Ingres Star Features

In Ingres II 2.5 the Ingres Star Server now contains support for the 1Pcplus commit protocol, which allows a single site that is not capable of supporting two-phase commit protocols to participate in a multi-site update within Star. This change allows a single database that is being accessed through an Ingres Enterprise Access gateway that does not support the SQL prepare statement to participate in a multi-site Star update.

Ingres Net Features

GCF has responsibility for authenticating and validating clients for Ingres servers. Previously, security was built around operating system capabilities. The following improvements have been made to Ingres security for Ingres II 2.5:

• Support for third-party security systems such as Kerberos
• Enhancements for data encryption and direct network server connections
• Improved existing security by addressing known problems
• Backward compatibility for existing applications

Support for third-party security systems requires dynamic configuration capabilities since these systems are not a requirement for installation. In a design emulating the emerging standard GSS-API, the Ingres II 2.5 GCF security architecture is built around independent modules called mechanisms. Standard default mechanisms are provided for basic Ingres security and backward compatibility. Third-party security systems are supported through additional mechanisms, which are dynamically loaded as needed.

GCF security mechanisms provide the following capabilities:

• User authentication and validation
• Password validation
• Trusted server authentication and validation
• Distributed (single sign-on) authentication and validation
• Data encryption

Management of GCF security has been enhanced with new configuration parameters viewable through CBF and the Configuration Manager. Ingres II 2.5 also sees the addition of attributes to the Ingres/Net VNODE database, and new IMA objects (many of which can be set at runtime) for enhanced IMA support.