Storing credentials

You can store credentials for URLs that require authentication, such as repositories, proxy servers, and response files. These storage files are used when you run silent installation scripts to access password-protected servers. When you use a storage file, you must list repository and proxy server URLs in your response file preferences. A storage file does not make those preferences unnecessary.

Before you begin

If you store credentials for a response file on a server, you do not need to configure the URL in the Preferences before you create a storage file.

If you are storing credentials for a service repository, you must have an IBM® username and password. To register for an IBM username and password, go to: http://www.ibm.com/account/profile. For more information about service repositories, see Searching service repositories.

About this task

The -keyring and -password options that are used to create key ring files are deprecated. Use the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options to store user credentials. To store credentials in a key ring file, see Storing credentials in a key ring file.

Installation Manager uses the Eclipse infrastructure to save credentials. When you use the -secureStorageFile and -masterPasswordFile options, you create a storage file that contains your credentials. If you use an existing storage file, the new credentials are added, and the previous credentials are not overwritten.

If you do not save your credentials, you are prompted to enter your credentials each time you access the repository.

For more information about the input responseFile and the -secureStorageFile storage_file -masterPasswordFile master_password_file command-line arguments, see Installation Manager command-line arguments for silent mode. For more information about the imutilsc commands, see Commands for imutilsc.

Procedure

The following steps describe how to store credentials in a storage file:

If you do not have a master password file, create the file.
The master password file is a text file that contains a passphrase. An example of a passphrase is: This text is the master password.
Tip: To secure this file, set permissions to restrict access to this file for your operating system.
From the command line, open the tools directory in the directory where you installed Installation Manager.
Run the command:
```
imutilsc saveCredential   
	-url address | -passportAdvantage 
	-userName user_name -userPassword password 
	-secureStorageFile storage_file [-masterPasswordFile master_password_file] 
	[ -preferences com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.ssl.nonsecureMode=true|false ]
	[ -proxyHost proxy_host -proxyPort proxy_port
		[ -proxyUsername proxy_user_name 
		  -proxyUserPassword proxy_user_password ]
 		[ -useSocks ] ]   
	[ -verbose ] 
```
Note:
- Do not use -url and -passportAdvantage in the same command.
- If you use the IBM service repositories, you can specify the http://www.ibm.com/software/repositorymanager/entitled/repository.xml value for the -url option. This value is a generic service repository that can be used for IBM packages.
- You can specify the location of the storage file by including a file path in the name. If a file path is not included, a default location is used.
- Enclose file paths that include spaces with double quotation marks.
- You can specify only the com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.ssl.nonsecureMode preference key for the -preferences option. For more information about this preference key, see Silent installation preference keys. The default value for the preference key is false.
Repeat to store the credentials for multiple URLs in one storage file.

Results

Your credentials are saved in the storage file that you specified with the -secureStorageFile storage_file option.

What to do next

Create a response file that designates the proxy server and repository URLs in the Preferences.

Storing credentials in a key ring file

About this task

For versions 1.6.1 and earlier, use the -keyring and -password options to save credentials.

To create a key ring file, use the Installation Manager imutilsc command-line tool from the Installation Manager tools directory to authenticate with repositories.

Installation Manager uses the Eclipse infrastructure to save credentials to a key ring file. When you use the -keyring keyring_file -password password argument, Eclipse creates a key ring file if a key ring file does not exist. If you use an existing key ring file, the new credentials are added, and the previous credentials are not overwritten.

Important: If you do not want share your key ring with other users, you must create a key ring that only you can access. Multiple users can use the same instance of Installation Manager that is installed in either group mode or administrator mode. Some repositories might require credentials. If the default key ring location is used and you did not use the -password option when you created the key ring, other users can use your credentials to access the repository. Create a key ring by using the -keyring and -password options with IBMIM, imcl, or

imutilsc
saveCredential

If you do not save your credentials, you are prompted to enter your credentials each time you access the repository.

For more information about the input responseFile and the -keyring keyring_file -password password command-line arguments, see Installation Manager command-line arguments for silent mode. For more information about key ring files, see the Eclipse workbench User Guide. For more information about imutilsc commands, see Commands for imutilsc.

Procedure

To store credentials in a key ring file by using the Installation Manager imutilsc command:

From the command line, open the tools directory.
Run the command:
```
imutilsc saveCredential   
	-url address | -passportAdvantage 
	-userName user_name -userPassword password 
	-keyring keyring_file [ -password password ]  
	[ -preferences com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.ssl.nonsecureMode=true|false ]
	[ -proxyHost proxy_host -proxyPort proxy_port
		[ -proxyUsername proxy_user_name 
		  -proxyUserPassword proxy_user_password ]
 		[ -useSocks ] ]   
	[ -verbose ] 
```
Note:
- Do not use the -url and -passportAdvantage options in the same command.
- You can specify the location of the key ring file by including a file path in the name. If a file path is not included, a default location is used.
- Enclose file paths that include spaces with double quotation marks.
- You can specify only the com.ibm.cic.common.core.preferences.ssl.nonsecureMode preference key for the -preferences option. For more information about this preference key, see Silent installation preference keys. The default value for the preference key is false.
The key ring file is saved to the specified location.
Repeat these steps to store the credentials for multiple URLs in one key ring file.

Results

Your credentials are saved in the key ring file that you specified with the -keyring keyring_file option.

What to do next

Create a response file that designates the proxy server and repository URLs in the Preferences.