Key Similarities of the Two Agent Types

The section Example of Policy Decision Process describes a deployment that emphasizes the similar tasks performed by web agents and J2EE agents. The two agent types share various other features and tasks that are not described in that section. Though this section describes similarities of the two agent types, the features and tasks that they have in common tend to have some differences. However, those differences are often subtle. The details about agent features and tasks are not provided in this guide. For details about the features and tasks for each agent type (web agent or J2EE agent), see any of the individual agent guides for that agent type: see Chapter 2, Access Manager Policy Agent 2.2 Web Agents: Compatibility, Supported Servers, and Documentation for information about the individual web agent guides and see Chapter 3, Access Manager Policy Agent 2.2 J2EE Agents: Compatibility, Supported Servers, and Documentation for information about the individual J2EE agent guides. A list of key features and tasks that web agents and J2EE agents have in common follows along with an explanation of each item:

• Configuration Properties

• Policy Agent Log Files

• Not-Enforced Lists

• Personal Profile Attributes and Session Attributes

Configuration Properties

Both agent types use a single text file named AMAgent.properties to configure agent properties. Agent configuration is controlled to a great extent by the properties in this file.

The configuration properties file used for web agents is very similar to the configuration properties file used for J2EE agents. The biggest difference between the two files is that the AMAgent.properties file for J2EE agents has extra constructs such as map constructs and list constructs. Configuration properties that are present in the AMAgent.properties files for both agent types tend to be very similar in terms of functionality.

Policy Agent Log Files

Web agents and J2EE agents can log access information and diagnostic information to an agent log file. Each agent has its own log file, a flat file located on the same host system as the agent. The log file size is configurable. When the active log file reaches the size limit, the log is rotated, which means that the older log information is moved and stored in another log file.

Furthermore, both agent types are capable of logging access information to an Access Manager log file or database table.

Not-Enforced Lists

Both agent types support not-enforced lists. These lists allow for the regular authentication and authorization processes to be bypassed. These lists are set in the AMAgent.properties file. Two types of not-enforced lists exist: a not-enforced URL list and a not-enforced IP Address list.

A not-enforced URL list is a list of URLs that are not protected by an agent. A resource represented by a URL on a not-enforced URL list is widely available, without restrictions. This list can be set to have a reverse meaning. With a reverse meaning, only URLs on the list are protected. All other URLs are not protected.

A not-enforced IP Address list is a list of IP addresses that are automatically allowed access to resources. When a user is using a computer that has an IP address on the not-enforced IP address list, that user is allowed access to all the resources protected by the respective agent.

Personal Profile Attributes and Session Attributes

Both agent types can fetch and pass along personal profile attributes and session attributes. Client applications protected by an agent can then use information from these attributes to personalize content for the user.