PDMWorks Enterprise Authentication

For those interested in implementing PDMWorks Enterprise, here are some basics regarding authentication:

1st: PDMWorks Enterprise is a secure vaulted application, meaning that access and permissions are based on a user’s unique login name and/or group.  Depending on the user’s rights, they may see totally different parts of the vault (ie engineers see engineering folders, purchasing sees purchasing folders, etc.)

2nd: There are three “modes” of authentication: PDMWorks Enterprise login, Active Directory (or windows) login, and LDAP server login.

Here is some information about each authentication mode:

PDMWorks Enterprise login: This mode is the easiest to administer if you have a small group of people (<20) and you don’t have domain rights to browse active directory on your network.  The down-side is that you need to add all your usernames and passwords manually.  InFlow Technology has developed an import tool that can import users (usernames, full names, email address, etc.) from an Active Directory group, but if this tool is not used then you will need to create the users manually.

Windows Login: This mode can be enabled by toggling the option at the Archive server in the Archive Server Configuration screen (see screen shot).  All you have to do is add Active directory user groups to the “login” list by selecting the settings button.  When you go back to the PDMWorks Enterprise Admin tool and select add new user, you can import hundreds of users at a time.  The next time a user needs to log in, they will have to use their Windows login information.  If they don’t want to retype that username/password, it can also be set to automatic and they are automatically logged in.

LDAP Login: This mode can be enabled by selecting LDAP Login as shown the previous screen shot.  Once selected, a user dialog box will open where you can enter your LDAP server settings (see screen shot).  Much like Windows Login, you can go back to the PDMWorks Enterprise Admin tool and add many users at a time.