Role-Based Authentication

Role-based user administration is a way of reducing the complexity and cost of user management. Rather than managing the access rights of each user, the administrator can define the access rights for "roles" and assign individual users to one or more roles.

The WSA's model of user management allows administrators to use role-based authentication when appropriate. To do so the administrator creates a role (e.g. employee, customer, or executive) and assigns resources to the role. A single certificate enrollment to the role provides the user with access to all of the resources associated with the role.

A web resource can be associated with multiple roles. Similarly a user can enroll into multiple roles, thereby gaining access to all of the resources allowed by the roles. In other words, the WSA allows you to manage users as required by your business.

Benefits:

• Role-based user management can greatly simplify user administration

• Role-based user management enhances security by reducing the possibility of a security configuration error: allowing a user access to the wrong resource

• Role-based user management is more convenient for users who require access to diverse resources. One enrollment can provide access to all of his resources