2 — Getting Started With Commander

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Now that you have installed the NetCrusader/CORBA Security Server and installed NetCrusader/CORBA on your application servers and clients, you are ready to configure your CORBA security environment.

NetCrusader Commander is the primary administration tool you use to configure your security environment. Commander provides a graphical interface for managing users and groups, domains, policies, and required rights and rights families.

This chapter describes:

2.1 Starting Commander
2.2 Logging Into Commander
2.3 Accessing Online Help
2.4 Getting Started With Administrative Tasks
2.5 Exiting Commander

For specific management procedures, refer to the Commander online help system.

2.1 Starting Commander

The components necessary to run NetCrusader Commander are installed when you install NetCrusader/CORBA if you select NetCrusader Commander in the Choose Software screen.

To start NetCrusader Commander, from the Windows NT Start menu, select Programs > Gradient NetCrusader CORBA > Commander.

This launches the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and imports the Commander console file, which contains the current Commander configuration settings.

The Console Tree displays the NetCrusader Management folder. The Details pane displays the name of the security domain in the following format: machine_name.domain.com.

Double-click the NetCrusader Management folder to expand the view and display all accessible objects.

2.1.1 Context-Sensitive Menus

The buttons and menu selections that Commander displays are context-sensitive. This means that certain buttons or selections may change or be unavailable depending on the object selected in the Console Tree or Details Pane.

For example:

2.1.2 Drop-Down Menus

If the VisiBroker Interface Repository is running, Commander populates the drop-down menus with your methods and interfaces, making it easy to choose methods and interfaces to manage.

2.2 Logging Into Commander

To use Commander to perform a management operation, you must log into the NetCrusader environment using an account that has the required privileges. For example, the NetCrusader default admin account has permissions to perform user and group management functions.

When you start Commander, if you do not have login credentials, Commander automatically prompts you to log in. If your credentials expire during a Commander session, you will be prompted to log in again.

To log in manually in order to refresh or change your credentials, select Action > Login. The Login option is also available from the context menu displayed when you right-click any object icon.

Enter your username and password when Commander displays the Login dialog box:


2.3 Accessing Online Help

Commander displays help based on the object selected in the Console Tree. Multiple help systems can be open simultaneously.

To access help on NetCrusader users, groups, and objects:

  1. Ensure that you are in an area of the Console Tree at or below the security domain icon, and above the CORBA Security Management icon.

  2. From the MMC main menu, select Help > Help on NetCrusader Management.

The NetCrusader Management help system opens.

To access help on CORBA Security Management:

  1. Ensure that you are in an area of the Console Tree at or below CORBA Security Management icon.

  2. From the MMC main menu, select Help > Help on CORBA Security Management.

The CORBA Security Management help system opens.

2.4 Getting Started With Administrative Tasks

The Commander online help system contains detailed instructions on how to configure your environment. Some administrative tasks you need to perform when getting started include:

  1. Create users and groups. See the topics under the heading Managing Users in the NetCrusader Management help system.

  2. Create any necessary rights and rights families. See the topics under the heading Managing Rights Families in the CORBA Security Management help system.

  3. Assign required rights to interfaces and operations. See the topics under the heading Managing Rights in the CORBA Security Management help system.

  4. Create domains and subdomains. See the topics under the heading Managing Domains in the CORBA Security Management help system.

  5. Define security policies. See the topics under the heading Managing Security Policies in the CORBA Security Management help system.

    NOTE: For Commander to populate the drop-down menus with your methods and interfaces, the VisiBroker Interface Repository must be running.

2.5 Exiting Commander

To exit Commander, select Console > Exit. Commander prompts you with a message regarding whether to save your changes to NetCrusader Commander.

If you click Yes, Commander records exactly where you are in the Console Tree and saves this information and any options you configured to the snap-in (.MSC) file. The next time you start Commander, you will be placed in this same position.

If you click No, Commander terminates without saving your changes. The next time you start Commander, the last-saved console settings are used.

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