Using Database Shortcuts with Campaign Enterprise
There are times when you'll want to limit access
to certain database connections for Campaign
Enterprise software in a multi-user environment.
Using the Database Shortcuts feature can assign
each user or group of users one or more connection
strings that only they can employ. This allows
only certain users specified access to certain
databases or even certain tables in the database,
based on database permissions. If a user or group
were not specified, they would not be able to
connect. This helps mitigate somebody connecting
to a secure database table, or accessing a list
they should not be using.
Configuring database shortcuts
Administrative users of Campaign Enterprise
have access to enable and manage Database Shortcuts.
To enable this feature, click on the Administration
tab on the main menu, and click the Manage Configuration
button. Check the box to enable Database Shortcuts
and save. On the Administration tab, find the
Database Shortcuts section and click View Settings.
On the Database Shortcut page:
- Click New
- Name the Shortcut.
Use something that the intended user will easily
recognize.
- Select the Database
type.
- Browse to the
database or select the DSN name for the database
connection.
- Test the connection
to the database.
- Check the box
for the group or users assigned to this shortcut.
Only the users or groups specified here will
see the shortcut listed in their campaigns.
Note: The decision to use Database Shortcuts
should occur before there are too many campaigns
to manage effectively. If there were already campaigns
listed in the main menu when Database Shortcuts
was enabled, each one of those campaigns will
have its own shortcut using the campaign name
as the shortcut name. These shortcuts will already
be assigned to the campaign owner. If there are
any duplicate shortcuts, it is highly recommended
that you consolidate them to minimize confusion
and duplication.
When connecting to a SQL database using an ODBC
or OLE DB connection, further database protection
is gained when the DSN or OLE DB connection strings
have permissions. That is, the UID and PWD are
specified as in the following examples:
ODBC: DSN=Databasename;UID=Username;PWD=Password;
OLE DB: Provider=sqloledb;Data
Source=ServerName;Initial Catalog=DatabaseName;
User Id=Username;Password=Password;
That way the Database Shortcut can include user
information in the connection string that will
only allow the user to see that portion of the
database that is available to them. Read and write
permissions can be set up on the database as well,
and if you don't want to allow somebody to update
the tables, that option can be disallowed on the
database side. The Campaign Enterprise user does
not even need to know what the UID and PWD supplied
to them in the connection string is, in order
to use the Database Shortcut. If alternate write
back table is to be used for the write back features,
that table will need to be available using same
connection string specified in the shortcut.
Enabling database shortcuts
When Database Shortcuts are enabled and a user
logs into Campaign Enterprise, they will receive
a notice if there are no shortcuts available for
them to use. They are advised to seek out an administrator
to have a shortcut assigned before they can create
a campaign. When shortcuts are enabled, the user
will only see the shortcuts in the Datasource
tab to which they are assigned.
Be aware that changing a database shortcut will
affect all the campaigns associated with that
shortcut name. Database Shortcuts cannot be deleted
if there are campaigns still attached to it.
Security settings
If a user or group is given permission to edit
a campaign in the security settings, but they
do not have access to the Database Shortcut being
used, they will not be able to edit or run the
campaign. The same warning appears when they try
to edit the campaign as above.
The Database Shortcut option is available when
using Campaign Enterprise
in a multi-user environment, or if you simply
want to limit the access a Campaign Enterprise
user has to the database. Using Database Shortcuts
in conjunction with good database security helps
prevent inadvertent or inappropriate use of the
data.
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