SSA (Smart Security Administrator)

Interrogate Mainframe Security Server to Determine the User's or Group's Highest Allowed Access Level to a Particular Resource

SSA (Smart Security Administrator) is the easiest RACF administrative package available, SSA goes one step further by enhancing the user experience compared to other products. SSA is an extremely effective merging of Ease-of-Use and Power. A smarter and more sophisticated product means administrators and auditors alike can easily become acclimated and productive at new levels. SSA will assist the security administrator, security coordinator or auditor to effectively maintain and audit RACF information with concise reporting, command generation and ease of use.

SSA is engineered to save the administrator at least 30% of their time by eliminating or expediting those tasks that can be arduous or lengthily in time. With SSA, you are freed up to pursue those items that you may have put aside because of time restraints. SSA will make you a better administrator, coordinator or auditor.

  • OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
  • AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
  • FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
  • REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS

OVERVIEW

SSA gives you the easiest Security Server administrative package available merging ease-of-use and power. Administrators and auditors can easily become acclimated and productive at new levels. RACF administration is tough and demanding. In order to provide better answers to users, managers and auditors, you need more time and more help. Every day, hundreds of RACF security administrators speed through their workload using SSA:

  • Start with the SSA Search panel - find anyone quickly and easily. Want to see a list of all users named Bob? No problem - you can search for users by anything and everything. Then make your change immediately.
     
  • Want to do a mass update to everyone in Cleveland? Now? Or how about scheduling it for next Friday? No problem - take the results of your search and then execute any commands you like or just select Replicate (Clone) and SSA will automatically create the commands for you.
     
  • Need a fast report for a manager or auditor? - search and print an adhoc report while you're talking with them on the phone.
     
  • Why not let user departments do their own password resets? With SSA you can distribute a TSO or CICS mini-admin panel for them to manage their own users and reset passwords.

Reports

SSA provides a series of batch and online reports ranging from access to ownership. All reports offer selectivity, a well organized and extremely informational format.

Online Generic Search

Generic searches provides a query facility to find information within your RACF database. You can search for specific RACF resources by fully qualifying your search arguments, or you can use wildcards to select a range of data that meets your filter criteria.

A generic search can be conducted in batch or online mode. In online mode, after a search is completed and the results are displayed, you can then use up to 30 additional SSA or RACF functions against the search results. In batch mode, you can use the standard report layout, or build a report filter that specifies the format of search results.

AT-A-GLANCE

  • Super generic searches - find anyone instantly
  • Extremely fast and flexible command generation
  • Schedule jobs or commands automatically
  • Distributed RACF administration from CICS
  • Decentralize user, group password and connect administration

FEATURES

  • Full Security Server Field Support
    SSA supports all features, fields and segments in Security Server. Features like command generation, online generic searches and any other means of reporting or information accessing that is relevant fully support Security Server.
  • Security Server Information Offload Job
    SSA’s offload method can utilize the IRRDBU00 utility or its own AADBU00 which offloads your live Security Server database and creates the same file format for loading. All offloading has security checking built-in allowing the administrator to create custom offload jobs for end users.
  • ISPF Tables Only
    All Security Server Information Storage is ISPF based. This allows SSA to be easily upgraded and enhanced. This ensures that all new fields and information required to remain compatible with future releases of Security Server can be added easily and quickly.
  • Batch or Online
    The power of generic searching can be utilized to generate reports in batch or online mode. The batch JCL interface is identical to other reporting features.
  • Extended or Standard Searching
    Generic searches use standard ISPF searching (left to right masking) or SSA's extended searching which allows you to search by individual characters or strings within strings.
  • Adhoc Report Generation
    Batch processing can utilize a report mask (or you can use the default set report format) enabling you to dictate exactly how the report format should turn out. Now, if none of the standard report layouts meet your needs, you can design your own.
  • Adhoc Command Generation in Batch
    Utilizing the substitution power of adhoc report generation, the tremendous versatility and power of adhoc command generation can now be done in batch.
  • Select and Scroll
    SSA allows you to select as many table displayed entries as you wish. All selections will be handled by each mode (Various, Adhoc, Print, and Sort) and those selections can either be purged or kept at your discretion.
  • Sort by Multiple Fields/Orders
    All online generic search displays can be sorted by up to 8 fields each with its own order.
  • Expanded Search Fields
    All online generic searches include all new Security Server fields. The variety of searches possible is tremendous. 

    Various Mode Options: 
    • SSA or Security Server List functions 
    • Display subsequent information like permits on a particular profile 
    • Pass to other functions like Command Generation or Password Administration 
    • Issue command to either rebuild an entry or create the entry for another user or group 
    • Edit Installation and Application data on all relevant profiles
  • Long and Short Displays
    The generic search result displays have a short or long display option. If the user wishes to see more or less of the table fields displayed, it’s their choice.
  • Schedule Generated Commands
    As with all other functions, any generated commands can be sent to the SCHEDULER.

REQUIREMENTS

  • Mainframe
    IBM z/Architecture and compatible
  • Operating System
    z/OS 
  • Host System
    RACF