Method and system for security and user account integration by reporting systems with remote repositories

• US 8,051,168 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Inventors: Boysko, Glenn J., Hurwood, William, Warikoo, Abhimanyu, Li, Benjamin Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US09/883,300
• Time in Patent Office: 3,787 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229, 709/203, 709/223, 713/152, 713/155, 713/161, 713/169, 713/200, 713/201, 707/9, 707/513, 726/3, 726/8, 726/15, 726/19, 716/152, 716/155, 716/161, 716/200, 716/201
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

The present invention presents security and user account integration with remote authentication servers, (e.g., repositories not owned by the server). Integration may occur with Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), an operating system (e.g., Microsoft Windows™ NT™) authentication, custom account repositories and others. For example, the server may synchronize associated user lists with a remote repository. In another example, the server may also make external calls to remote authentication servers to validate a user'"'"'s username and password. Other information may be validated.

Claims

1. A method for integrating security and user account data in a reporting system with at least one remote repository, comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to submit user credential input to a reporting system, wherein the reporting system comprises an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) decision support system (DSS);

identifying an authentication process from a plurality of authentication processes comprising a standard-mode authentication, pass-through authentication, and anonymous authentication, wherein the standard-mode authentication comprises using a user identification and password to validate credentials, the pass-through authentication comprises using a relational database management system (RDBMS) to authenticate users, and the anonymous authentication comprises creating an anonymous session through the API without user identification;

forwarding the user credential input to a first server; and

enabling the first server to apply the authentication process to authenticate the user against a remote repository using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) for verifying the user credential input and to determine user access control data for identifying a least one user privilege for performing one or more actions and at least one user permission associated with one or more objects, wherein the remote repository is located within a second server, the second server being different from the first server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of importing user information from the remote repository.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising a step of enabling the server to synchronize user account data with the user information from the remote repository.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the user information comprises at least one or user permissions, privileges and access rights associated with the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication process comprises Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication process comprises an operating system authentication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is associated with a group of users wherein group information from the remote repository is imported.

8. A system for integrating security and user account data in a reporting system with at least one remote repository, comprising:

an input for enabling a user to submit user credential input to a reporting system, wherein the reporting system comprises an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) decision support system (DSS);

an identification module for identifying an authentication process from a plurality of authentication processes comprising a standard-mode authentication, pass-through authentication, and anonymous authentication, wherein the standard-mode authentication comprises using a user identification and password to validate credentials, the pass-through authentication comprises using a relational database management system (RDBMS) to authenticate users, and the anonymous authentication comprises creating an anonymous session through the API without user identification;

a forwarding module for forwarding the user credential input to a first server; and

a first server for applying the authentication process to authenticate the user against a remote repository using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) for verifying the user credential input and to determine user access control data for identifying a least one user privilege for performing one or more actions and at least one user permission associated with one or more objects, wherein the remote repository is located within a second server, the second server being different from the first server.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an import module for importing user information from the remote repository.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the server synchronizes user account data with the user information from the remote repository.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the user information comprises at least one or user permissions, privileges and access rights associated with the user.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the authentication process comprises Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the authentication process comprises an operating system authentication.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the user is associated with a group of users wherein group information from the remote repository is imported.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising instructions for execution by a processor to integrate security and user account data in a reporting system with at least one remote repository, the medium comprising:

instructions for causing a processor to enable a user to submit user credential input to a reporting system, wherein the reporting system comprises an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) decision support system (DSS);

instructions for causing a processor to identify an authentication process from a plurality of authentication processes comprising a standard-mode authentication, pass-through authentication, and anonymous authentication, wherein the standard-mode authentication comprises using a user identification and password to validate credentials, the pass-through authentication comprises using a relational database management system (RDBMS) to authenticate users, and the anonymous authentication comprises creating an anonymous session through the API without user identification;

instructions for causing a processor to forward the user credential input to a first server; and

instructions for causing a processor to enable the first server to apply the authentication process to authenticate the user against a remote repository using Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) for verifying the user credential input and to determine user access control data for identifying a least one user privilege for performing one or more actions and at least one user permission associated with one or more objects, wherein the remote repository is located within a second server, the second server being different from the first server.

16. The medium of claim 15 further comprising code for causing a processor to import user information from the remote repository.

17. The medium of claim 16 further comprising code for causing a processor to enable the server to synchronize user account data with the user information from the remote repository.

18. The medium of claim 16 wherein the user information comprises at least one or user permissions, privileges and access rights associated with the user.

19. The medium of claim 15 wherein the authentication process comprises at least one of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol and operating system authentication.

20. The medium of claim 15 wherein the user is associated with a group of users wherein group information from the remote repository is imported.