Set multiple LDAP repositories in a federated repository configuration

Overview

Configuring an LDAP repository in a federated repository configuration, requires...

• a valid user name (ID)
• the user password
• the server host and port
• bind distinguished name (DN)
• the bind password

We can choose any valid user in the repository that is searchable.

In some LDAP servers, admin users are not searchable and cannot be used (for example, cn=root in SecureWay).

This user is referred to as a WAS administrative user name or administrative ID in the documentation. Being an admin ID means a user has special privileges when calling some protected internal methods. Normally, this ID and password are used to log into the admin console after you turn on security. Use other users to log in if those users are part of the administrative roles.

Procedure

1. In the admin console, click...
   Security | Global security

2. Under User account repository, select Federated repositories from the Available realm definitions field and click Configure.

3. Enter the name of the realm in the Realm name field. We can change the existing realm name.

4. Enter the name of the primary admin user in the Primary administrativeistrative user name field, for example, adminUser.

5. Select the option...

   Ignore case for authorization

   When you enable this option, the authorization check is case-insensitive. Normally, an authorization check involves checking the complete DN of a user, which is unique in the realm and is case-insensitive. Clear this option when all of the member repositories in the realm are case-sensitive. Restriction: Some repositories contain data that is case-sensitive only, and some repositories contain data that is case-insensitive only. Do not include both case-sensitive and case-insensitive repositories in the realm. For example, do not include case-sensitive repositories in the realm with a built-in, file-based repository.

6. If the LDAP repository that we need is not listed in the collection, click...
   Add base entry to realm

   Then complete the steps in Add an external repository in a federated repository configuration.

7. On the Federated repositories panel...

   1. Repeat step 6 if the LDAP repository that we need is not listed in the collection.

   2. Select the repositories in the collection that you do not need in the realm and click Remove.

      The following restrictions apply:

      • The realm must always contain at least one base entry; therefore, we cannot remove every entry.

      • If we plan to remove the built-in, file-based repository from the administrative realm, verify that at least one user in another member repository is a console user with admin rights. Otherwise, disable security to regain access to the admin console.

   3. Click OK.

 

Results

After completing these steps, the federated repository configuration, which includes multiple LDAP repositories, is configured.

 

Next steps

1. Before we can manage this account with Users and Groups, configure supported entity types.

2. After configuring the federated repositories, click Security > Global security to return to the Global security panel. Verify that Federated repositories is identified in the Current realm definition field. If Federated repositories is not identified, select Federated repositories from the Available realm definitions field and click Set as current. To verify the federated repositories configuration, click Apply on the Global security panel. If Federated repositories is not identified in the Current realm definition field, the federated repositories configuration is not used by WAS.

3. If enabling security, complete the remaining steps as specified in Enable security for the realm. As the final step, validate this setup by clicking Apply in the Global security panel.

4. Save, stop, and restart all WAS servers (dmgrs, nodes, and Application Servers) for changes in this panel to take effect. If the server comes up without any problems, the setup is correct.