single Windows system account, you must configure between-host user account mapping.

  • This feature applies only to job execution. If you issue an LSF command or define an LSF parameter and specify a Windows user, you must use the long form of the user name, including the domain name typed in uppercase letters.