Controlling Administrative Access

An administrative user is a user specifically defined for performing document administrative functions. The AnswerBook2 product uses passwords to verify that a given administrator is allowed to perform administrative functions on the server.

Setting Up Initial Administrative Access

The AnswerBook2 software comes with access control turned on for performing administrative functions, but with no default administrative user defined. The first time you attempt to access the AnswerBook2 administrative functions, the software informs you that access control is turned on but no user is defined. You can do one of two things at this point:

• Turn off access control.

  To turn off access control, log in as root on the documentation server machine and type the following:

  # /usr/lib/ab2/bin/ab2admin -o auth_off

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  Caution -

  If you turn off access control, any user who can get to your documentation server can modify your documentation server.

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• Define an administrative user and password.

  To define an administrative user, log in as root on the documentation server machine and type the following:

  # /usr/lib/ab2/bin/ab2admin -o add_admin -u admin-id

  Where admin-id is the login ID for administering this documentation server. The admin-id does not have to match the user's system login ID; it is solely a login ID for performing document-related administrative functions on a specific server.

  The software prompts you to enter a password for this user, then re-enter it for verification.

Adding Access for AnswerBook2 Administrators

To add an administrative user, select Add Administrator from the Admin GUI. To add the administrative user:

1. Type the administrator's login ID in the Administrator ID field.

   The login ID does not have to match the user's system login ID; it is solely a login ID for performing document-related administrative functions on a specific server.

2. Type in a password for the administrator.

   This password is stored in an AnswerBook2 password database. It does not have to match the user's system password.

You need to enter the password twice for verification.

You can also use the following command to perform this function:

% /usr/lib/ab2/bin/ab2admin -o add_admin -u admin-id [-m server_name] [-p server_port]

Changing the Password for an Administrator

To change an administrator's password, select Change Password from the Admin GUI. To modify the password:

1. Select the administrative user from the Administrator ID pop-up list.

2. Type the administrator's existing password in the Old Password field.

3. Type the administrator's new password in the New Password field.

4. Type the administrator's new password a second time in the Re-enter New Password field.

5. Click Change Password to apply this change.

When you click Change Password, the AnswerBook2 software checks to see that the data entered in the New Password and Re-enter New Password fields agree. If they do, the new password is stored in the database. If they do not, the software displays an error.

You can also use the following command to perform this function:

% /usr/lib/ab2/bin/ab2admin -o change_password -u admin-id [-m server_name] [-p server_port]

Removing Access for an Administrator

To remove a user from the list of administrative users:

1. Click on the checkbox next to the administrator's login ID that you want to remove from the List of Administrators.

   This is the administrator's ID, not necessarily the person's system or user ID.

2. Click on Delete Administrator.

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   Note -

   This has no effect on the person's ability to access AnswerBook2 documents as a user. It only removes the person's ability to perform administrative functions.

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You can also use the following command to perform this function:

% /usr/lib/ab2/bin/ab2admin -o del_admin -u admin-id [-m server_name] [-p server_port]