Security Parameters

The Security Parameters category contains the following settings:

• Persist Location Password in Metadata

• Share Location Password During Runtime

• Default Metadata Security Policy

Persist Location Password in Metadata

This option determines whether or not location passwords are persisted across OWB design sessions.

By default, this option is deselected, which is the more secure setting. OWB retains location passwords for the length of the design session only. That is, the first time you start tools such as the Data Viewer or Debugger, you must enter the appropriate location passwords.

If this option is selected, then OWB persists encrypted versions of location passwords in the workspace. The result is that you can start tools such as the Data Viewer and Debugger without entering passwords each time.

Share Location Password During Runtime

This parameter determines whether or not the location passwords that users enter during the design phase can be shared with other users. For example, assume that user Dev1 designs mapping MAP1. To access the sources and targets for this mapping, Dev1 defines the locations to each source and target, including a username and password. When other users subsequently attempt to execute MAP1 or view data associated with it, the OWB preference determines whether or not each user must enter the password each time in the Design Center, or the first time in the Control Center.

Share Location Password During Runtime works in conjunction with Persist Location Password in Metadata. The most secure mode, and the default behavior, is for both options to be deactivated. In this case, each user, including Dev1, must enter their password once for each Design Center session and for the first time they attempt to use that location in the Control Center. Depending on your security requirements, you may want each user to define their own location for a given source or target

If both Share Location Password During Runtime and Persist Location Password in Metadata are activated, then any user can access a schema given that any user previously defined the location. Therefore, user Oper2 can execute MAP1 given that Dev1 or any other user previously defined the location with valid credentials.

Default Metadata Security Policy

This parameter specifies the default security policy to be applied. Minimum security enables all users full control over objects that any newly registered user creates. Maximum security, however, restricts access to the newly registered user who created the object, and to OWB administrators.

This setting is not retroactive. That is, if you change this setting in an existing OWB implementation, then the setting does not affect existing users and existing objects. You must manually change the security settings on existing objects.