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J2C principal mapping modules

We can develop our own J2EE Connector (J2C) mapping module if the application requires more sophisticated mapping functions. The mapping login module that we might have developed on WebSphere Application Server v5.x is still supported in WAS v6.0.x and later.

Use the v5.x login modules in the connection factory mapping configuration. These login modules can also be used in the reference mapping configuration for the resource manager connection factory. A version 5.x mapping login module is not able to use the custom mapping properties.

To develop a new mapping login module in v6.0.x and later, use the programming interface that is described in the following sections.

For transitioning users: Migrate the v5.x mapping login module to use the new programming model and the new custom properties as well as the mapping configuration isolation at application scope. Note that mapping login modules developed using WAS v6.0.x cannot be used in the deprecated mapping configuration for the resource connection factory.trns

Invoking the login module for the resource reference mapping

A com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.WSMappingCallbackHandler class, which implements the javax.security.auth.callback.CallbackHandler interface, is a new WebSphere Application Service Provider Programming Interface (SPI) in WAS v6.0.x.

Application code uses the com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.WSMappingCallbackHandlerFactory helper class to retrieve a CallbackHandler object: 

package  com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback;

public class WSMappingCallbackHandlerFactory {
	private WSMappingCallbackHandlerFactory;
	public static CallbackHandler getMappingCallbackHandler(
ManagedConnectionFactory mcf,
HashMap mappingProperties);
}

The WSMappingCallbackHandler class implements the CallbackHandler interface: 

package com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback;

public class WSMappingCallbackHandler implements CallbackHandler {
	public WSMappingCallbackHandler(ManagedConnectionFactory mcf,
HashMap mappingProperties);
	public void handle(Callback[] callbacks) throws IOException,
     UnsupportedCallbackException; 
}

The WSMappingCallbackHandler handler can manage two new callback types defined in Version 6.0.x: 

com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.WSManagedConnectionFactoryCallback 
com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.WSMappingPropertiesCallback

The new login modules use the two callback types used at the reference mapping configuration for the resource manager connection factory. The WSManagedConnectionFactoryCallback callback provides a ManagedConnectionFactory instance that we set in the PasswordCredential credential. With this setting, the ManagedConnectionFactory instance can determine whether a PasswordCredential instance is used for signon to the target Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) instance. The WSMappingPropertiesCallback callback provides a hash map containing custom mapping properties. The com.ibm.mapping.authDataAlias property can be used to reserve or to retrieve the Authentication Data Alias.

In the previous examples, the value of the MCF is set onto the PasswordCredential.

The WebSphere Application Server WSMappingCallbackHandle handle continues to support the two WAS v5.x callback types that older mapping login modules can use. The two callbacks defined can be used only by login modules that the login configuration uses at the connection factory. For backward compatibility, WAS v6.0.x and later passes the authentication data alias, if defined in the list of custom properties under the com.ibm.mapping.authDataAlias property name using the WSAuthDataAliasCallback callback to Version 5.x login modules: 

com.ibm.ws.security.auth.j2c.WSManagedConnectionFactoryCallback 
com.ibm.ws.security.auth.j2c.WSAuthDataAliasCallback

Invoking the login module for the connection factory mapping

The WSPrincipalMappingCallbackHandler class handles two callback types: 

com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.WSManagedConnectionFactoryCallback 
com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.WSMappingPropertiesCallback

The WSPrincipalMappingCallbackHandler handler and the two callbacks are deprecated in WebSphere Application Server v6.

Passing the mapping properties for the resource reference to the mapping login module

We can pass arbitrary custom properties to your mapping login module. The following example shows how the WAS default mapping login module looks for the authentication data alias property.

		try {
		    wspm_callbackHandler.handle(callbacks);
	            String userID = null;
	            String password = null;
	            String alias = null;
	            wspm_properties = ((WSMappingPropertiesCallback)callbacks[1]).getProperties();
	
	            if (wspm_properties != null) {
	                alias = (String) wspm_properties.get(com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback.
                     Constants.MAPPING_ALIAS);
	                if (alias != null) {
	                    alias = alias.trim();
	                }
	            }
	            } catch (UnsupportedCallbackException unsupportedcallbackexception) {
	. . . // error handling

The default mapping login module for WAS v6.0.x requires one mapping property to define the authentication data alias. The mapping property, which is called APPING_ALIAS, is defined in the Constants.class file in the com.ibm.wsspi.security.auth.callback package.

MAPPING_ALIAS = "com.ibm.mapping.authDataAlias"

When we click Use default method > Select authentication data entry authentication on the Map resource references to resources panel, the administrative console automatically creates a MAPPING_ALIAS entry with the selected authentication data alias value in the mapping properties. If we create our own custom login configuration and then use the default mapping login module, we must set this property manually on the mapping properties for the resource factory reference.

In a custom login module, we can use the WSSubject.getRunAsSubject method to retrieve the subject that represents the identity of the current running thread. The identity of the current running thread is known as the RunAs identity. The RunAs subject typically contains a WSPrincipal principal in the principal set and a WSCredential credential in the public credential set. The subject instance created by your mapping module contains a Principal instance in the principals set and a PasswordCredential credential or an org.ietf.jgss.GSSCredential instance in the set of private credentials.

The GenericCredential interface defined in Java Connector Architecture (JCA) Specification Version 1.0 is deprecated in the JCA Version 1.5 specification.

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