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How to add user on remote servers using Bash script

 ·  ☕ 2 min read  ·  🐧 sysadmin
  1. Here is a video tutorial

Scripts and configuration files are available here:

  1. Install sshpass

SLES | openSUSE Leap 15.4

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sudo zypper install sshpass 

Debian

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sudo apt install sshpass 

Red Hat

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sudo dnf install sshpass 
  1. Create a file
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vim pass_file

and place a password for the user that is currently able to connect to remote hosts.

  1. Make the script read only for this user
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chmod 400 pass_file
  1. Create a list of servers with IP addresses or hostnames
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vim servers
  1. Create a script
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vim  adduser.sh

And add the below content

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#!/bin/bash
servers=$(cat servers)
echo -n "Enter the username: "
read userName
echo -n "Enter the user uid: "
read userUID
echo -n "Enter the password: "
read -s passwd
clear
for i in $servers; do
  sshpass -f pass_file ssh -q -t $USER@$i "hostname; sudo useradd -m -u $userUID $userName -d /home/$userName -s /bin/bash && echo '$userName:$passwd' | sudo chpasswd"
  if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "User '$userName' added on '$i'" || echo "User '$userName' already exists on '$i'"
  else
    echo "Error on $i"
  fi
done
echo
read -n1 -s -p "Checking? (y)es or (n)o " ans
echo
if [ $ans == 'y' ] ;then
  for i in $servers; do 
    sshpass -f pass_file ssh -q -t $USER@$i "hostname; id $userName"
  done
fi
  1. Make sure that PasswordAuthentication has set boolean value to yes in /etc/ssh/sshd_config file on remote servers

  2. Make the script executable

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chmod +x adduser.sh
  1. Execute the script
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./adduser.sh
  1. Provide username: ansible, UID and password.
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