User level security on network

[Ramesh]

HI,

I have my database on system A and shared with system B. I opened the
database on system B and ran the userlevel security wizard, created the
groups and users. Now am unable to use the database on system A unless i
give the rights to admin user.

I thought the workgroup file contained all the user and groups info and was
shared by all the systems using the shared database. But i find none of the
users now on the system A. Do i create the users again on the system A?

Right now if i open the database from system B, it asks for my username and
i am able to logon fine. On system A, admin is the only user available.

Could someone clarify on how this workgroup file works please? Did i make a
mistake by running the wizard from System B?

Thanks for any help. Little urgent though, my work has stopped.

Ramesh

 

[Joan Wild]

Every session of Access uses a workgroup file. Out of the box, it comes
with system.mdw; this workgroup is used for all sessions. It silently logs
you in as a user named 'Admin'. Everyone has this workgroup file, which is
why you are able to freely share databases with other people.

When you implement security, you create a new secure workgroup file (mdw).
In order for your database to be secure, you remove all permissions from the
Admin user, make sure it doesn't own anything, and also remove all
permissions from the Users Group. These two items (Admin user, and Users
Group) are common to every mdw file. By doing this you ensure that users
must use the secure mdw (and not their standard system.mdw) in order to open
the secure mdb.

The workgroup is used to define the session of Access. Every computer has
some mdw file set as the default. On system B, you likely changed the
default workgroup to your secure mdw. Doing this would mean that every
session of Access on that computer will use the secure mdw and a login will
be required (doesn't matter what database, they'll all request a
username/pwd).

On system A, the default mdw is still set to system.mdw and trying to open
your secure mdb using that workgroup fails, and rightly so.

What you want to do is rejoin system.mdw on system B. Then make the secure
mdw available to all users - put it in a shared location.

Then create a desktop shortcut that uses the /wrkgrp switch to over-ride the
default system.mdw for your secure mdb. The target would look like
"path to msaccess.exe" "path to secure mdb" /wrkgrp "path to secure mdw"

Both systems will need the shortcut.

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Ramesh.

I have my database on system A and shared with system B. I opened the
database on system B and ran the userlevel security wizard, created the
groups and users. Now am unable to use the database on system A unless i
give the rights to admin user.

Don't give any permissions to the default Admin user. Instead, open the
database while joined to the secure workgroup, not the default workgroup
(which only has the default Admin user in it, as you've seen). The best way
to do this is to stay joined to the default workgroup and use a Windows
shortcut to point to the secure workgroup when opening the secure database
file. Try the following syntax for the shortcut's target (all one line):

"<Full path to Office>\MSAccess.EXE" "<Full path to DB>\MyDB.MDB" /wrkgrp
"<Full path to secure workgroup>\Secure.MDW"

Unless you want to be prompted for the User ID and password for _every_
database you attempt to open, whether it's secured or not, stay joined to
the default workgroup, System.mdw, and just use shortcuts for the secured
databases. Life will be a lot easier -- and less confusing.

I thought the workgroup file contained all the user and groups info and
was shared by all the systems using the shared database.

The workgroup file contains the user and group names and passwords. That's
all. If you don't see your secured workgroup's users and groups, then
you're looking at the wrong workgroup file.

Do i create the users again on the system A?

No. Users who want to open the secure database on system A must be joined
to the secure workgroup when opening the secure database, just like the
users on system B or any other workstation that connects to this one on the
network and has Windows permissions to open the database file.

Could someone clarify on how this workgroup file works please? Did i make
a mistake by running the wizard from System B?

No. You didn't make a mistake. The security is applied to the database
file, not the system. For more information on implementing User-Level
Security, please see the following Web page for the Security FAQ:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=207793

Study it and practice on a copy of your database a few times.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blog: http://DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Ramesh]

Beautiful Gunny. Your response is very valuable and helpful.

The FAQ file from microsoft site is a treasure .. will study that and work
based on that. Will revert if i get stuck tho!

Thanks very much.
And thanks to Joan and Joseph too.

Ramesh

 

['69 Camaro]

You're welcome. Good luck with it. Make sure all the steps are followed.
Skipping even one step will result in an unsecured database.

Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blog: http://DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Hi Ramesh,

In addition to the answers provided by others so far, you might want to have
a look at Access MVP Lynn Trapp's 10 Steps Summarized, available here:

http://www.ltcomputerdesigns.com/Security.htm


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP

http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/search.html
__________________________________________

 

[Jeff Conrad]

And this should cover everything pretty well:

http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie/resources.html#Security

;-)
--
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP
Co-author - Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out
http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie.html
Access 2007 Info: http://www.AccessJunkie.com

in message:

 

[Ramesh]

Thanks Tom. I had missed your msg earlier. Just swa it today as i
searching for something else.

Your link has provided some valuable inputs.

Ramesh

 

[Ramesh]

Thanks Jeff. As you said, this link seems to have it all. Am glad i came
back to see this messge today. had missed it all these days.

Ramesh