Account mapping

OmniFi is designed to provide simultaneous access to multiple underlying data sources, while authenticating with a single set of credentials. Some data sources like Excel workbooks, flat files and on-line API's are open, but most API's and databases do require authentication with specific identity providers.

Account mapping allows you to link OmniFi accounts to basic credentials for authentication with data sources. When the user accesses a data source, the account mapping is used to retrieve the user's mapped credentials for that data source.

You can assign mapped data source credentials to either individual OmniFi accounts (1:1) or groups of accounts (N:1).

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Assigning mapped credentials to a user group (N:1) effectively means all users in that group will use the same credentials when accessing the data source.

While this is convenient and easy to manage, it comes with a few drawbacks.

• You have no fine-grained control over autorization/permissions of different users.
• You will have very little audit information regarding who read/wrote what in the data source.
• Many vendors will employ a named user licensing policy. Carefully consult the vendor agreements to ensure you don't accidentally break their conditions.

Default vs Custom data sources

The Kind field lets you chose between Default or Custom data sources.

Default data sources are sources that are pre-defined data sources, including Quantum, WSS ComKIT and ODBC system DSNs. With Default selected, the Data Source field is a drop-down of all available predefined data sources.

The Agent field is disabled for Default data sources, the connection is made from the Agent where the DSN is found (in case of ODBC), or from a pre-defined agent for WSS/Quantum APIs.

Custom data sources lets you configure database connections using a free-text connection string. With Custom selected, Custom Provider lets you chose the kind of database you want to configure, and the Data Source field is a free-text field where you enter the connection string.

The SQL Server custom provider connects to an MSSQL server, and the connection string is typically Data Source=<server name>\<instance>;Initial Catalog=<dataabse name>.

The Analysis Services provider connects to an MSSQL Analysis Service OLAP cube, and the conenction string is typically Provider=MSOLAP<version>;Data Source=<server name>\<instance>;Catalog=<database name>.

The OLEDB option is for use with any other OLEDB comaptible database drivers you have installed, like Oracle or MS Access.

The Agent field is enabled for Custom data sources, allowing you to make the database connection from one of the available OmniFi Agents.

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For Default data sources, setting an Alias is optional, since the underlying data source is pre-defined with it's own name.

Custom data sources requires Alias to be set to a unique name. Queries running against custom data soruces are configured with the alias name, not the connection string. This provides portability between different instances; i.e. the alias TMS-DB may point at different databases in for example the Production and Development systems.

User account mapping

Account mapping for individual accounts (1:1) is performed in the Users tab, selecting the Data Sources page.

Click the Add button, select Data Source and provide credentials.

User group account mapping

Account mapping for account groups (N:1) is performed in the Groups tab, selecting the Data Sources page.

Click the Add button, select Data Source and provide credentials.

Mappings for account groups are also visible on the individual account pages of each member of the group, where the Permitted By column displays the parent group that provides the account mapping.