HOWTO: Securing an Acceler8DB Public Database Name

The information in this article applies to:

Acceler8DB, Release 4.6 and Higher
Windows
Deploy

SUMMARY:

This article provides information on how to secure a Public Database Name. These security measures will allow various applications to use a Public Database name and will restrict various specified users not to have access to the public database name.

STATUS:

Current.

MORE INFORMATION:

NOTE: Please coordinate with your Network or System Administrator while working with Windows and determining levels of security and while working with the Registry.

Description of a Public Database Name:

Public Database names can be "seen" by everyone on the Local Machine. A public database name is similar to a private database name, except it is prefixed with "*Public/" (without the quotes). A public database name is not "secure"; in that, it can be accessed by anyone that has access to the machine where the database name exists. Some deployed environments may require the use of Public database names.
An example of a Public Database name is: "*Public/ASNA Local DB".
These database names are registered in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section.

Steps on Setting Security Permissions on your Public Database Name:

NOTE: These following steps assume there is a current Public Database Name already configured and in use. You will have to be logged in as Administrator to modify registry values.

Open your Registry using Microsoft's Registry Editor: REGEDT32.EXE (not REGEDIT);
Go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE window;
Select the SOFTWARE -> ASNA -> Acceler8-DB -> CurrentVersion -> DataSources -> *PUBLIC Key;
You should see all of your Public database names (See Figure 1);
Select the database name you wish to restrict;
In the Registry Editor window, select the Permissions menu option under the Security menu;

Figure 1

You will be presented with a Securities dialogue (See Figure 2);

Figure 2

You can allow and deny any users you wish to restrict or grant access (Please coordinate with your Security Administrator);
Make sure that the user that will need to access the database is allowed (e.g. The users that will need to access public database names are: Web Applications, Applications that run in Windows Scheduler, Interactive users, etc.);
Test your application in various scenarios to make sure that they can access the database;

TIP:

Web Applications: You can view $$AVRERR.TXT for any error messages. This will help you determine if your DB name is correct and can be opened.
Windows Applications: You should try logging in as various users on this machine where a public database name is configured, to make sure they can run interactively. This will help you determine if your DB name is correct and can be opened.

Recommendations:

Note: The items below are recommendations only. These recommendations may not suite everyone's requirements. Testing is recommended to determine which type of database name is required for your specific need.

Web Applications:
We recommend Web applications to use Public database names because they are usually run out of process and under a different user than the one currently logged in.
Windows Applications:
We recommend Windows Applications to use Private database names; unless, deployment and / or maintenance requirements need to use Public database names.