Roles Overview

Alation Cloud Service Applies to Alation Cloud Service instances of Alation

Customer Managed Applies to customer-managed instances of Alation

There are seven roles that can be assigned to users in the Alation Catalog:

  • Server Admin

  • Catalog Admin

  • Source Admin

  • Composer

  • Steward

  • Explorer (cloud-only)

  • Viewer

The Viewer role is the default role. All new users who sign up for an Alation account are automatically assigned the Viewer role. The Explorer role and license is available only on Alation Cloud Service deployments from Alation version 2023.1 on cloud-native architecture.

When the Viewer role is enforced (the default), the roles function in the following way:

  • Server Admins have access to all functionality including Admin Settings. The Server Admin role requires a Creator license.

  • Catalog Admins can create and edit Catalog objects; manage Data Sources as Data Source Admin; have access to group management, catalog customization, and Compose. No access to Admin Settings. The Catalog Admin role requires a Creator license.

  • Source Admins can create and edit articles, edit fields on catalog pages, and use Compose. They can be assigned as Data Source Admins to data sources. They do not have access to group management, Catalog customization pages, or Admin Settings. The Source Admin role requires a Creator license.

  • Composers can create and edit articles, edit fields on the catalog pages, and use Compose. They cannot be assigned as Data Source Admins. The Composer role requires a Creator license.

  • Stewards can create and edit articles, edit fields on the catalog pages, and access Compose. They cannot be assigned as Data Source Admins to data sources. The Steward role requires a Creator license.

  • Explorers (cloud-only) can use the catalog in much the same way as Viewers, but can also run query forms and use Alation Connected Sheets. The Explorer role requires an Explorer license.

  • Viewers can use the catalog in read-only mode. Viewers can search, view catalog objects that they are given access to, and use conversations. They cannot create new objects or edit fields. The Viewer role requires a Viewer license.

In releases prior to 2021.4, the Viewer role was not enforced by default. When the Viewer role is not enforced, the Alation roles function in the following way:

  • Server Admins have access to all functionality including Admin Settings.

  • Catalog Admins can create and edit Catalog objects; manage Data Sources as Data Source Admin; have access to group management, catalog customization, and Compose. No access to Admin Settings.

  • The Source Admin, Steward, Composer, Viewer roles all have the same level of permissions. Users with any of these roles can view catalog objects, edit fields, and use Compose.

Important

From version 2021.2, it is possible to give Catalog Admins and Source Admins permission to add new RDBMS data sources (data sources and virtual data sources) in Alation. This can be configured by a Server Admin with server-side access to the Alation application. See Enable Permission for Data Source Admin to Add Sources for more details.

Catalog and Source Admins cannot add BI or file system sources.

What Role Do I Have?

You can check your current role in your User Profile.

On the upper right, hover over the user avatar and in the menu that opens, click User Profile:

../../_images/RolesVR6_01.png

Your role will be displayed under your display name:

../../_images/RolesVR6_02.png

Access to Functionality By Role

Actions

Server Admin

Catalog Admin

Steward, Composer, Source Admin

Explorer

Viewer

USERS

Manage users

Assign roles

Manage groups

View and edit own User Profile

SYSTEM

Manage system settings

Monitor tasks and user activity

Use public APIs

*

*

*

*

*

CATALOG CUSTOMIZATION

Create custom fields

Edit object and custom templates

Add new and edit catalog sets

Create and edit glossaries

Delete glossaries

View and generate suggested terms

Manage Lexicon

COMPOSE

Access and use Compose

CONNECTED SHEETS

Access and use Connected Sheets

CATALOG USAGE

View homepage

Use Catalog Browser

Use Search

Access Analytical Stewardship reports

Upload data dictionaries

Download data dictionaries

Find and view permitted data sources and data objects

Run table and column profiles when Dynamic Profiling is off

Run table and column profiles when Dynamic Profiling is on

Find and view BI server sources

Find and view file system sources

Find and view API resources functions

Edit custom field values

Find and view user and group profiles

Apply data quality flags

View articles

Create new articles

Edit articles when provided access

Collaborate on articles as Reviewers

Delete articles as authors

View glossaries

Add terms to glossaries

View Catalog sets

View Alation Help

Star and watch Catalog objects

Use Inbox and conversations

Find and view queries on accessible data sources**

Run query forms on accessible data sources**

* Different Public APIs are available to different roles; see APIs by Roles for a complete listing.

** Starting in 2023.1, the ability to find, view, and run queries can be assigned to individuals and groups. See Share and Access Queries - 2023.1 and Later for details.

Access to Data Sources

Public data sources can be viewed by all users.

To view a private data source, you need to explicitly be given access.

Server Admins can view all sources (both public and private) and can give access to themselves and other users.

Although all users can view public data sources, only users assigned as Data Source Admins to a data source can access the settings of this data source.

Note

If the Viewer role is enforced, only admin-level users can function as Data Source Admins. If the Viewer role is not enforced, users with any role can be assigned as Data Source Admins.

When the Viewer role is enforced, Viewer users cannot run table or column profiles.

Access to Data Sources with the Viewer Role Enforced

Actions

Server Admin

Catalog Admin

Source Admin

Steward, Composer

Viewer, Explorer

View Catalog pages of data objects

(only public data sources and data sources I have access to)

(only public data sources and data sources I have access to)

(only public data sources and data sources I have access to)

(only public data sources and data sources I have access to)

Add a data source

**

**

Manage Sources page

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Give viewer access to a data source

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Give admin access to a data source

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Be added as Data Source Admin

Comes up in search when adding a data source admin *

(will not be able to access the settings)

(will not be able to access the settings)

Access and change data source settings

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Add and remove Stewards

Be added as Steward

* In V R7 and later releases, even though there is a possibility to add users with the Viewer, Composer, and Steward roles as Data Source Admins in the user interface, these users will not be able to access the data source settings. This only applies when the Viewer role is enforced.

** From 2021.2, the scope of the Source Admin and Catalog Admin roles can be extended by enabling the ability to add sources.

Access to Data Sources with the Viewer Role NOT Enforced

Actions

Server Admin

Catalog Admin

Source Admin, Steward, Composer, Explorer, Viewer

View Catalog pages of data objects

(only public data sources and data sources I have access to)

(only public data sources and data sources I have access to)

Add a data source

*

*

Manage Sources page

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Give Viewer access to a data source

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Give Admin access to a data source

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Be added as Data Source Admin

Comes up in search when adding a data source admin

Access and change data source settings

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

(only sources I manage as Data Source Admin)

Add and remove Stewards

Be added as Steward

* From 2021.2, the scope of the Source Admin and Catalog Admin roles can be extended by enabling the ability to add sources.

License Consumption

Roles correlate with licenses. Assignment of a specific role consumes a license of a specific type. For details about the types of licenses, see License.