URL-Based Authentication in Siebel will no longer be supported

Currently, Siebel Business Applications provide options for authenticating HTTP EAI and HTTP Web service requests through credentials that can either be passed as a part of the request body, or as a part of the request URL.

From Siebel CRM version 8.2.2.0 and Siebel CRM version 8.1.1.9, Oracle recommends that you do not use URL-based authentication for any integration with a Siebel application. By default, this authentication method will be disabled in Siebel Business Applications. Following the release of Innovation Pack 2013, Oracle will no longer support any use of URL-based authentication.

Why this change?

Oracle is committed to providing customers with a range of solutions for authentication. However, a number of attack vectors have been established for URL-based authentication and, accordingly, URL- based authentication is no longer regarded as an acceptably secure mechanism for enterprise applications. In addition, the inclusion of credentials in the URL can lead to the inadvertent exposure of a user’s credentials if the user shares a URL as a bookmark or favorite.

What is supported?

Siebel Business Applications support the Web Services Security (WS-Security) specification industry standard. The WS-Security specification is a Web services standard that supports, integrates, and unifies multiple security models and technologies, allowing a variety of systems to interoperate in a platform-independent and language-independent environment.

Transitional solution

Oracle understands that some customers will need time to implement these changes, and that in the case of integrations, many of the users of URL-based authentication are either external consumers, or in projects not directly related to the Siebel CRM program.

As a transitional arrangement, therefore, Oracle is providing a parameter, EnableURLCredentials, which you can add to the eapps.cfg file. Set the value of the EnableURLCredentials parameter to TRUE to enable the continued use of URL-based authentication.

The following table shows how the EnableURLCredentials parameter affects the default setting for URL-based security credentials authentication that has been configured for a Siebel CRM release. 

Siebel Application Version Default Setting for URL-based Authentication EnableURLCredentials Parameter Value TRUE FALSE Any Other Value 8.2.2.0 or higher Disabled Enabled Disabled Disabled 8.1.1.9 or higher Enabled Enabled Disabled Enabled

End of transitional solution

Following the release of Innovation Pack 2013, Oracle will no longer support any use of URL-based authentication, and the EnableURLCredentials parameter will be removed from the Siebel CRM product. All customers must plan on using alternative authentication schemes before this time.

How the default navigation be changed to Tab in Open UI: IP2014

IP2014 introduces a new Navigation Theme: Side Menu, in addition to Tab and Tree.  If the User Preferences are not set, the default is Side Menu.

A new Server Parameter 'Default Navigation' has been introduced to set the default navigation:

In order to set Tab as the default navigation control, set

DefaultNavigation = NAVIGATION_TAB

Restart Servers and test.

DefaultNavigation can have possible values:  NAVIGATION_TAB, NAVIGATION_SIDE, NAVIGATION_TREE.  The Default is NAVIGATION_SIDE.

Users can override the navigation control in the User Preferences > Behavior > Navigation Control.  The value set in the user preferences will take precedence over the Server Parameter value.

How To Create Separate Named Datasource For Siebel BI Publisher Reports With Large Data Volume

Please follow the step-by-step instructions given below:

1. Create a New Profile (Named Subsystem) by cloning the existing Server Datasource Profile. (You can  use the Siebel Copy Record feature to do that)

Refer: Siebel Bookshelf: Siebel System Administration Guide > Configuring Siebel Servers > Configuring the Siebel Enterprise Server >Creating Siebel Enterprise Server Named Subsystems

2. Enter the following values for the new profile:

Name	Value
Profile	Report Datasource
Alias	RptDataSrc
Subsystem Type	InfraDatasources
Description	Reports Datasource used for BIP Reporting

3. In the Profile Parameters specify all the parameters same as the Server Datasource profile. 

Name	Alias	Value
Chart Image Format	DSChartImageFormat	$(ChartImageFormat)
Chart Server	DSChartServer	$(ChartServer)
Database current SQLID	DSCurrentSQLID	$(CurrentSQLID)
Data source Connect String	DSConnectString	<ODBC Connect String>
DB Connector DLL	DSDLLName	<DB Connector DLL Name> e.g. sscdms80 for MS SQL Server
Datasource Docked Flag	DSDockedFlg	True
Datasource Table Owner	DSTableOwner	<Table Owner Name>

Click on the Advanced button and set the following parameters:

Name	Alias	Value
SQL Style	DSSQLStyle	<Sql Style> e.g. MSSqlServer for Windows SQL Server
Datasource Enterprise Server	DSEnterpriseServer	<Enterprise Server Name>
Datasource maximum fetch array size	DSMaxFetchArraySize	-1

Click on the Hidden button and set the following parameters:

Name	Alias	Value
Datasource Gateway Server	DSGatewayAddress	<siebelgatewayhostname>:2320

4. Navigate to the Administration - Server Configuration > Enterprises > Component Definitions view. Query for XMLP Report Server component.

5. Click on the pull down menu and select Start Reconfiguration.

6. In the Component Parameters list applet set following parameters:

Parameter	Value
OM - Data Source	RptDataSrc
OM - Named Data Source name	RptDataSrc,GatewayDataSrc

7. Click on the pull down menu in the Component Definitions applet and select Commit Configuration.

8. Hit the Synchronize button under the Component Definitions.

9. Restart Siebel Server and Gateway Services.

10. Log into the Siebel CRM Application as Siebel Administrator and ensure that the XMLP Report Server component is 'Online'.

11. Verify that the new parameters are in effect:    

• Navigate to Site Map > Administration - Server Configuration > Servers > Components
• In the Component Parameters list applet verify the following parameter values:
• OM - Data Source : RptDataSrc
• OM - Named Data Source name : RptDataSrc,GatewayDataSrc

   
Report Scheduling and Large Data Volume

Siebel BI Publisher Reports Scheduling feature makes use of the EAI Object Manager to fetch the report data from Siebel by invoking the inbound web service named BIPDataService. For scheduled reports to run on large data sets, the EAI Object Manager component should also be configured to use the Reports Data Source (as mentioned above).

Follow the steps given below in case you are using the Siebel BI Publisher Reports Scheduling feature:

1. Log into Siebel CRM Application as Siebel Administrator.

2. Navigate to the Administration - Server Configuration > Enterprises > Component Definitions view.

3. Query for EAI Object Manager component.

4. Click on the pull down menu and select Start Reconfiguration.

5. In the Component Parameters list applet set following parameters:

Parameter	Value
OM - Data Source	RptDataSrc
OM - Named Data Source name	RptDataSrc,GatewayDataSrc

6. Click on the pull down menu in the Component Definitions applet and select Commit Configuration.

7. Hit the Synchronize button under the Component Definitions.

8. Restart Siebel Server and Gateway Services.