CONFIGURING


Setting up a database ACL for server-to-server replication
You add the names of servers to a database ACL in the same way that you add the names of people. The access level given to a server in an ACL determines what, if any, changes that server can replicate to the replica.

Default server groups in an ACL

By default, every database ACL includes the server groups LocalDomainServers and OtherDomainServers.


Note: Do not add the names of servers from outside companies to LocalDomainServers or to OtherDomainServers. Both these groups are included in all databases by default and may have a high access level in some cases. Instead, create a group specifically for the external servers with which your company communicates; for example, create a group called External Servers. Then add this group to database ACLs as needed.

Access level privileges

For each access level, you can select or deselect these privileges:


In general, for servers, enable all the privileges that the selected access level allows. This ensures that the server has access that is as high as users might have and can replicate all user changes. However, to prevent certain changes from replicating without deselecting privileges for each user, you can deselect a particular privilege for a server entry in the ACL.

For example, to prevent all document deletions made in a database on a particular server from replicating, deselect Delete documents in the ACL entry for the server. Then when users who have "Delete documents" access in the ACL delete documents, the deletions do not replicate.

Furthermore, in a hub-and-spoke configuration, the potential exists for replication back to the hub to affect the following design elements: views, folders, shared columns, and navigators. To prevent the spoke servers from replicating design elements changes to the hub. deselect the privilege Create shared folders/views in the ACL entry for each spoke server.

Table 1. Server access levels from the highest access to the lowest
Access level Allows a server to push these changes Assign to
Manager
  • ACL settings
  • Database encryption settings
  • Replication settings
  • All elements allowed by lesser access levels
Servers you want to use as a source for ACL changes. For tight database security, give this access to as few servers as possible. In a hub-and-spoke server configuration, you typically give the hub server Manager access.
Designer
  • Design elements
  • All elements allowed by lesser access levels
Servers you want to use as the source for design changes. Use Manager access instead if you want one server to control ACL and design changes.
Editor
  • All new documents
  • All changes to documents
Servers that users use only to add and modify documents. In a hub-and-spoke configuration, you typically give the spoke servers Editor access.
Author New documentsNo servers. You do not typically use this access for servers.
Reader No changes; server can only pull changesServers that should never make changes. Servers in the OtherDomainServers group are often given Reader access.
Depositor New documents. Also prevents the server from pulling changes.No servers. You don't typically use this access for servers.
No Access No changes. Also prevents the server from pulling changes.Servers to which you want to deny access. Servers in the OtherDomainServers group are sometimes given No Access.

Note: A database that does not replicate should have at least one server in its ACL to serve as the administration server for the database. This allows the Administration Process on a server to update names in the ACL when names in the organization change.

Related concepts
The Administration Process

Related tasks
Configuring a database ACL
Creating and modifying groups

Related reference
Guidelines for setting server access to databases
Table of replication settings