MicroStrategy 7 Administrator Guide

4
Security
CHAPTER 4
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Security is a major concern in any system. Large systems typically provide users
with access to a wealth of information, not all of which is meant to be seen by
everyone. Consequently, a strong, system-wide security architecture needs to be
implemented.
In general, security systems have the following components:
• Authentication: A way to identify yourself to the system
• Access control: What you are allowed to see and do once you have identified
yourself
• Auditing: A record of what you saw and did
In the MicroStrategy environment, security must be implemented in the following
places:
• the database
• the network/operating system
• the MicroStrategy applications
Database level security
Security at the database level is extremely important because anyone can bypass
MicroStrategy security measures by using a simple, non-secure query tool to
access the database. Fortunately, most database servers have their own security
architectures that provide authentication, access control and auditing. Refer to
your vendor’s documentation for information about your particular database
server’s security features.
In addition to the unique security features that different database servers offer,
MicroStrategy supports general database security techniques such as:
• Security views
• Partitioned fact tables
• Split fact tables
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