Configuring OBIEE Proxy(Act As) Functionality

As an OBIEE Developer we always want to be able to login as the Business Users in order to validate the security development. This can be done without the need to know the Business user's logon credentials by simply configuring the 'Act As' feature in OBIEE.
Below are the steps involved in enabling this feature.
1.The Script below will create a Proxy table and insert three records so that the developer 'shiv' can login(proxy) as 'business_user1' and 'business_user2' and validate the security requirement is as expected.Also the 'Administrator' can proxy the user 'shiv'.


CREATE TABLE OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS
(PROXY_ID VARCHAR2(50),
TARGET_ID VARCHAR2(50),
PROXY_LEVEL VARCHAR2(50));
INSERT INTO OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS(PROXY_ID,TARGET_ID,PROXY_LEVEL) VALUES('Administrator','shiv','full');
INSERT INTO OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS(PROXY_ID,TARGET_ID,PROXY_LEVEL) VALUES('shiv','business_user1','full');
INSERT INTO OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS(PROXY_ID,TARGET_ID,PROXY_LEVEL) VALUES('shiv','business_user2','full');
COMMIT;

2.Import the table OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS into the Physical Layer and Name the Database and Connection Pool as Act_As_Users , CP_Act_As_Users.

3. We now need to create three Session Initialization Blocks Set_RUNAS(Variable:RUNAS),ProxyLevel(Variable:PROXYLEVEL) and ProxyBlock(Variable:PROXY).

4.Initialization Block:Set_RUNAS
Default Initialization String:
Select 'dummy' from dual


5.Initialization Block:ProxyBlock
Default Initialization String:
Seleselect target_id from obiee_act_as_users where 'VALUEOF(NQ_SESSION.RUNAS)'=target_id and ':USER'=proxy_Id


6.Initialization Block:ProxyLevel
Default Initialization String:
select proxy_level from obiee_act_as_users where 'VALUEOF(NQ_SESSION.RUNAS)'=target_id and ':USER'=proxy_Id


7.Navigate to /OracleBIData/web/config/ and modify the file instanceconfig.xml to add the below tag before the </ServerInstance>

<LogonParam>
<TemplateMessageName>Act_As_Logon_Template</TemplateMessageName>
<MaxValues>100</MaxValues>
</LogonParam>


8.Navigate to /OracleBI/web/msgdb/customMessages/ and create a new XML file Act_As_Logon_Template.xml containing the below script.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<WebMessageTables xmlns:sawm="com.siebel.analytics.web.messageSystem">
<WebMessageTable system="SecurityTemplates" table="Messages">
<WebMessage name="Act_As_Logon_Template">
<XML>
<logonParam name="RUNAS">
<getValues>EXECUTE PHYSICAL CONNECTION POOL Act_As_Users.CP_Act_As_Users select target_Id from OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS where proxy_Id='@{USERID}'</getValues>
<verifyValue>EXECUTE PHYSICAL CONNECTION POOL Act_As_Users.CP_Act_As_Users select target_Id from OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS where proxy_Id ='@{USERID}' and target_Id='@{VALUE}'</verifyValue>
<getDelegateUsers>EXECUTE PHYSICAL CONNECTION POOL
Act_As_Users.CP_Act_As_Users select proxy_Id, proxy_Level from OBIEE_ACT_AS_USERS where target_Id ='@{USERID}'</getDelegateUsers>
</logonParam>
</XML>
</WebMessage>
</WebMessageTable>
</WebMessageTables>

9. Within OBIEE Security add three new Users 'shiv','business_user1' and 'business_user2' as shown below.

10.Create a new Web group Act_As_Users_Group and add the user 'shiv' to this group.

11.Cotinue to be logged on as an Administrator and Navigate to Settings>Administration>Manage Privileges and add 'Act_As_Users_Group to Proxy .

12. Restart the Oracle BI Server and Oracle BI Presentation Server.

13. Login in as 'shiv' and then navigate to settings>Act as>business_user1