From SIMs to Active Directory Distribution Groups

[mthomas08]

Hi all.

We are being asked to create email groups to match our teaching/classes.

So I am wondering is there an easier way to pull a list
Firstname/Surname/teaching Group (I can add user name easily enough).

And import that in to Active Directory as email group? I guess I am after a nice simple way of doing it without endless amount of work of adding each group manually.

Is this possible or am I dreaming?

[TheScarfedOne]

I would hunt down Mr Willis who is lurking here on the Forums somewhere - and an excellent bit of software called Salamander. This will do that automatically for you - and a load of other shizzle for you too.

I am not a Salamander employee btw... got my eyes on this for my place after having it at my last.

[mthomas08]

Just done some googling for it and I have found it, excellent thank you.

SalamanderSoft Limited - Salamander Active Directory

[mthomas08]

Well blew that idea out the water, £999 + VAT for an annual license and a one off install of £400 + VAT. Far too expensive for what I am after, I will do some more googling and try and find a cheaper solution but that's a lot of money for something that I need for the next 5 months and then once a year.

[jayemm]

Mark

Salamander does a lot more than just add the email groups. And are you sure you will only need it once a year?

What happens if students change class mid year? Or when technology rotations happen?

How do you add new users in bulk and ad hoc during year?

As a user at 2 schools now of Salamander, I would recommend to anyone. It may appear expensive but it possibly does more than you were first looking for.

[apearce]

highly recommend the tool too. create users, security/distribution, exchange mailboxes and email groups.

A.

[mthomas08]

Only the email groups are required and only untill we switch to FROG which is updated over night from SIMs. There are usually only about 30 kids a year tops who change groups and I only create an average of 10 groups (class lists) a year on the system.

As for bulk import I resorted to AddUsers batch file which imported it all for me only took about 1 hour.

I will be resorting to the new 2008R2 system once I have the time to do the research, I have checked the Salamander site and I do see a lot of uses for it but simply wont be able to push that kind of money. Not when we need to replace our Home drive system with something top notch and the school needs to seriously save money. Sorry but that is a lot of money to us for something that can just save me some time once a year.

[amaro.silva]

Does anyone have a phone number for Mr Willis?

I'm really interested in Salamander Active Directory but would like to speak to someone.

[ful56_uk]

I use salamander AD here for creating users, setting up home dir, class based email groups, teachers who teach student email groups as i dont want to know about little Billy whos broken his leg. It also managers staff and student leavers and archive them off for us. creates mailboxes add users to groups we want adding too, manages the class based email groups so if there are changes on Sims AD gets updated too. I really cant prise the software up enough its always top of my what do i need to renew for next year list I give the business manager each year.