Understanding Security › Security System Options

Security System Options

Your product region can use internal or external security systems, or a combination of the two. The options available are:

• UAMS—the internal security interface
• Partial security exit
• The NMSAF solution
• Full security exit
• The NMSAFF solution

UAMS

The internal security configuration that your product region can use is UAMS (User ID Access Maintenance System). In this configuration, all information about authorized users, including user ID, password, name, and privileges, is stored in a VSAM data set.

Because this is an internal security interface, your product region does not interface to any external security system or product.

Partial Security Exit

The partial security exit configuration that your product region can use is a hybrid. The UAMS data set still exists, but an exit is used in conjunction with it. The exit interfaces to an external security system, and performs (at least) user ID and password validation. In this case, the UAMS data set still contains user information and privileges. Passwords are not stored in the UAMS data set.

This is the most useful configuration. As described in the following section, a comprehensive hybrid security solution, NMSAF, is provided that uses a partial security exit.

NMSAF Solution

A comprehensive security solution using a partial security exit is shipped with your product. This solution is known as NMSAF.

The solution uses the UAMS data set to store specific information for your product region, and uses whatever security product is installed (through the IBM-defined SAF interfaces) to perform the user validation and password checking.

NMSAF uses its own parameter file (SXCTL) to provide flexible implementation.

Full Security Exit

The full security exit configuration that your product region can use consists of just an exit. In this case, the exit performs all user authentication. It also supplies all user attributes and privilege information. There is no UAMS data set.

NMSAFF Solution

A security solution using a full security exit is shipped with your product. This solution is known as NMSAFF.

NMSAFF uses its own parameter file (SXCTL) to provide flexible implementation.

Product Libraries

The following tables list products and their product version prefixes.

Macro Libraries—z/OS

Various samples and macros are installed with your product into libraries that have a high-level qualifier, which comprises the following:

dsnpref

Identifies your site-specific data set name prefix.

pvpref

Identifies your product version prefix and version number

Macro Libraries—VM/GCS

Various samples and macros are installed with your product into minidisks under the maintenance VM ID. The following table lists products and their VM ID (vmid) values: