12 - New Authorization Tracks: Role-Based Access Control and Digital Rights Management

Abstract

This chapter introduces to the authorization manager and rights management services (RMS). In Windows Server 2003, Microsoft explores some interesting new paths in the area of access control enforcement. One of them is support for role-based access control management, using a technology called the authorization manager and a brand-new API—the authorization API. Authorization manager is a fundamental shift in Microsoft's way of dealing with access control enforcement and management. It supports the creation of a hierarchical role model and thus role inheritance. During the definition of a role, authorization manager allows the specification of a lower-level role from which the newly created role may inherit all associated tasks and operations. Microsoft released the RMS server software as a free add-on to Windows Server 2003 in late 2003. The RMS server add-on runs only on Windows Server 2003. RMS is not the first digital rights management (DRM) software Microsoft ever created; windows media player has included DRM features for years.