I use AIX 5.2 I want to allow a non-root user to do a system backup with 'mksysb' command.
I try to add 'ManageBackup' Role to that non-root user but it have an error "ksh: mksysb: 0403-006 Execute permission denied."
What should I do?

Have you considered using "sudo"? With this package installed you can specify certain commands to be run by a (group of) user(s) as root. You can even limit this to the prescribed usage of certain parameters (for instance, a user might be allowed to do a "ls -l" as root, but not a "ls -a", etc.).

It looks like you could tailor this to exactly your needs.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

You might also SETUID the mksysb binary. Though, I would prefer (and already use) sudo...
Setting this bit is very dangerous and so, you should be VERY careful If you consider using it...

Regards.

Sorry, but "mksysb" is a shellscript. See the output of "file /usr/bin/mksysb".

Anyways, i suppose we agree upon "sudo" being by far the preferable solution.

bakunin

How can I know, is it "sudo" installed in the system or not ?
because I not sure was installed or not

from where install "sudo" ?
and how can I use "sudo" ?
I do not have knowledge about "sudo" .

thank you very much

Try the whereis command or sudo -V.

A useful link:

Install and configure sudo in AIX - ITtoolboxWiki

Regards

Oooops! No way. I just assumed it was a binnary file so forget it, I'm sorry.
Of course, sudo is as you said: by far, the preferable solution.

You can get a pre-compiled version of sudo for AIX at

IBM AIX Toolbox Download Page - Alphabetical Listing

You install with "rpm -i sudo*rpm"

(If you don't have rpm.rte installed on your OS you will need that first to install the sudo rpm.)

Now my memory is a little fuzzy but the following should work:

Enter "visudo" and add the line:

username hostname=/usr/bin/mksysb

:wq to write and quit visudo

Now the user would enter the command "sudo mksysb" and it will prompt for the users password and log what has happened in the syslog.

Now, it is done and work by 'sudo'

thank you very much to everyone has helped me