Define security

You can define security on hierarchy basis for a dynamic cube. Security is used to control the metadata that is available to specific users or user groups in the IBM® Cognos® studios. For example, if a dynamic cube includes a Geography hierarchy with two members, such as Canada and Europe, you can secure all members for Europe so that it is only accessible to certain users.

To define security, complete the following tasks as required:

  • Define which members to secure in your hierarchies by creating one or more security filters for them.

    You can add security rules after modeling hierarchies in a project. They are independent of any dynamic cube.

  • Apply security filters to a dynamic cube by creating one or more security views for them.
  • Define which dimensions, attributes, and measures to secure in a dynamic cube by adding them to the security views.
  • Publish a dynamic cube to the content store.
Tip: IBM Cognos Cube Designer validates security definitions when you validate or publish a dynamic cube.

After you publish a dynamic cube to the content store, you must complete the following tasks in IBM Cognos Administration:

  • Assign users, groups, and roles to security views.

    This step is required if you are using role-based security filters.

    If you are using lookup filter-based security filters only, access rights are defined in the lookup tables, so it is only necessary to assign Read access to the user group named Everyone.

    For more information on role-based security filters and lookup table-based security filters, see Security filters for hierarchy members.

  • If you make further changes to security to a dynamic cube that is already started, refresh the security settings of the dynamic cube on the query service.

For more information on performing administration tasks, see Cognos dynamic cubes administration.

Security for virtual cubes

Define security in source cubes as required. Virtual cubes automatically inherit the security settings that are defined in source cubes to maintain consistent security rules.