Users Guide

Setup and Administration 23

Authentication

The Server Administrator authentication scheme ensures that the correct

access types are assigned to the correct user privileges. Additionally, when the

command line interface (CLI) is invoked, the Server Administrator

authentication scheme validates the context within which the current process

is running. This authentication scheme ensures that all Server Administrator

functions, whether accessed through the Server Administrator home page or

CLI, are properly authenticated.

Microsoft Windows Authentication

For supported Microsoft

Windows

operating systems, Server Administrator

authentication uses Integrated Windows Authentication (formerly called

NTLM) to authenticate. This authentication system allows Server

Administrator security to be incorporated in an overall security scheme for

your network.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Authentication

For supported Red Hat

Enterprise Linux

and SUSE

Linux Enterprise

Server operating systems, Server Administrator uses various authentication

methods based on the Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) library.

Users can log in to Server Administrator either locally or remotely using

different account management protocols, such as LDAP, NIS, Kerberos,

and Winbind.

NOTE: Server Administrator authentication using Winbind and Kerberos on SUSE

Linux Enterprise Server (Version 9 Service Pack 3) is not supported because the

32-bit compatible libraries for Winbind and Kerberos are not present in the

operating system.

Encryption

Server Administrator is accessed over a secure HTTPS connection using

secure socket layer (SSL) technology to ensure and protect the identity of the

system being managed. Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE) is used by

supported Microsoft Windows, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and SUSE Linux

Enterprise Server operating systems to protect the user credentials and other

sensitive data that is transmitted over the socket connection when a user

accesses the Server Administrator home page.