Preface

Oracle Security Server Guide describes the features, architecture, and administration of the Oracle Security Server. The Oracle Security Server is a security product, based on public-key cryptography, that supports centralized authorization and distributed authentication in an Oracle network environment.

The Oracle Security Server, release 2.0.3, provides:

• a centralized authorization and distributed authentication framework that is based on public-key cryptography and that includes the Oracle Security Adapter and the Oracle Security Server Repository. This framework supports X.509 version 1 certificates, an industry-standard method of authentication.
• the Oracle Security Server Manager, a management tool that an administrator uses to configure the framework.
• the Oracle Cryptographic Toolkit, a programmer's toolkit. This toolkit contains a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that enable application programs to access cryptographic functions, such as generating and verifying digital signatures. These APIs, available via the Oracle Call Interface (OCI) and PL/SQL, can be used to provide assurance to a wide variety of applications, such as electronic mail and electronic commerce. For more information on the Oracle Cryptographic Toolkit, see the Oracle Cryptographic Toolkit Programmer's Guide.

Intended Audience

Oracle Security Server Guide is designed as the basic document to help security system administrators understand, manage, and configure the Oracle Security Server. Oracle Security Server Guide is available in HTML format for viewing through a Web browser. It can also be ordered in hardcopy (paper) format.

Structure

This manual contains four chapters, a glossary, and a bibliography:

Chapter 1	Describes basic concepts associated with the Oracle Security Server.
Chapter 2	Provides a description of the architecture and operation of the Oracle Security Server.
Chapter 3	Details how a security administrator initializes the Oracle Security Server.
Chapter 4	Details how the security administrator uses the Oracle Security Server Manager to define elements to the Oracle Security Server.
Glossary	Defines security-related terms that appear within this manual.
Bibliography	Provides details for the external references cited within this manual.

Conventions

Convention	Meaning
boldface text	Boldface type in text is used for terms being defined, names of pulldown menus, pushbuttons and field names on windows, and path (directory) information.
italic text	Italic type in text is used for the values of fields,the names of subareas on windows and options on pulldown menus, and the titles of other manuals.
angle brackets <>	Variable names appear inside angle brackets.
square brackets []	Optional items appear inside square brackets.

The following conventions are used in this manual:

Related Documents

For more information, see the following manuals:

• Oracle® Advanced Networking Option(TM) Administrator's Guide
• Oracle8 Server Distributed Database Systems
• Oracle8 Server SQL Reference
• Oracle Cryptographic Toolkit Programmer's Guide
• Programmer's Guide to the Oracle Call Interface

Your Comments Are Welcome

We value and appreciate your comments as an Oracle user and reader of the manual. As we write, revise, and evaluate our documentation, your opinions are the most important input we receive. At the back of each of our printed manuals is a Reader's Comment Form, which we encourage you to use to tell us what you like and dislike about this manual or other Oracle manuals. If the form is not available, please use one of the following addresses or the FAX number.

Oracle Network Products Documentation Manager
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