Mimer SQL Idents

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An ident is an authorization-ID used to identify different kinds of users in a Mimer SQL database.

There are four kinds of ident in Mimer SQL: USER, OS_USER, PROGRAM and GROUP.

Idents connect to a database through the CONNECT statement and the ENTER statement is used to take up the privileges provided by a PROGRAM ident (see below).

Every USER and PROGRAM ident has a unique ident name and a private password which must be correctly supplied to the CONNECT or ENTER statement in application programs.

An OS_USER ident may access the database without explicitly providing a user name or password on condition that the user name for the user currently logged in to the operating system correspond to the definition of the OS_USER in the Mimer SQL database.

USER

USER idents are authorized to connect to a Mimer SQL database, by using the CONNECT statement in an application program or by entering the correct ident name and password in an interactive environment.

Any privileges a USER ident holds may be exercised once the ident has logged on. USER idents are generally associated with specific physical individuals authorized to connect to the database.

OS_USER

OS_USER is an ident type that allows the user currently logged in to the operating system to connect to a Mimer SQL database without providing a username or password.

If an OS_USER ident is defined with a password in Mimer SQL, the ident may connect to Mimer SQL in the same way as any other USER ident (i.e. by providing a user name and password). An OS_USER ident is subject to the same access restrictions as any other USER ident.

PROGRAM

PROGRAM idents provide specific privileges required when executing certain operations. PROGRAM idents may not initiate a connection to a Mimer SQL database, but may be entered from within an application program or interactive environment by using the ENTER statement.

A connection should have been established before the ENTER statement is used, see Connecting to a Database. Entering a PROGRAM ident is analogous to logging on as a USER ident, in that the PROGRAM ident gains access to the system and any privileges the ident holds become applicable.

PROGRAM idents are generally associated with specific functions within the system, not with physical individuals.

GROUP

GROUP idents are collective identities that provide common privileges for groups of users or PROGRAM idents.

Any privileges granted to or revoked from a GROUP ident automatically apply to all members of the group.

Any ident can be a member of as many groups as required, and one group can include any number of members.

GROUP idents provide a facility for organizing the privilege structure in the database system.

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