Configure SQL Server Authentication

Configure SQL Server Authentication

SQL Server Access for Argos Users

This requires that the SQL installation includes management tools so SQL Server Management Studio Express Edition must be installed. Ensure you are logged in as an Administrator.
There are three options are available for authentication depending on your setup:
  1. Azure NT Authentication
  2. NT authentication
  3. SQL authentication

Azure NT Authentication

This model is recommended when Argos is deployed in Azure and both the Vault client application and SQL Server instances are on the same VM. This deployment architecture is outlined here.

This mechanism uses the Windows system group NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users to create the configuration. Any user who logs into the VM will be part of this group. Guest users will not be part of this as they don't authenticate.

Steps

  1. Open the SQL Server Management Studio, and navigate to Security > Logins
  2. Right click and press New Login...
  3. Press Search, then click Object Types and select Groups to search for Groups too, and press Ok
  4. Click Advanced and press Find Now - select the "Authenticated Users" entry and press Ok
  5. And press Ok again
  6. Click on Server roles, and choose these roles:
        public
  7. Click on User Mapping, select the database, and choose these roles for the relevant database:
        db_datareader
        db_datawriter   
        public
  8. This ensures that every user who logs onto the VM, and connects to the database [via Vault] will have these roles


NT Authentication

This model is recommended when SQL Server machine and the Vault client application machines are all part of the same domain.

Domain Networks – Windows Group

We recommend that a Windows Group be created called “Argos Users” as this will reduce the setup required when new users require access to Argos.
If your network is not part of a domain, see the section ‘Non-Domain Networks’ below.

All Windows domain accounts which will use the Argos application should be set up as members of this group.   This group can then be used to set the required permissions on the database and network folders.  
A number of websites contain instructions on how to set up a domain group.

Adding the Windows Group to SQL Server

1. Login to SQL Management Studio

Note: You may need to use the drop down arrow on the combo box to search for and locate the installed SQL Express instance.

2. Double click on Security

3. Select ‘Logons’ and then right click to select ‘New Login’

 

The below dialog will be presented:

 

4. Click [Search]
The below dialog will be presented:

 

5. Click on [Object Types] to present the below dialog

 

6. Check on the ‘Groups’ object type and press [OK]

7. Click on [Locations] to present the below dialog:

 

8. Change to ‘Entire Directory’ or use the   to navigate to the correct directory, and then press [OK] once selected.

9. Enter the Group name to the ‘Enter the object name to select’

10. [Check Names] to confirm that the group has been found
      a. If the group is not found, this is either because the group has not been setup correctly, or the group is not part of a domain network.

11. Once the group is selected, press [OK]

12. The Login dialog should now appear similar to the below:

 

13. Change to the Server Roles page:

 

14. We recommend that this is set to ‘public’. We recommend setting up separate groups for admin users with different permissions.

15. Press [OK] and progress to the section ‘Database Setup’.

Non Domain Networks 

Where the users are not part of a domain network, you must set up each user separately to log in to the server

Adding the User to SQL Server

1. Login to SQL Management Studio 

Note: You may need to use the drop down arrow on the combo box to search for and locate the installed SQL Express instance.

2. Double click on Security

3. Select ‘Logons’ and then right click to select ‘New Login’

 

4. The below dialog will be presented:

 

5. [Search]

The below dialog will be presented:

 

6. Enter the user name in the ‘Enter the object name to select’ and click [Check Names], the name should then be recognised and underlined:

 

If the name does not appear as above:

      a. Click on [Locations] to present the below dialog:

 

      b. Change to ‘Entire Directory’ or use the   to navigate to the correct directory, and then press [OK] once selected.

      c. [Check Names] again to find the user. If the user is still not locatable, this indicates:
                  i. the name entered is incorrect (this must be the windows user login)
                  ii. the user is not part of the network

7. Once the user is correctly selected. Click [OK],  the login dialog should now appear similar to the below:

 

8. Change to the Server Roles page:

 

9. We recommend that this is set to ‘public’ for typical users. Admins may have higher privileges
10. Press [OK] and progress to the section ‘Database Setup’.

SQL Authentication 

1. Login to SQL Management Studio

Note: You may need to use the drop down arrow on the combo box to search for and locate the installed SQL Express instance.

2. Double click on Security

3. Select ‘Logons’ and then right click to select ‘New Login’

 

The below dialog will be presented:

 

4. Check on ‘SQL Server authentication’.

5. Create the login name as ‘ArgosUsers’

6. Enter and confirm a password

7. Uncheck the Enforce Password Policy option.  

The General Settings Page should look like this:

 

8. Move to the ‘Server Roles’ page

 

9. We recommend that this is set to ‘public’ for typical users. Admins may require higher privileges.

10. Press [OK] and progress to the ‘Database Setup’ section.


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