Overview

When a System Administrator performs operations on an appliance, they have full control over the Exinda device. The default local system administrator name is admin, and multiple administrator accounts can be added to the system or defined through RADIUS, TACACS+ or another AAA method. Even with an administrator account in use, the following message may be seen:

Configuration changed by admin-internal.

This article provides information regarding this account.

Information

• admin-internal is an internal user account for use by the Exinda. It is not defined or shown in the Users panel (under Configuration > System > Authorization).
• The admin-internal user is an integral part of the subsystem operation of the Exinda firmware. While system administrators have full control over the Exinda, that permission does not extend to the 'shell' level for security reasons.
• That means that the system administrator accounts do not have permission to modify certain files or write to read only parts of the shell.
• If necessary, the administrator account, when performing a task, can invoke a series of actions that involve the Exinda using the admin-internal account instead, which does have the permission to access the restricted areas, like a superuser.
• When admin-internal is called and utilized, it is logged in the above manner.
• This user never 'logs in' because it is never used externally (i.e. it is a local logon, much like putting in a 'root' password in a Linux machine would allow for the user to access certain features). admin-internal is most heavily utilized when there is a file that needs to be changed during the course of modifying the configuration, or if there are certain jobs being run.
  
  
• admin-internal runs when:
  
  
• The optimizer is turned on or off.
• A PDF report is run - either scheduled or ad-hoc.
• A system diagnostic is run.
• If any settings related to time have been changed (i.e. enabling/disabling NTP, changing the time zone, or system time).
• A scheduled job is running.
  
  
• This is normal behaviour for the system. admin-internal is expected to work in any instance required.
  
  
• Due to the fact that this is not an externally accessible account, there is no risk related to unauthorized use.