Understanding the authentication process

The authentication process involves the following steps, in this order:

n	A user or client makes a request by choosing a link on an Information Console page or by typing an Actuate Information Console URI in a web browser. The Information Console application processes the request.

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Information Console checks the URI for the forceLogin parameter. If the forceLogin parameter is set to "true" in the URI, the application activates the Information Console Login page, even if the user has already logged in. If forceLogin is set to "false" or does not appear, the request process continues. For details about the forceLogin URI parameter, see Common URI parameters.

n	Information Console authenticates the user for the Encyclopedia volume. If the login information is invalid, the login screen appears in the browser.

If a custom security adapter parameter is set in the web.xml file, Information Console attempts to load the custom security adapter class. If the class loads successfully, the following steps occur:

n	Information Console calls the custom security adapter’s authenticate( ) method with the parameters that the browser sent.

n	The authenticate( ) method performs the custom validation.

n	Information Console calls the required getUserName( ), getPassword( ), and getVolumeProfile( ) methods to retrieve the user information needed by the iServer.

n	Optionally, Information Console calls the getExtendedCredentials( ) method. If this method returns null, there are no extended credentials to send to the iServer.

n	Information Console now has all the information that it requires for connecting to the iServer. Information Console creates the necessary SOAP message for connecting to the iServer and sends a login request.

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