RSA Data Sources Test

An identity source is a repository that contains user and user group data. Each user and user group in a deployment is associated with an identity source. An identity source can store data in the internal database (which is installed within the RSA Authentication Manager), or one or more LDAP directories. If the internal database is used as an identity source, then, all users, applications, user group, policy, and token data are stored in the internal database. If the RSA Authentication Manager is integrated with identity sources such as Microsoft Active Directory, Sun Java System Directory Server or Oracle Directory Server, only the user and user group data reside in the external identity source. The policy and token data associated with the user and user group are stored only in the internal database. Each type of identity source manages and accesses data differently for processing the authentication requests. By continuously monitoring the identity sources, administrators can easily figure out the identity source that is currently experiencing processing bottlenecks thereby affecting the performance of the RSA Authentication Manager. The RSA Data Sources test helps administrators to figure out such identity sources so that the real reason behind processing bottlenecks can be analyzed and rectified at the earliest.

This test auto-discovers the identity sources in the target RSA Authentication Manager and reveals how well the authentication requests were processed. In addition, this test helps administrators figure out the identity source on which maximum authentication requests failed and the identity source that took too long to respond to the authentication requests. In the process, this test also throws light on the identity source that is active and busy processing the requests.

Target of the test : A RSA Authentication Manager

Agent deploying the test : An external agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for each identity source of the RSA Authentication Manager being monitored

The figure below depicts the test configuration page of this test. Click on the parameters in the figure below to know what they are and how to configure them.

Measurements made by the test

Measurement	Description	Measurement Unit	Interpretation
Total requests	Indicates the total number of authentication requests that were processed for this identity source during the last measurement period.	Number	A high value of this measure could indicate a potential overload.
Request rate	Indicates the rate at which the authentication requests are serviced successfully for this identity source.	Requests/Sec	A high value is desired for this measure.
Failed requests	Indicates the number of authentication requests that failed for this identity source during the last measurement period.	Number	Ideally the value of this measure should be zero. Comparing the value of this measure against all the identity sources would reveal the identity source that failed to authenticate the maximum number of requests .
Average response time	Indicates the time taken by this identity source to respond to the authentication requests received.	Milliseconds	Ideally, the value of this measure should be low. Compare the value of this measure to figure out the identity source that takes too long to authenticate the requests.
Active connections	Indicates the number of connections that are currently active on this identity source.	Number	A high value is desired for this measure. A high value of this measure indicates that the identity source is busy processing the requests.