Resources

Resources

Overview

Resources are organized in a hierarchy and propagate access control to child resources. For example, if a user has the Editor role on the Market News Page, then by default that user also has the Editor role on all pages that are children of the Market News Page.
Resource instances are specific resources, such as a single portlet or page. Each resource instance belongs to only one resource type. For example, the resource instance Market News Page would belong to the Content Nodes resource type.
Virtual resources have two functions...

Protect sensitive operations that affect the entire portal or specific services in the portal.
For example, the virtual resource XMLAccess protects the ability to execute XML configuration interface scripts.

Parent resources for all resource instances.
For example, the Web Modules virtual resource is the root node of all Web modules instances. So by default role assignments on the Web Modules virtual resource are propagated to all individual Web module resources through inheritance.

Resource data is stored in one of four different database domains. In order to allow for consistent database back-up and restore, the access control data protecting individual resources is always stored in the same database domain as the resource data. In each of the four domains, the individual protected resources are stored in a hierarchical fashion as a single tree of resources (also referred to as the protected resource hierarchy).
Resources can appear in different domains depending on the type of resource. JCR nodes are exclusively contained in the JCR domain. User customization data represented by private resources are exclusively contained in the customization domain. The community domain contains resources related to collaborative applications, and the release domain contains all remaining resources. Resources can be administered in the following ways:

Protected Resources of the release domain Managed through the access control administration portlets and through the xmlaccess.
Policy resources are stored in the JCR domain Managed through the access control administration portlets and through the xmlaccess.
Resources in the community domain Managed through collaboration application specific administrative portlets. Resources in this domain are not shown in the access control administration portlets
Private resources in the Customization domain Holds private resources of users. No role assignments are possible in this domain, so resources in this domain are also not shown in the access control administration portlets

Role inheritance never crosses domain boundaries, thus limiting the inheritance scope. Therefore, a role assignment for a user on the Content Nodes virtual resource in the release domain will only grant access to Content Nodes resources (pages) in the release domain.
Next are illustrations of the available resources tree, first for the release domain, and second for the JCR domain.

The following illustration shows the hierarchy of resources in the JCR domain. These resources are related to Personalization, Web Content Management, and Resources Policies. This image represents an access control-specific view of resources in the JCR domain. It is not intended to show how the resources are stored and organized in the JCR domain.
Resource Permission inheritance applies to this hierarchy as well as to the release domain. Permission granted on the JCR Content Root node are propagated to all children in the hierarchy. Use Policies, Web Content Libraries, Inheritance and Propagation role blocks to reduce this propagation of permissions to children in the hierarchy.

Paths to reach the access control portlet for each resource stored in the JCR domain:

Access Control Administration User Interface (UI):

Administration -> WebSphere Portal -> Access -> Resource Permissions -> Resource Permissions portlet
Administration -> WebSphere Portal -> Access -> User and Group Permissions -> User and Group Permissions portlet

Personalization UI:
Personalization -> Business Rules -> Personalization Navigator portlet

Web Content Libraries UI:
Administration -> WebSphere Portal -> Portal Content -> Web Content Libraries -> Web Content Libraries portlet

Web Content Management UI:
Applications -> Content -> Web Content Management -> Authoring portlet

You can assign roles on virtual resources and on resource instances. Assigning roles on virtual resources reduces the time needed to administer access control because all child resources inherit roles that are assigned to the parent resource by default. Assigning roles to specific resource instances offers more granular access control. You might need to assign roles to specific resource instances to override role blocks that block inheritance.

Virtual Resource Description
Application Templates Root node of all Application Template Folder and Application Template objects for Composite Applications. Template Folders can hold either Application Templates or other Template Folders.
Application Entries Root node of all Application Entity objects for Composite Applications.
Application Folders Root node of all Application Folder objects for Composite Applications.
Content Nodes Root node of all pages, labels, and external URLs. Pages contain the content that determines the portal navigation hierarchy. If a new top-level page is created, it is automatically a child resource of the Pages virtual resource. If a new page is created beneath an existing page, the new page is automatically child of the existing page. Pages inherit access control configuration from their parent page unless role blocks are used.
Designer Deploy Service Protects the ability to execute the automatic deployment feature of IBM Workplace Designer.
Event Handlers Protects management of Event Handlers. This virtual resource has no child resources.
External Access Control Protects modifying access control configuration for resources that are controlled externally by a security manager such as TivoliAccess Manager. Also protects the ability to externalize or internalize a resource. This virtual resource has no child resources.
Markups Protects the ability to control markups for the portal. This virtual resource has no child resources.
Portal Root node of all resources in the release domain. Roles on this resource affect all other resources in the release domain by default through inheritance unless role blocks are used. Resources in other domains like Templates and Policies are not affected through role mappings on this resource.
Portal Settings Protects portal settings that can be modified through the Portal Settings Portlet or the XML configuration interface. This virtual resource has no child resources.
Portlet Applications Root node of all installed portlet applications. Portlet applications are the parent containers for portlets. If a new Web module is installed, the portlet applications that are contained within that Web module are automatically child resources of the Portlet Applications virtual resource. Portlets that are contained within a portlet application appear as child nodes of that portlet application. Thus a two-layer hierarchy consisting of portlet applications and the corresponding portlets exists beneath the Portlet Applications virtual resource. Portlets inherit access control configuration from their parent portlet applications unless role blocks are used.
PSE Sources Root node of all search collections. If a new search collection is created, it is automatically a child of this virtual resource. Roles on this resource affect all defined search collections unless role blocks are used.
Template Deployment Protects the deployment of arbitrary composite application templates into portal. This virtual resource has no child resources.
URL Mapping Contexts Root node of all URL mapping contexts. URL mapping contexts are user-defined definitions of URL spaces that map to portal content. If a new top-level URL mapping context is created, it is automatically a child resource of the URL Mapping Contexts virtual resource. If a new URL mapping context is created beneath an existing context, the new context is automatically a child of the existing context. URL mapping contexts inherit access control configuration from their parent context unless role blocks are used.
User Groups Root node of all user groups. Each user group in the portal inherits its access control configuration from the User Groups virtual resource. It is not possible to create role blocks on individual user groups.
User Self Enrollment Protects the Selfcare and User Enrollment facilities (sign up and Edit My Profile). This virtual resource has no child resources.
Users This virtual resource has no child resources. The Users virtual resource protects sensitive operations that deal with user management. For example, in order to add a user to a user group, have the Security Administrator@Users role. Users are implicitly protected resources. Users cannot be protected individually, but only through their group membership. As a result, it is not possible to have a role assignment on a specific user. Roles must be on user groups instead. So, you can edit Mary's user profile if you have a role assignment on some user group to which Mary belongs.
VP URL Mappings Protects the ability to modify a URL Mapping linked to a virtual portal.
Web Modules Root node of all Web modules. Web modules are portlet WAR files that are installed on WAS. Web modules can contain multiple portlet applications. If a new Web module is installed, it is automatically a child of the Web Modules virtual resource. Roles on this resource affect all child resources (all installed Web modules) unless role blocks are used.
WSRP Parent resource of the virtual resources WSRP Export and WSRP Producers. By default, roles on the WSRP resource affect the other two virtual WSRP resources and all WSRP resource instances via inheritance. As long as there are no role blocks in between, users who have role assignments on the WSRP resource have access rights on all WSRP resources.
WSRP Export Controls the ability of a user to provide and withdraw portlets as a WSRP Service.
WSRP Producers Root node of all registered Producer instances. Each Producer that is registered in the portal inherits its access control configuration from the WSRP Producers virtual resource unless role blocks are used.
XML configuration interface Protects the ability to execute XML configuration interface scripts. This virtual resource has no child resources.
POLICY MAPPING CONTEXTS Root node to all Policy items. This virtual resource is independent of the Mapping of a Policy.
SERVER INFORMATION Protects the ability to create/modify/delete Mappings between a remote server information used for Federation and this WebSphere Portal server instance
STEP UP AUTHENTICATION Protects the ability to modify the binding of resources such as Portlets or Pages to an authentication level.
TAGS Let users apply keywords to describe, classify, or label Web content resources.
RATINGS Let users assign numeric values to Web content resources for evaluation.
THEME MANAGEMENT Lets users update and modify the portal theme.

Parent
Resources, roles, access rights, and initial access control settings

+
Search Tips | Advanced Search

Protected Resources of the release domain	Managed through the access control administration portlets and through the xmlaccess.
Policy resources are stored in the JCR domain	Managed through the access control administration portlets and through the xmlaccess.
Resources in the community domain	Managed through collaboration application specific administrative portlets. Resources in this domain are not shown in the access control administration portlets
Private resources in the Customization domain	Holds private resources of users. No role assignments are possible in this domain, so resources in this domain are also not shown in the access control administration portlets

Virtual Resource	Description
Application Templates	Root node of all Application Template Folder and Application Template objects for Composite Applications. Template Folders can hold either Application Templates or other Template Folders.
Application Entries	Root node of all Application Entity objects for Composite Applications.
Application Folders	Root node of all Application Folder objects for Composite Applications.
Content Nodes	Root node of all pages, labels, and external URLs. Pages contain the content that determines the portal navigation hierarchy. If a new top-level page is created, it is automatically a child resource of the Pages virtual resource. If a new page is created beneath an existing page, the new page is automatically child of the existing page. Pages inherit access control configuration from their parent page unless role blocks are used.
Designer Deploy Service	Protects the ability to execute the automatic deployment feature of IBM Workplace Designer.
Event Handlers	Protects management of Event Handlers. This virtual resource has no child resources.
External Access Control	Protects modifying access control configuration for resources that are controlled externally by a security manager such as TivoliAccess Manager. Also protects the ability to externalize or internalize a resource. This virtual resource has no child resources.
Markups	Protects the ability to control markups for the portal. This virtual resource has no child resources.
Portal	Root node of all resources in the release domain. Roles on this resource affect all other resources in the release domain by default through inheritance unless role blocks are used. Resources in other domains like Templates and Policies are not affected through role mappings on this resource.
Portal Settings	Protects portal settings that can be modified through the Portal Settings Portlet or the XML configuration interface. This virtual resource has no child resources.
Portlet Applications	Root node of all installed portlet applications. Portlet applications are the parent containers for portlets. If a new Web module is installed, the portlet applications that are contained within that Web module are automatically child resources of the Portlet Applications virtual resource. Portlets that are contained within a portlet application appear as child nodes of that portlet application. Thus a two-layer hierarchy consisting of portlet applications and the corresponding portlets exists beneath the Portlet Applications virtual resource. Portlets inherit access control configuration from their parent portlet applications unless role blocks are used.
PSE Sources	Root node of all search collections. If a new search collection is created, it is automatically a child of this virtual resource. Roles on this resource affect all defined search collections unless role blocks are used.
Template Deployment	Protects the deployment of arbitrary composite application templates into portal. This virtual resource has no child resources.
URL Mapping Contexts	Root node of all URL mapping contexts. URL mapping contexts are user-defined definitions of URL spaces that map to portal content. If a new top-level URL mapping context is created, it is automatically a child resource of the URL Mapping Contexts virtual resource. If a new URL mapping context is created beneath an existing context, the new context is automatically a child of the existing context. URL mapping contexts inherit access control configuration from their parent context unless role blocks are used.
User Groups	Root node of all user groups. Each user group in the portal inherits its access control configuration from the User Groups virtual resource. It is not possible to create role blocks on individual user groups.
User Self Enrollment	Protects the Selfcare and User Enrollment facilities (sign up and Edit My Profile). This virtual resource has no child resources.
Users	This virtual resource has no child resources. The Users virtual resource protects sensitive operations that deal with user management. For example, in order to add a user to a user group, have the Security Administrator@Users role. Users are implicitly protected resources. Users cannot be protected individually, but only through their group membership. As a result, it is not possible to have a role assignment on a specific user. Roles must be on user groups instead. So, you can edit Mary's user profile if you have a role assignment on some user group to which Mary belongs.
VP URL Mappings	Protects the ability to modify a URL Mapping linked to a virtual portal.
Web Modules	Root node of all Web modules. Web modules are portlet WAR files that are installed on WAS. Web modules can contain multiple portlet applications. If a new Web module is installed, it is automatically a child of the Web Modules virtual resource. Roles on this resource affect all child resources (all installed Web modules) unless role blocks are used.
WSRP	Parent resource of the virtual resources WSRP Export and WSRP Producers. By default, roles on the WSRP resource affect the other two virtual WSRP resources and all WSRP resource instances via inheritance. As long as there are no role blocks in between, users who have role assignments on the WSRP resource have access rights on all WSRP resources.
WSRP Export	Controls the ability of a user to provide and withdraw portlets as a WSRP Service.
WSRP Producers	Root node of all registered Producer instances. Each Producer that is registered in the portal inherits its access control configuration from the WSRP Producers virtual resource unless role blocks are used.
XML configuration interface	Protects the ability to execute XML configuration interface scripts. This virtual resource has no child resources.
POLICY MAPPING CONTEXTS	Root node to all Policy items. This virtual resource is independent of the Mapping of a Policy.
SERVER INFORMATION	Protects the ability to create/modify/delete Mappings between a remote server information used for Federation and this WebSphere Portal server instance
STEP UP AUTHENTICATION	Protects the ability to modify the binding of resources such as Portlets or Pages to an authentication level.
TAGS	Let users apply keywords to describe, classify, or label Web content resources.
RATINGS	Let users assign numeric values to Web content resources for evaluation.
THEME MANAGEMENT	Lets users update and modify the portal theme.