Configure server security

 

Before you begin

We can customize security to some extent at the application server level. We can disable user security on an application server (administrative security remains enabled when global security is enabled). We can also modify Java 2 Security Manager, CSIv2 or SAS, and some of the other security attributes that are found on the global security (also called cell-level security) panel. We cannot configure a different authentication mechanism or user registry on an individual server basis. This feature is limited to cell-level configuration only. Also, when global security is disabled, one cannot enable application server security.

By default, server security inherits all of the values that are configured for global security (cell-level security). To override the security configuration at the server level, click...

Servers | Application Servers | servername | Server Security

...and click any of the following panels...

After modifying the configuration in any of these panels and clicking OK or Apply, the security configuration for that panel or set of panels now overrides cell-level security. Other panels that are not overridden continue to be inherited at the cell-level. However, one can always revert back to the cell-level configuration at any time. On the Server Security panel, click to revert back to the global security configuration on these panels:

For more information, see Global security and server security.

 

Procedure

  1. Start the administrative console for the deployment manager. To get to the administrative console, go to http://host.domain:9060/ibm/console. If security is disabled, one can enter any ID. If security is enabled, you must enter a valid user ID and password, which is either the administrative ID (configured for the user registry) or a user ID entered as an administrative user. To add a user ID as an administrative user, click System Administration > Console settings > Console users.

  2. Configure global security if you have not already done so. After global security is configured, configure server-level security.

  3. To configure server-level security, click...

    Servers | Application Servers | server name | Server security

    The status of the security level that is in use for this application server is displayed.

    By default, one can see that global security, CSI, and SAS have not been overridden at the server level. CSI and SAS are authentication protocols for RMI/IIOP requests. The Server Level Security panel lists attributes that are on the Global Security panel and can be overridden at the server level. Not all of the attributes on the Global Security panel can be overridden at the server level, including Active Authentication Mechanism and Active User Registry.

  4. To disable security for this application server, go to the Server Level Security panel, clear the Enable global security option and click OK or Apply. Click Save. By modifying the Server Level Security panel, one can see that this flag overrides the cell-level security.

  5. To configure CSI at the server level, one can change any panel that starts with CSI. By doing so, all panels that start with CSI will override the CSI settings specified at the cell level. This change includes all authentication and transport panels for CSI. See the Configuring CSIv2 and Security Authentication Service authentication protocols article for more detailed steps regarding configuring CSI authentication protocol.

 

What to do next

Typically server-level security is used to disable user security for a specific application server. However, this can also be used to disable (or enable) the Java 2 Security Manager, and configure the authentication requirements for RMI/IIOP requests both incoming and outgoing from this application server.

After you modify the configuration for a particular application server, restart the application server for the changes to become effective. To restart the application server, go to Servers > Application servers and click the server name that you recently modified. Then, click the Stop button and then the Start button.

If you disabled security for the application server, one can typically test a URL that is protected when security is enabled.

One URL that usually is installed when the DefaultApplication during installation is the snoop application. If the DefaultApplication is installed on the application server, test that security is disabled by going to the following URL: http://host.domain:9080/snoop. If you have disabled security, you should not get prompted. This is just one method of validating the configuration. Validate that the configuration is appropriate for your applications.

 

See also


Server security settings
Server-level security settings