Using LDAP with Rational® ClearQuest®

Overview of user authentication methods available with Rational® ClearQuest®.

Rational® ClearQuest® offers two methods of user authentication. You can use traditional Rational® ClearQuest® authentication or use the industry standard Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) to authenticate using an LDAP directory server. With Rational® ClearQuest® authentication, a user enters a user name and password to log on, and Rational® ClearQuest® verifies that they match a user name and password stored in the Rational® ClearQuest® database set (schema repository).

With LDAP authentication, a user enters a user name and password in the same Rational® ClearQuest® login window and Rational® ClearQuest® checks an LDAP directory for a matching user record. Rational® ClearQuest® supports environments where multiple LDAP configurations can be used to authenticate.

To authenticate users against the Rational® ClearQuest® database set, use the User Administration Tool to enter and manage user name and password information.

To authenticate users against an LDAP-compliant directory, use the user names and passwords that are maintained in the directory. If you have configured Rational® ClearQuest® to support multiple LDAP configurations, users must login by prefixing their user name with the LDAP domain name, for example, DOMAIN1\user_name. Using LDAP authentication can decrease administration and user support costs by reducing the number of passwords that users have to remember. LDAP can also improve security by enforcing the password management policies implemented in the directory.

Regardless of the type of authentication (LDAP or Rational® ClearQuest®) that you use, Rational® ClearQuest® performs the authorization. That is, information in the Rational® ClearQuest® database is used to determine user database access and group participation. Use the Rational® ClearQuest® User Administration tool to specify authorization information and to maintain user profiles.

This topic is intended for Rational® ClearQuest® administrators.