KOBIL Security Server
KOBIL Security Server is a multi-client capable server that handles identities and provides security features. KOBIL Security Server manages users and their devices. A user can have one or more devices, one device can be used by one or more users. The devices can be either mobile (iOS or Android) or desktop devices (Windows, MacOS). Security Server manages and protects the apps which are operated on the devices. Security Server also interacts with the customer's back end systems to protect business processes end-2-end. The security features of Security Server are based on the included PKI (public key infrastructure) and the included CA (certificate authority).
Overview
KOBIL Security Server, version 3.0, introduces the feature Multi-Tenancy as one of its main features. The document at hand describes relevant changes compared to previous versions of the Security Server. The Multi-tenancy feature allows the an Security Server cluster to function as a container for multiple, distinct Security Server instances (tenants). Each such Security Server instance in principle acts as if it was a separately installed Security Server. Each multi-tenant Security Server contains one special tenant, the so-called master tenant. The master tenant is installed automatically when installing Security Server. Each subsequently added tenant is referred to as sub-tenant. Besides offering all the capabilities of a sub-tenant, the master tenant also provides access to system-wide configuration. Multi-tenancy is realized following the "shared schema" approach: The data of all tenants is organized in one database schema, whereby each piece of information is associated to the respective tenant by means of a unique identifier. The document addresses three types of actors and the use cases, they are involved in:
The System Administrator operates the entire system, comprised of an Security Server cluster that hosts one or more tenants. This includes selecting and updating Security Server modules, and configuring the system-wide aspects of the module. The System Administrator has the role SUPER_ADMIN of the master tenant. The Tenant Administrator manages relevant aspects of one tenant. This involves configuring the modules as required by the Application Developer. The Tenant Administrator has the role SUPER_ADMIN of the respective tenant. The Application Developer integrates applications using the APIs provided by the Security Server. The Application Developer acts in the scope of one tenant. The Application Developer is not necessarily assigned to a role in Security Server, but might be assigned to any (custom defined) role, when it needs to access Security Server-MGT APIs. System Administrator also acts as the Tenant Administrator of the so-called master tenant.
Architecture
Management Nodes
With the management node, you can administrate the server itself and the users and the devices managed by the server. It provides a graphical user interface (GUI) and various views to access the server properties as well as the data managed by the various modules. The basic functions of the graphical user interface are described in the Security Server administrator manuals. You can find detailed information on the views of the individual modules and on the basic functioning of the GUI in the corresponding module specific administrator manuals. Along with the graphical user interface, the KOBIL Security Server offers a SOAP interface to address programmatically the management functions of the server and to integrate the server, for example, in your existing infrastructure. Both the SOAP interface and the graphical user interface are addressed via the HTTPS protocol and require a registration with a valid certificate (SSL). The KOBIL Security Server manages the certificates itself; more precisely, the server generates a super administrator certificate during the installation . From this certificate, all additional certificates can be generated. You can manage the single functions and options of the different modules and services via the GUI.
Services Nodes
The services nodes contain the interfaces for using the managed device s and users. With the ASM module, for example, you can manage t h e apps on the smartphones or on the tablet PCs of the user with the corresponding certificates. The services nodes provide a SOAP interface like the management nodes. With this interface, you can carry out various tasks, services and queries. Depending on the characteristics of the product, you can install various modules with different services. Every single module defines which functions and protocols can be addressed by the SOAP interfaces, as described in the respective module manuals for administrators.
Affected Use Cases
The System Administrator deploys the Security Server system and manages it. Managing the Security Server system also includes the functions to enroll new tenants as well as to close down existing ones. The Tenant Administrator receives initial credentials from the System Administrator for a newly enrolled tenant. Likewise, the Tenant Administrator has to give approval, when the tenant shall be closed down. The Tenant Administrator can now basically manage the tenant, as if he is using a single-tenant installation, like creating new users and managing App Versions. However, system specific settings, like URLs or ports, are maintained by the System Administrator and not available per tenant.
Database Layer
The core of the feature is basically to provide all functionality of the previous Security Server versions in the scope of different tenants, so that services can be provided to different customers based on one Security Server cluster. Data separation is achieved by discriminating data with an tenantId with each relation in the database (shared-schema approach). Likewise, accesses to the Security Server's APIs are discriminated based on the provided credentials.