Hierarchical Words

Hierarchical compartments can be used when you want some way to differentiate between documents that have to be accessible to everyone in a larger group and documents that can be accessed only by subgroups. Hierachical compartments can be created by:

• Assigning shared bits to words

• Defining required combinations

Using Bit Combinations to Establish Hierarchies

By defining a word that uses one bit and a second word that uses that same bit along with a second bit, you define a hierarchical relationship between the two words. The compartment word that is more general must be defined below the word that is more specific.

For example, by defining a word that uses bit number 1 and another word that uses bits number 1 and 2, you give the two words a hierarchical relationship. The following screen example shows definitions for a Sales compartment with two subcompartments, Direct Sales, and Indirect Sales. It supposes that a single classification named WebCo is defined.

Figure 2-1 Bit Combinations Defining Hierarchical Relationships

name= Direct_Sales;   compartments= 1, 2
name= Indirect_Sales;   compartments= 1, 3
name= Sales;   compartments= 1

The definition in the screen example allows the WebCo company to differentiate between documents that can be accessed by anyone in the entire sales force, documents that can be accessed only by members of the indirect sales force, and documents that can be accessed only by members of the direct sales force.

• The Security Administrator can give the WebCo Direct_Sales clearance to employees in the direct sales organization and give the WebCo Indirect_Sales clearance to employees in the indirect sales organization.

• Documents created by anyone working at the WebCo Direct_Sales label get the same label, so the documents are only accessible to employees in the direct sales department.

• Anyone in the indirect or direct sales forces can work at the WebCo Sales label because the compartment word Sales is below both the Direct_Sales and Indirect_Sales words. Creating documents at the WebCo Sales label makes the documents available to everyone in the Sales department.

Using REQUIRED COMBINATIONS to Establish Hierarchies

If two words are specified together in the REQUIRED COMBINATIONS section, the second label is added to the label whenever the first word is used. The following example shows a definition of the Direct Sales, Indirect_Sales, and Sales that serves essentially the same effect as the example in Figure 2-2. The difference is that the Direct_Sales word will always have the Sales word with it

Figure 2-2 REQUIRED COMBINATIONS Used to Establish Hierarchies

name= Direct_Sales;   compartments= 2
name= Indirect_Sales;   compartments= 3
name= Sales;   compartments= 1

REQUIRED COMBINATIONS:

Direct_Sales            Sales
Indirect_Sales          Sales