Automate Active Directory Password Reset and Account Unlock

Let me take you through the various advanced settings available under the Automation tab. This tab contains options which will allow you to automate Active Directory password reset, account unlock and DC update.

Automation Tab

Automatic Reset & Unlock

The first option – Automatic Reset & Unlock – aids in the creation of password reset/account unlock scheduler, which will automatically reset the expired passwords and unlock the locked accounts of end users.

Steps to configure a password reset scheduler

1. Log in to ADSelfService Plus and go to Configuration > Policy Configuration > Advanced.
2. Click the Automation tab in the new window that opens up.
3. Enable the Automatically resets domain user’s passwords when they expire checkbox.
4. Set the Frequency for the scheduler. The available options are Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Hourly.
5. Select the method in which the new password has to be generated using the options under the Reset Password to setting.
6. Click OK to save the settings.

This setting, when configured, will save users the trouble of remembering their impending password reset dates.

Steps to configure an account unlock scheduler

1. Log in to ADSelfService Plus and go to Configuration > Policy Configuration > Advanced.
2. Click Automation tab in the new window that opens up.
3. Enable the Automatically unlocks locked down accounts in your domain checkbox.
4. Set the Frequency for the scheduler. The available options are Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Hourly.
5. Click OK to save the settings.

DC Updater

The second option – DC Updater – is used when the user is confronted with a replication problem. The DC Updater, in the event of a replication delay, will automatically update the current password and account status of the user on all domain controller machines.