Most organizations running a network of Windows computers have multiple Active Directory domains and forests to be managed. Users expect seamless integration and IT administrators need an all-encompassing view of their network security to make that happen.
Data Governance Edition consolidates security information across many domains and forests by accessing these network entities using stored credentials (service accounts). These service accounts are Active Directory users granted the appropriate permissions in their respective domains and registered with Data Governance Edition.
By elevating to the service accounts as necessary, the Data Governance server is able to deploy agents and retrieve security information across the organization. All communication is secure and all credential information is encrypted and protected.
Administrators responsible for the Data Governance Edition deployment must register service accounts with the system and link them with domains that have been previously synchronized with One Identity Manager. The link between a service account and an Active Directory domain makes it a “Managed Domain”.
Administrators link a service account to an Active Directory domain through the Manager. For more information, see Readying a service account and domains for deployment.
How are the credentials stored securely?
Service account credentials are stored in the central One Identity Manager database. These credentials can be encrypted using the Crypto-Configuration tool. For more information, see Encrypt Data in a Database in the One Identity Manager Installation Guide.
What permissions do service accounts need and why?
For details on the required permissions, see the One Identity Manager Data Governance Edition Deployment Guide.
Notes:
- Remote managed hosts (EMC, NetApp, Windows cluster, Cloud) require a service account with sufficient permissions to access target computers.
- SharePoint farms are similar to remote managed hosts in that they require a service account with sufficient permissions to access the data, even though they are installed locally.
- NetApp managed hosts require a service account with sufficient permissions to create and maintain FPolicy on a NetApp filer.
Before you can gather information on the data in your enterprise, you must:
You can specify these credentials on a per domain basis. Each domain can only have one associated service account at any time, but the same service account can be used for multiple domains. Service accounts are also used to run remote agent services on agent host computers and must be specified during remote agent deployment.
When a domain is managed, a Data Governance container is created in the domain’s System container. This container holds a Service Connection Point object, which is used by the Data Governance Edition components to find one another. Agents use this information to determine where the Data Governance server they should connect to exists.
Note: Only domains that have had Active Directory synchronized with One Identity Manager can be managed. For details, see Setting up Synchronization with an Active Directory Environment in the One Identity Manager Administration Guide for Connecting to Active Directory.
To add a service account
- In the Navigation view, select Data Governance.
- Right-click Service accounts and select New.
- In the Change master data form, select the Active Directory account, enter the password associated with the selected account and optionally enter comments.
- Click the Save toolbar button to add the service account.
To edit a service account
- In the Navigation view, select Data Governance | Service accounts.
- In the Service Accounts result list, double-click the required service account.
From the service account overview, you can view the domains associated with the selected service account.
- From the Tasks view, select Change master data.
- Select the Active Directory account, and enter the password and comment.
- Click the Save toolbar button to save your changes.
The rights needed to perform operations and scan computers are established by assigning a service account to the required domain.
The service account must already be created in Data Governance Edition to be assigned to a domain. For more information, see Adding and editing a service account.
To enable the Data Governance server to interact with computers in a domain
- In the Navigation view, select Data Governance | Service accounts.
- In the Service Accounts result list, right-click the service account, and select Tasks | Assign domains.
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In the Add assignments pane (lower pane), double-click the required domain. You can also right-click the managed domain and select Assign or Assign all objects.
The managed domain now appears in the top pane.
- Click the Save toolbar button to save your selection.
Note: From the Managed hosts view, if you select a host computer on a domain that was not previously identified as a managed domain, the Domain Credentials dialog appears. Click the Set button to supply the credentials of an Active Directory user with administrative rights on the selected domain. Assigning the credentials for the domain registers the user as a Data Governance Edition service account, links the service account to the domain and adds it to the managed domains list.
