Authentication mechanisms and expiration
To specify the shared keys and configure the authentication mechanism used to exchange information between servers. We can also use this page to specify the amount of time that the authentication information remains valid and specify the single sign-on configuration.
- Click...
Security | Global security
- Under Authentication, click Authentication mechanisms and expiration > LTPA.
After you configure the properties on this page...
- Click...
Security | Global security
- Under Available realm definitions, verify that the appropriate registry is configured.
- Click Apply. When security is enabled and any of these properties change, return to the Global security panel and click Apply to validate the changes.
- Key set group
Specifies groups of public, private, and shared keys. These key groups enable the appserver to manage multiple sets of Lightweight Third Party Authentication (LTPA) keys.
- Generate Keys
Whether to generate a new set of LTPA keys in the configured keystore, and to update the runtime with the new keys. By default, LTPA keys are regenerated on a schedule every 90 days, configurable to the day of the week.
Each new set of LTPA keys is stored in the keystore associated with the key set group. A maximum number of keys (or even one) can be configured. However, it is recommended to have at least two keys; the old keys can be used for validation while the new keys are being distributed.
This step is not necessary during security enablement. A default set of keys is created during the first server startup. If any nodes are down during a key generation event, the nodes should be synchronized with the Deployment Manager before restart.
- Authentication cache timeout
Time period during which the authenticated credential in the cache is valid. This time period must be less than the time period specified for the Timeout value for forwarded credentials between servers field.
If the appserver infrastructure security is enabled, the authentication cache timeout can influence performance. The timeout setting specifies how often to refresh the security-related caches. Security information pertaining to beans, permissions, and credentials is cached. When the cache timeout expires, all cached information not accessed within the timeout period is purged from the cache. Subsequent requests for the information result in a database lookup. Sometimes, acquiring the information requires invoking a LDAP-bind or native authentication. Both invocations are relatively costly operations for performance. Determine the best trade off for the application, by looking at usage patterns and security needs for the site.
There is no relationship between the authentication cache timeout value and the orb request timeout value.
In a 20-minute performance test, setting the authentication cache timeout so that a timeout does not occur during that 20 minute period yields a 40% performance improvement.
Data type Integer Units Minutes and seconds Default 10 minutes Range: Greater than 30 seconds
- Timeout value for forwarded credentials between servers
Period of time during which the server credentials from another server are valid. After this time period expires, the server credential from the other server must be revalidated.
Specify a value for this field that is greater than the value specified for the Authentication cache timeout field.
Data type Integer Units Minutes and seconds Default 120 minutes Range: An integer between 5 and 35971
Enter a password which will be used to encrypt and decrypt the LTPA keys from the SSO properties file. During import, this password should match the password used to export the keys at another LTPA server (for example, another appserver Cell, Lotus Domino Server, and so on). During export, remember this password in order to provide it during the import operation.
After the keys are generated or imported, they are used to encrypt and decrypt the LTPA token. Whenever the password is changed, a new set of LTPA keys are automatically generated when you click OK or Apply. The new set of keys is used after the configuration changes are saved.
Data type String
- Confirm password
Confirmed password used to encrypt and decrypt the LTPA keys.
Use this password when importing these keys into other application server admin domain configurations and when configuring SSO for a Lotus Domino server.
Data type String
- Fully qualified key file name
Name of the file used when importing or exporting keys.
Enter a fully qualified key file name, and click Import Keys or Export Keys.
Data type String
- Internal server ID
Server ID used for interprocess communication between servers. The server ID is protected with an LTPA token when sent remotely. We can edit the internal server ID to make it identical to server IDs across multiple appserver admin domains (cells). By default this ID is the cell name.
This internal server ID should only be used in a V6.1 or higher environment.
For mixed-version Cells, you should convert to using a server user ID and server password for interoperability.
To switch back to the server user ID and password for interoperability...
- Click...
Security | Global security
- Under User account repository, click the Available realm definitions drop-down list, select a user registry, and click Configure.
- Select the Server identity that is stored in the repository option and type a valid registry ID and password.
Data type String
- Import Keys
Whether the server imports new LTPA keys.
To support SSO in the appserver product across multiple appserver domains (cells), share the LTPA keys and the password among the domains. Use the Import Keys option to import the LTPA keys from other domains. The LTPA keys are exported from one of the cells to a file. To import a new set of LTPA keys...
- Enter the appropriate password in the and Confirm password fields.
- Click OK and click Save.
- Enter the directory location where the LTPA keys are located in the Fully qualified key file name field prior to clicking Import keys.
- Do not click OK or Apply, but save the settings.
- Export Keys
Whether the server exports LTPA keys.
To support SSO in the WebSphere product across multiple appserver domains (cells), share the LTPA keys and the password among the domains. Use the Export Keys option to export the LTPA keys to other domains.
To export the LTPA keys, make sure that the system is running with security enabled and is using LTPA. Enter the file name in the Fully qualified key file name field and click Export Keys. The encrypted keys are stored in the specified file.
Related tasks
Set the Lightweight Third Party Authentication mechanism