What is a good user name policy?

In what way are you meaning? Are you doing this for Windows Server or a personal computer with XP or something like that?

-Lucas

Some customers only want things to be simple. these folks want user ID's like Bob, Sue, etc. if possible I would try to avoid them. These are too simple.

Many firms like to use the format of First initial,last name or somce variation. While this is good it can also be considered simple. The advantage here is that the user ID can also be the e-mail address without further configuration.

I have also used a version wher the first letter was the state the user was located in then 3 letters for the department followed by a 4 digit employee ID. (TMIS1234, AACT6789) These are great security wise but you have to setup the users mailboxes to use the name alias.

Again, sit down and discuss it with the customer. Aske them what they want and make usre they understand the risks if the naming scheme is too simple.

Hope this helps.

Always used the following for user names

IF you can't use real names like firstname lastname I've always used the following

DivisionNumberIntials
3 letters two numbers 3 letters

So if my name was Joe Brown with no middle and I worked in Finance my ID would be
FIN01JXB
Should another Joe Brown show up and work in Finance, their ID would be
FIN02JXB
and so on

One that works in the place that it is needed.

Anything will do but as you can not set a Hard & Fast Rule as what works down the road at Joe's with 5 Staff will not be suitable at the big end of town where they have 5,000 staff. Just the same as what works well at the 5 K staff establishment will not be suitable at a place with 5 staff.

Col

It depends on what you are setting up for as this was OK in a school environment.



we used to use the First letter of the First Name, First letter of the Second Name, First letter of the Third Name, the First three letters of the Last Name and add a 0. If there were any doubles or triples we would substitute the 0 for a 1, 2, 3 and so on.



Robert John Alexander Baker



rjabak0



Christine Michelle Thomas



cmtho0



and so on.......