User authentication

User authentication is the security mechanism by which a user's credentials that are used to access a system are verified. After authentication, a user can access the system. However, to access a specific resource or perform a specific task, the user must also have the appropriate authorization. Authentication prevents unauthorized management servers or rogue managed-system applications from accessing the resources.

To be authenticated, users are required to enter a user ID and password for the system that they want to access. The authentication process uses the configured user registry, which is from either the operating system, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), or the domain controller.

The user accounts and groups that are created at the user registry level to log in to a system are also used by IBM® Flex System Manager. For example, to log in to IBM Flex System Manager Web interface, a user must authenticate by logging in with a user registry level account for the management server. To use IBM Flex System Manager Web interface to access another system, the user must first have the appropriate credentials to access that other system.