Workflow: Changing Authentication Modes

The following is a list of high-level tasks that you perform when you change the default authentication mode in your MicroStrategy installation.

• Choose an authentication mode, and set up the infrastructure necessary to support it. For example, if you want to use LDAP Authentication, you must set up your LDAP directory and server. For the modes of authentication available, see Authentication Modes.
• Import your user database into the MicroStrategy metadata, or link your users' accounts in your user database with their accounts in MicroStrategy. For example, you can import users in your LDAP directory into the MicroStrategy metadata, and ensure that their LDAP credentials are linked to the corresponding MicroStrategy users. Depending on the authentication mode you choose, the following options are available:
  • If your organization's users do not exist in the MicroStrategy metadata:
    • You can import their accounts from an LDAP directory, or from a text file. For the steps to import users, refer to the System Administration Help in Developer.
    • You can configure Intelligence Server to automatically import users into the metadata when they log in.
  • If your organization's users already exist in the MicroStrategy metadata:
    • You can use a Command Manager script to edit the user information in the metadata, and link the users' MicroStrategy accounts to their accounts in your user directory.
• Enable your chosen authentication mode for MicroStrategy applications at the following levels:
  • Your web server, for example, IIS or Apache.
  • Your application server, for example, IIS or WebSphere.
  • In Web Administrator, on the Default Server Properties page.
  • In Mobile Administrator, on the Default Server Properties page.
  • For all project sources that the above applications connect to.

The specific steps to implement an authentication mode depend on the mode you choose, and are described in the sections that follow.