The Credentials Manager is used to create and manage ipMonitor Credentials.

Key features include:

• RSA 512/1024 bit encryption used internally to store all sensitive parameters and data.
• Access to the Credentials interface is restricted to Administrators only.
• Access-control options allow Administrators to specify who can use the Credentials, and determine their use.
• Credentials created through the use of the Credentials Wizard are stored within the Credentials Manager, allowing for quick and easy configuration changes.

Note: To use the Credentials Manager feature, you must log in over a SSL-secured connection or a local HTTP connection. If you log in through a non-secure, non-local channel, the Credentials Manager:

• Will permit only limited viewing of Credentials.
• Will not allow configuration changes.

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Credentials may be added through the Credentials Manager or the Credentials Wizard. The Wizard allows you to create a new Credential while configuring a Monitor, Alert or Recovery Action, and apply it immediately. However, the Wizard cannot be used to edit or manage Credentials.

For more information about adding a Credential using the Credentials Wizard, please refer to the section titled Credentials Wizard.

Add a Credential using the Credentials Manager

From the Credentials List screen, click the Add a Credential menu option.

Credential Name
Enter a descriptive Name for the Credential. The Credential you create will be listed in both the Credentials Manager and the Credentials Wizard.

Owner
The Administrator account creating the Credential.

Account
Enter the Account Name. This may be a Windows Domain Account, a Local Machine Account, an email account, or other account.

Valid Windows Account formats:

• DOMAIN\AccountName
• .\AccountName
• AccountName
• AccountName@domain.com (Windows XP, Windows 2003 and Windows Vista only)

Note: For security reasons, once you click the Enable button to set a new Password for the account, the Account Name becomes hidden.

Password
Enter the Account password.

Confirm Password
Enter the Account password again for confirmation.

Note: For security reasons, Password data is not visible once created.

Secret (for RADIUS)
If creating a Credential to be used with a RADIUS Monitor, click the Secret (for RADIUS) Enable... button, then enter the Secret.

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A Credential's usage should be limited only to the specific authentication method required.

Note: Once a Credential is created, it may be necessary to modify Local Security policies before the ipMonitor Service is able to properly impersonate another account.

May only be authorized for use by the owner
This is the default user authorization. Only the Administrator Account that created the Credential may assign it to a Monitor, Alert, or Server / Workstation Control feature.

May be authorized for use by any account
Any ipMonitor Account with appropriate access to the Administration web interface may assign the Credential to a Monitor, Alert, or Server / Workstation Control feature.

Always allowed when over SSL
Allow ipMonitor to perform authentication if SSL encryption is being used. For example:

• An HTML/ASP Monitor connects to a secure web site that challenges with Basic Authentication after the SSL connection has been established.

Note: When this option is enabled, the Credential will be authorized to use any authentication method necessary. This may include authentication methods that have not been specifically selected within the Usage Restrictions section.

May be used with Digest Authentication Schemes
Use Digest Authentication for Monitors, Alerts and features such as:

• HTTP - QA Monitors
• LINK - QA Monitors
• POP3 - QA Monitors
• IMAP4 - QA Monitors
• ipMonitor Monitors
• HTTPS Monitors
• HTML/ASP Monitors
• RADIUS Monitors

May be used with NTLM Authentication Schemes (Windows NT Lan Manager)
Use NTLM Authentication for Monitors, Alerts and features such as:

• HTTP - QA Monitors
• LINK - QA Monitors
• POP3 - QA Monitors
• IMAP4 - QA Monitors
• ipMonitor Monitors
• HTTPS Monitor
• HTML/ASP Monitor

May be used with Windows Impersonation for use with RPC
Use RPC (Remote Procedure Call) Impersonation for Monitors, Alerts and features such as:

• Drive Space Monitors
• Service Monitors
• Event Log Monitors
• File Watching Monitors
• File Property Monitors
• Directory Monitors
• "Net Send" Broadcast Alerts
• Restart Service Alerts
• Reboot Server Alerts
• Text Log Alerts
• ADO - QA Monitors connecting to a SQL Server Database Server that authenticates using Windows Authentication

May be used with Windows Impersonation to start an external process
Allow the ipMonitor Service to impersonate the security context of a separate Account for Monitors, Alerts and features such as:

• External Process Monitors
• External Process Alerts

May be used with ADO (ActiveX Data Objects)
Use the ADO "Usage Restriction" for the following Monitors:

• ADO Monitors
• ADO - QA Monitors

May be used to encrypt data
Allow ipMonitor to encrypt and export the Credentials Database. This usage restriction is only used when archiving configuration details in Internal Maintenance.

May be transmitted in clear text
Allow ipMonitor to authenticate in clear text for Monitors, Alerts and features such as:

• FTP - QA
• HTTP - QA Monitors
• LINK - QA Monitors
• POP3 - QA Monitors
• IMAP4 - QA Monitors
• HTTPS Monitors
• HTML/ASP Monitors

Note: For more information regarding authentication methods, refer to ipMonitor's Security Model.

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Once a Credential is assigned to a specific Monitor, the Usage Restrictions section will determine the specific authentication method(s) it supports.

Associate a Credential for Monitoring

1. Click the Add Monitors submenu option.
2. Select all the Monitors that require use of the Credential for Monitoring purposes.
3. Click the Continue button.

Note: Refer to the Credentials for Monitoring section of the Administrator's Guide for details regarding specific Credential creation and use.

Remove a Credential from Use by a Monitor for Monitoring

1. Select all the Monitors that are not to have access to the Credential for Monitoring purposes.
2. Click the Remove Monitors submenu option.

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Once a Credential is assigned to a specific Monitor, the Usage Restrictions section will determine the specific authentication method(s) it supports.

Associate a Credential for Recovery

1. Click the Add Monitors submenu option.
2. Select all the Monitors that require use of the Credential for Recovery purposes.
3. Click the Continue button.

Note: Refer to the Credentials for Recovery section of the Administrator's Guide for details regarding specific Credential creation and use.

Remove a Credential from Use by a Monitor for Recovery

1. Select all the Monitors that are not to have access to the Credential for Recovery purposes.
2. Click the Remove Monitors submenu option.

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Once a Credential is assigned to a specific Alert, the Usage Restrictions section will determine the specific authentication method(s) it supports.

Associate a Credential for Alerting

1. Click the Add Alerts submenu option.
2. Select all the Alerts that require use of the Credential for Monitoring purposes.
3. Click the Continue button.

Note: Refer to the Credentials for Alerting section of the Administrator's Guide for details regarding specific Credential creation and use.

To Remove a Credential from Use by an Alert

1. Select all the Alerts that are not to have access to the Credential for Alerting purposes.
2. Click the Remove Alerts submenu option.

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For easy identification and selection when configuring a new Monitor, Alert, or Maintenance Action, Credentials are sorted into categories within the Credentials Wizard. Select one or more relevant categories from the list provided to assign to your Credential.

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A Credential no longer associated with an Administrator Account is considered to be "Orphaned". This is a security precaution. It occurs when the Administrator Account that created the Credential has been deleted, or when the password for the Administrator Account was force-changed through the Account Configuration screen.

Note: Administrators have the ability to change another account's password in the Accounts Configuration screen accessed by clicking the Security option located on the menu bar. "Force-changing" your password or another user's password in this configuration area intentionally orphans any Credentials owned by the user. This is a security precaution that prevents another ipMonitor administrator from hijacking another account's Credentials for his own use. However, if you use the My Settings configuration panel to change your password, this will not occur.

A warning message appears at the top of the Edit Credential screen for any Orphaned Credential.

To reinitialize an Orphaned Credential:

1. Click the Enable button to reenter the Account Name and Password information.
2. Click OK to save your changes and associate this Credential with the ipMonitor Administrator Account currently being used.

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