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Collections, Analytic App, Saved Credentials, and Data Connections

kgalbert
9 - Comet

Hello,

 

I have a question about the functionality of Analytic Apps in Collections.  I want to make an app for a finance employee so they can get data without me clicking 'Run'.

 

Does this finance user need to be granted access to the Gallery Data Connection in order to use the Analytic App?

 

   - The app is using saved credentials that have access to the database.

   - The app is in a collection

   - The user does not have designer

 

I thought that because the workflow had a saved credential they wouldn't need access to the Data Connection, but currently they receive an error when they don't have access.

 

My concern is that if users need access to the data connection to run an app, what happens when I make an app for users with designer licenses.  They would have unfettered access to the data connection if I tried to give them access to the app.

 

Is my server / app just set up wrong?

 

Thanks,
Ken

8 REPLIES 8
Thableaus
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

Hi @kgalbert 

 

Which database are you using? And which kind of authentication are you using? How's the data connection setup? 

 

The app is run under the "Run As" that you define in the System Settings if it doesnt use workflow credentials. 

kgalbert
9 - Comet

Thanks for responding.  

 

It's an Oracle database with an OCI connection string with the username and password saved in it.

 

When I save the workflow to the gallery, I click 'Set workflow credentials' and then 'Always run this workflow with these credentials' and select the service account that has access to the database.

 

I'm sort of seeing how the connection is separate from the workflow 'run as' credentials.

 

So maybe what I'm trying to do isn't possible with an Oracle DB?

Thableaus
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@kgalbert 

 

Have you run this app with your account to test the connection itself? 

OCI connections need to be configured in the Server as well, with a TNSnames.ora file and all of that.

 

And to your point, yes, they are separate things. Unless you're using some kind of Windows Authentication that requires permissions from the user that is running the Alteryx application. Which it doesnt seem to be the case, since you pass the OCI credentials through the connection string.

 

I'm guessing that the problem might be on how this connection is configured in the Server. You might need to check that. Do you have the error message that the user is experiencing?

 

Cheers,

 

kgalbert
9 - Comet

So I never got the error because I have access to the data connection.  The user got the below error until I granted him access to the data connection.  When I take away access to the data connection, he gets the error again.

 

Here's the error he gets:

kgalbert_0-1623787960282.png

I blanked out the job name.  Gallery_ORACLE_REPORTING is the name of the connection on Gallery.

Thableaus
17 - Castor
17 - Castor

@kgalbert 

 

You said that the workflow credentials that were set up for this app were of a Service Account, is that right?

 

Did you check the alias xml file as an asset when you uploaded the workflow?

 

Check this FAQ post, it explains how the permissions check for the Gallery Data connections work.

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Server-Knowledge-Base/Gallery-Data-Connections-FAQ/ta-p/452...

 

 

kgalbert
9 - Comet

Yah it makes sense why I was getting the error.  After the XML is read, the permissions are checked for any connections used.  So the user gets an error.

 

What's confusing to me, is that I thought apps were supposed to be different and not require anything to run.. just access to them in a collection.

 

So I think my question now becomes:

 

'How do I grant someone access to an app without having to grant them access to the underlying connections?'

 

I'm going to mark your comment as the correct solution and open up another thread to ask this question.

 

Thanks!

xariet
8 - Asteroid

Hi @kgalbert  have you found the solution to your question? Can you please provide a link to your new topic ? Thank you 

kgalbert
9 - Comet

Hi @xariet 

 

I have not found a solution to this issue.  I'm not sure if this issue is specific to Oracle database connections, but if the person does not have access to the Data Connection then they cannot run the app.  It doesn't matter about credentials because even with 'Always run this workflow with these credentials' doesn't change the outcome.  

 

We are using Alteryx Server 2021.3.5.03604

 

Not sure if a newer version would help or not.

 

Thanks,
Ken

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