Role-Based Access Control
VirtualMetric DataStream role-based access control (RBAC) provides granular permission management for enterprise deployments, enabling organizations to control user access to telemetry processing components based on assigned roles. The system supports both built-in roles with predefined permissions and custom roles with fine-grained access controls across DataStream components including pipelines, devices, targets, routes, and administrative functions.
Built-in Roles
DataStream provides three predefined roles with hierarchical permissions:
Owner
- Full administrative control over the tenant
- All permissions across all system components
- Cannot be deleted or have role changed by other users
- Ownership transfer capability to other users
- One owner per tenant - role assignment protected
Admin
- Administrative permissions for most system components
- User management capabilities
- Configuration access for devices, pipelines, targets, and routes
- Cannot access ownership functions or modify Owner accounts
User
- Standard user permissions for day-to-day operations
- Read access to most components
- Limited create/edit capabilities based on business requirements
- No administrative or user management functions
Custom Role Management
Create custom roles with specific permission sets for organizational requirements.
Create Custom Role
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Access Role Management
- Navigate to Organization → Roles
- Click Create New Role button
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Configure Role Details
- Role Name: Descriptive identifier for the role
- Description: Purpose and scope of the role
- Configuration Method: Select Basic or Advanced
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Permission Assignment
Basic Configuration:
- Predefined Permission Sets: Select from common role templates
- Simplified Interface: Checkbox-based permission selection
Advanced Configuration (requires Advanced RBAC feature):
- Granular Permissions: Individual permission selection per component
- Fine-grained Control: Separate Read, Create, Edit, Delete permissions
Permission Categories
System Components:
- Pipeline: Telemetry processing chain management
- Device: Data input source configuration
- Target: Data output destination management
- Quick Route: Simple route configuration
- Advanced Route: Complex conditional routing
- Director: Service orchestration management
Administrative Functions:
- User: User account management
- Role: Role and permission management
- Audit: System audit log access
- Settings: System configuration management
- Usage: Resource utilization monitoring
Enterprise Features:
- SSO: Single sign-on configuration
- MSSP: Multi-tenant switching capabilities
- Content Hub: Pre-built template access
Permission Levels:
- Read: View component information
- Create: Add new components
- Edit: Modify existing components
- Delete: Remove components
Role Assignment
Assign roles to users during account creation or through user management.
Assign Role to User
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Navigate to User Management
- Access Organization → Users
- Select target user or create new user
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Role Selection
- Role Dropdown: Select from available roles
- Built-in Roles: Owner, Admin, User
- Custom Roles: Organization-specific roles
-
Permission Validation
- System validates role permissions against user requirements
- Feature Access: Roles filtered by tenant edition capabilities
- Tenant Scope: Permissions limited to tenant boundaries
Advanced RBAC Features
Edition-Based Permission Filtering
Advanced RBAC Feature (premium editions):
- Custom role creation and modification
- Granular permission assignment per component
- Role management interface access
Feature Dependencies:
- SSO Permissions: Require SSO feature in tenant edition
- MSSP Permissions: Require MSSP feature for multi-tenant operations
- Advanced Configuration: Available only with Advanced RBAC feature
Security and Compliance
Session Management:
- Automatic session invalidation when roles change
- Permission cache clearing for immediate access updates
- Audit trail for all role and permission modifications
Access Protection:
- Owner role protection prevents accidental lockout
- Self-modification restrictions prevent users from elevating their own permissions
- Tenant isolation ensures users cannot access other tenant resources
Role Modification and Deletion
Modify Existing Role
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Access Role Settings
- Navigate to Organization → Roles
- Select role to modify
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Update Permissions
- Add/Remove Permissions: Adjust access levels
- Change Configuration Method: Switch between Basic/Advanced
- Update Description: Modify role documentation
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Apply Changes
- User Session Impact: Existing user sessions invalidated
- Immediate Effect: Permission changes take effect immediately
- Audit Logging: All changes recorded in audit trail
Delete Custom Role
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Check Role Usage
- User Assignment Validation: Ensure no users assigned to role
- Dependency Check: Verify no system dependencies
-
Role Removal
- Navigate to role settings
- Click Delete Role (requires confirmation)
- User Reassignment: Reassign affected users to other roles first
Restrictions:
- Built-in roles cannot be deleted (Owner, Admin, User)
- Roles with active user assignments must be unassigned first
- Owner role deletion is permanently blocked for tenant security
Troubleshooting
Permission Issues
User Cannot Access Component:
- Verify Role Assignment: Check user's assigned role
- Review Role Permissions: Confirm role includes required permissions
- Check Edition Features: Ensure tenant edition supports required features
- Validate Tenant Scope: Confirm user accessing correct tenant resources
Role Management Not Available:
- Advanced RBAC Feature: Verify tenant edition includes Advanced RBAC
- User Permissions: Ensure current user has Role Read/Create/Edit permissions
- Owner Access: Confirm Owner role for full role management access
Session and Cache Issues
Permission Changes Not Applied:
- Session Refresh: Log out and log back in to refresh permissions
- Cache Invalidation: System automatically clears permission cache
- Browser Refresh: Clear browser cache if interface issues persist