Policy Server Guides › Policy Server Configuration Guide › Administrative User Interface Management

Administrative User Interface Management

The Policy Server is managed through a user interface that is generated dynamically based on the administrative privileges of the user.

Important! When working on the task pane on the right, always save your changes before opening or closing the menu pane on the left or navigating to another task.

Do not use the Refresh or Back buttons of the browser while using the Administrative UI. Using these buttons resubmits the form, repeats the action that was initiated by clicking a button in the form, and creates an invalid state.

Administrative UI Overview

The Policy Server is managed through a graphical user interface. The interface is generated dynamically based on the administrative privileges of the user. This chapter discusses how to log in to the Administrative UI and the common procedures that you use while configuring and managing Policy Server objects.

The Administrative UI contains two panes:

• Menu pane - a menu of tasks on the left
• Task pane - the current task on the right

The menu of tasks on the left can be open or closed. If the menu is closed, you can open it by clicking the right-facing arrow. Likewise, if the menu is open, you can close it by clicking the left-facing arrow.

Important! When working on the task pane on the right, always save your changes before opening or closing the menu pane on the left or navigating to another task.

Do not use the Refresh or Back buttons of the browser while using the Administrative UI. Using these buttons resubmits the form, repeats the action that was initiated by clicking a button in the form, and creates an invalid state.

Start the Administrative UI

Follow these steps:

1. Open a web browser:
   • If you installed the Administrative UI using the stand–alone option and you registered it over SSL, go to the following location:

     https://host.domain:8443/iam/siteminder/adminui

   • If you installed the Administrative UI using the stand–alone option and you did not register it over SSL, go to the following location:

     http://host.domain:8080/iam/siteminder/adminui

   • If you installed the Administrative UI to an existing application server infrastructure, go to one of the following locations:

     http://host.domain:port/iam/siteminder/adminui

     https://host.domain:port/iam/siteminder/adminui

     host

     Specifies the name of the Administrative UI host system.

     domain

     Specifies the fully qualified domain name of the Administrative UI host system.

     port

     Specifies the port on which the application server listens for requests.

2. Enter the credentials of a SiteMinder administrator.
3. Click Login.

   The system displays the relevant tabs for your administrator privileges. The contents of this window differ based on the privileges of the administrator account you use to log in to the Administrative UI.

Manage Policy Server Objects

The Administrative UI lets you view, modify, and delete Policy Server objects. Although the details of each task differ by object, the general methods are similar. For example, the procedure for deleting an agent is similar to the procedure for deleting a response.

Copy Policy Server Objects

The easiest way to create a Policy Server object is to copy an existing object and modify its properties. You can use the properties of the existing object as a template, only changing the information that is different for the new object. The copy option is not available for all objects.

Note: Your administrative privileges determine the objects you can access.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the subcomponent type that contains the object you want to duplicate.

   Example: Click Infrastructure, Agent.

2. Select the type of object you want to duplicate.

   Example: Agent

3. Click Create.
4. Select Create a copy of an object, specify search criteria, and click Search.
5. Select an object from the list and click OK.
6. Enter a new name and description.
7. Modify the properties that are different for the new object and click Submit.

   The object is created.

View Policy Server Object Properties

You can view the properties of a Policy Server object.

Note: Your administrative privileges determine the objects you can access.

Follow these steps:

1. Select the subcomponent of object you want to view.

   Example: Select Policies, Domain.

2. Click the type of object.

   Example: Domain

3. Specify search criteria and click Search.
4. Click the name of the object that you want to view.

   The View screen appears with information about the object you selected.

Modify an Existing Policy Server Object

The Administrative UI lets you modify the properties of existing Policy Server objects.

Note: Your administrative privileges determine the objects you can access.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the subcomponent of object you want to modify.

   Example: Click Policies, Domain.

2. Click the object that you want to modify.

   Example: Realms

3. Specify search criteria and click Search.
4. Click the name of the object that you want to modify.
5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Modify.
6. Make the required changes and click Submit.

   The object is modified.

Delete a Policy Server Object

You can delete a Policy Server object that is no longer needed.

Note: Your administrative privileges determine the objects you can access.

Follow these steps:

1. Select the subcomponent of the object that you want to delete.

   Example: Click Infrastructure, Authentication.

2. Click the type of object.

   Example: Authentication Schemes

3. Specify search criteria and click Search.
4. Select the object that you want to delete.
5. Click Delete.
6. Confirm that you want to delete the object.

   The Policy Server object is deleted.

Manage Task-persistence Database

Every Administrative UI task stays in the task-persistence database indefinitely or until removed by a SiteMinder administrator. You can remove tasks from the database and free up disk space by scheduling cleanup tasks. Cleanup tasks allow you to manage the size of the task-persistence database and improve runtime performance.

Every task exists in the task-persistence database in one of the following states:

• Audit State

  A task in the audit state has been initiated in the Administrative UI, but not submitted. For example, View tasks are initiated in the Administrative UI, but are never submitted.

• Submitted State

  Submitted tasks are tasks that have been submitted for processing in the Administrative UI, but that are not yet complete.

• Completed State

  Completed tasks are submitted tasks that completed processing. Completed tasks include tasks that completed processing successfully and tasks that failed to complete processing successfully, but are nonetheless complete.

Cleanup tasks can remove tasks in the audit state and completed state from the task-persistence database. Cleanup tasks cannot remove submitted tasks that are still pending.

You can schedule, modify, and delete cleanup tasks through the following two options:

Clean Up Submitted Tasks

Use this option to schedule new cleanup tasks or modify existing ones.

Delete Recurring Tasks

Use this option to delete scheduled cleanup tasks.