Microsoft Windows Authentication

Server Administrator grants read-only access to users logged in with User privileges, read and write access to users logged in with Power User privileges, and read, write, and administrator access to users logged in with Administrator and Elevated Administrator privileges.

Table 3. Privileges Required To Manage Server Administrator Services
Service	User Privilege Level Required
	View	Manage
Instrumentation	User, Power User, Administrator,	Power User, Administrator,
	Elevated Administrator	Elevated Administrator
Remote Access	User, Power User, Administrator,	Administrator, Elevated
	Elevated Administrator	Administrator
Storage Management	User, Power User, Administrator,	Administrator, Elevated
	Elevated Administrator	Administrator

Authentication

The Server Administrator authentication scheme ensures that the correct access types are assigned to the correct user privileges. Additionally, when the command line interface (CLI) is invoked, the Server Administrator authentication scheme validates the context within which the current process is running. This authentication scheme ensures that all Server Administrator functions, whether accessed through the Server Administrator home page or CLI, are properly authenticated.

Microsoft Windows Authentication

On supported Microsoft Windows operating systems, Server Administrator uses Integrated Windows Authentication (formerly called NTLM) to authenticate. This authentication system allows Server Administrator security to be incorporated in an overall security scheme for your network.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux And SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Authentication

On supported Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating systems, Server Administrator uses various authentication methods based on the Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) library. Users can log in to Server Administrator either locally or remotely using different account management protocols, such as LDAP, NIS, Kerberos, and Winbind.

VMware ESXi Server 5.X Authentication

ESXi Server authenticates users accessing ESXi hosts using the vSphere/VI Client or Software Development Kit (SDK). The default installation of ESXi uses a local password database for authentication. ESXi authentication transactions with Server Administrator are also direct interactions with the vmware- hostd process. To make sure that authentication works efficiently for your site, perform basic tasks such as setting up users, groups, permissions, and roles, configuring user attributes, adding your own certificates, and determining whether you want to use SSL.

NOTE: On systems running VMware ESXi Server 5.0 operating system, to login to Server Administrator, all users require Administrator privileges. For information on assigning roles, see the VMware documentation.