¶ Managing Users and Security in CMC
Subject: SAP-BusinessObjects
Security and user management are fundamental to the success of any enterprise Business Intelligence (BI) platform. In SAP BusinessObjects (BO), the Central Management Console (CMC) serves as the administrative hub for managing users, groups, roles, and permissions. Properly configuring security in CMC ensures that the right users have access to the right data and functionality—safeguarding sensitive information while enabling efficient collaboration.
This article explores how to manage users and security effectively in the SAP BusinessObjects Central Management Console.
The Central Management Console (CMC) is a web-based administrative interface used to manage the SAP BusinessObjects BI platform. It allows administrators to:
- Create and manage users and groups
- Assign roles and permissions
- Control access to folders, reports, and other BI content
- Manage servers and system settings
CMC acts as the central point for governance and security enforcement in the SAP BO environment.
¶ 1. Users and Groups
- Users: Individual accounts for people who access the BI platform.
- Groups: Collections of users, typically based on department, role, or function, which simplify permission management.
¶ 2. Roles and Access Levels
- Roles define what actions users can perform (e.g., view, edit, schedule reports).
- Access levels control permissions to BI resources like folders, reports, and data connections.
¶ 3. Folders and Object Security
- BI content is organized in folders.
- Permissions can be assigned at the folder level and inherited by contained objects or customized per object.
¶ Managing Users and Security in CMC
¶ Step 1: Creating and Managing Users
- Navigate to Users and Groups in CMC.
- Create new user accounts manually or import users from external directories such as LDAP or Active Directory.
- Assign users to appropriate groups to streamline permission management.
¶ Step 2: Creating and Managing Groups
- Groups facilitate scalable security by applying permissions to a collection of users.
- Create groups reflecting organizational structure or business functions (e.g., Sales, Finance).
- Add users to groups as needed.
¶ Step 3: Assigning Roles and Permissions
- Use Role Management in CMC to assign predefined or custom roles to users or groups.
- Define roles based on business needs, such as Viewer, Editor, or Administrator.
- Assign permissions at the folder level for content access.
- Set specific permissions on reports or universes if fine-grained control is required.
- Organize BI content in a folder hierarchy.
- Set access rights (Read, Write, Delete, Schedule, etc.) at the folder level.
- Use inheritance to propagate permissions or customize exceptions for specific folders or reports.
¶ Step 5: Audit and Monitor Security
- Regularly review user access and roles.
- Use audit logs and reports available in CMC to track security changes and user activities.
- Remove or update user access as roles or organizational needs evolve.
- Follow the Principle of Least Privilege: Only grant users the minimum permissions necessary for their job.
- Use Groups Extensively: Avoid assigning permissions directly to users; manage permissions at the group level.
- Regularly Audit Access Rights: Schedule periodic reviews to maintain security hygiene.
- Leverage Integration with Enterprise Directories: Synchronize BO users and groups with LDAP or Active Directory to centralize identity management.
- Document Security Policies: Maintain clear documentation on roles, permissions, and user management processes.
Effective user and security management through the SAP BusinessObjects Central Management Console is vital to protecting enterprise data while enabling efficient access to BI content. By understanding CMC’s user, group, and role structures, and applying best practices in permission management, administrators can ensure a secure and well-governed SAP BusinessObjects environment that supports business agility and compliance.