Security

This section describes some of the security issues that arise when working with Meta-Directory's Management Center.

Describe the security features of Meta-Directory's Management Center.

Meta-Directory administratirs must specify passwords for each service being installed. These passwords are required before viewing service information or making configuration changes to services.

When using the Management Center, you can safeguard the configuration of manageable services in the following ways:

  • Assign a connection password for opening a connection to the management agent running on the local or remote computer.
  • Assign a login password that must be entered before the Management Center can be started.
  • Assign individual service passwords to the installed services, such as the JoinEngine.

You only need to enter the connection and service passwords the first time you connect to a computer or service. The passwords are then automatically stored in your Windows NT profile for other times you connect. The Windows NT profile is a record of how you use the Management Center and other NT programs. It saves information, such as the passwords you use and how you configure the display of information in the main screen (that is, which icons are displayed, the size and style of fonts, and so forth.). When you log onto Windows NT, your profile is automatically retrieved. Use of profiles ensures security and enables multiple users to use the Management Center from the same machine with different levels of access.

If you use multiple Windows NT logins, a different profile is created for each one, and one or more profiles may not yet store passwords for a service (if you haven’t connected to a service using that particular login). In this case, you will be prompted to enter a password before connecting to a service.

For additional security, it is recommended that you log off from Windows NT when you leave your machine for a period of time. You can also set up Windows NT to automatically prompt for the login password if your computer is idle for more than a specified length of time (that is, after your screen saver starts running). To do this, open the Windows NT Control Panel and double-click the Display icon. Go to the Screen Saver tab page and select the Password Protected checkbox.

Top of Page
Copyright © 2000
Sun-Netscape Alliance.