Re: netID lengths

["McLaughlin, Bryan S." <bmclaughlin () CREIGHTON EDU>]

We have an algorithm that creates 8 digit NetIDs for all faculty, staff and students.  We use first initial, middle 
initial, last initials plus 5 randomly assigned numeric digits.  If no middle initial we use first two letters of last 
name.  We never reuse NetIDs once they are assigned.

Bryan

From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Shalla, 
Kevin
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 9:33 AM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: [SECURITY] netID lengths

We're in the midst of changing the process for assigning new netIDs, and one consideration is the length of usernames 
allowed in various systems. We've currently got a maximum length of 8, and given that our plan is to never reuse 
netIDs, that maximum causes challenges to maintaining uniqueness and having reasonable netIDs without embedded 
numerals. We're considering increasing that to 24 characters.

What maximum length do you have for netIDs?

What is the maximum username length supported in most systems? Some cursory web searches gave me these numbers:
Windows 256
Linux 32
Oracle 30
MySQL 16
SQL Server 128

Kevin Shalla
Academic and Enrollment Services
University of Illinois at Chicago