OSI/MHS Management Programming Manual

Password Server Interfaces
OSI/MHS Management Programming Manual—424824-001
7-27
MPS Concepts and Components
The authorization database is an audited, Enscribe key-sequenced file containing several
records with information about users of the message stores supported by the MPS
process. Each record contains the following information:
•
The APPL name
•
The APPL OSI address
•
The encryption method
•
The encrypted password
•
The APPL O/R name
The authorization database is created by the MPS installation procedure. When you
later start the MPS, it immediately terminates if its authorization database is inaccessible
or does not exist.
The MPS updates the authorization database when processing an ADD, ALTER, or
DELETE command, or a Register MS request that changes a user’s credentials. Adding
an APPL object adds a record to the database. Deleting an APPL object deletes a record
from the database. Altering an APPL object potentially modifies the password or other
information in the record.
The authorization database and all updates to it are protected by TMF.
Data Encryption Methods
The MPS stores the master password in its configuration database and the passwords of
other users in its authorization database. To protect against unauthorized discovery and
use of those passwords, the MPS can use a simple, character-based encryption method
when it writes to the databases. In memory, the MPS retains the passwords in
unencrypted form.
When you run the MPS, you specify whether or not you want encryption of passwords.
Of course, if you prefer some other encryption method, you can modify the appropriate
MPS source file. See MPS Source and Configuration Files
on page 7-65.
The encryption method used by an MPS process cannot require more characters to hold
the encrypted form of a password than required by the unencrypted form of the
password.
Output File
The MPS process logs errors and status information to an output file, which you specify
when you run the process. The output file can be a terminal, a spooler location, or an
Enscribe text file.
Each MPS process should have a separate output file, with a name that suggests to
which MPS process it belongs. MPS messages do not identify the MPS process that
produced them.
Types of conditions that MPS logs to the output file include:
•
Any change in the configuration of an MPS process