Decentralized Authorization In A Database System

Decentralization of the security functions of the database administrator is needed in large or complex databases for efficiency and simplicity, independently of whether the database itself is centralized or is distributed through-out a network. In this paper, a model of authorization for decentralized administration is developed. A key concept of the model is the use of data classes, sets of database objects, as the unit of delegation of authorization functions. Mechanisms for the delegation of administration and its revocation are presented. A possible scheme for the distribution of authorization-related data throughout a distributed processing network is described.