Configuring the RSA token authentication mechanism

You use the WebSphere® Application Server administrative console to configure the Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) token authentication mechanism. The RSA token authentication mechanism can only be used for administrative requests. As such, the authentication mechanism choices for administrative authentication are part of the Global Security panel of the administrative console.

Before you begin

RSA token authentication mechanism is the default selection for the application server, administrative agent, and job manager profiles. LTPA is still the default for the deployment manager profile to preserve the same behavior for the existing topology.

About this task

You configure Lightweight Third-Party Authentication (LTPA) and Kerberos on the main authentication mechanism panels of the administrative console as well as configure RSA token authentication. During registration of a base profile with the administrative agent, the trusted certificates on both sides are updated with the root signer for the other. The same process occurs during registration of an administrative agent or deployment manager with a job manager. When removing the registration, the trusted signers are removed from both sides so that trust is no longer established.

By default, the RSA mechanism is set up correctly during the registration tasks, such as registerNode or registerWithJobManager. No further actions are necessary to establish trust within these environments. However, if you must establish trust between two base servers or between two admin agents, for example, you can use the following steps to further configure the RSA token authentication mechanism:

Procedure

  1. Click Security > Global security. Under Administrative security click the link to Administrative authentication.
  2. Select the RSA token radio button. Select a data encryption keystore from the drop-down list.
    The option is recommend for flexible systems administration.
  3. Optional: To exchange the root signers between two base servers:
    1. Select the root keystore from the Data encryption keystore drop-down list (such as NodeRSATokenRootStore).
    2. Click Extract Signer.
    3. Enter a fully qualified name in the Certificate file name field.
    4. Click OK.
  4. Optional: Transfer the extracted root signer to the other server, and add it to that server's trusted signers keystore:
    1. Select the trusted keystore from the drop-down list (such as NodeRSATokenTrustedStore).
    2. Click Add Signer.
    3. Enter a unique name for the Alias.
    4. Enter a fully qualified name for the signer key file.
    5. Click OK.
  5. Enter the nonce cache timeout value.
  6. Enter token timeout value.
  7. Click Apply and Save.

Results

You have configured the RSA token authentication mechanism.