When a Client attempts to access a Node, the Server goes through the list of Roles granted to the Session and logically ORs the Permissions for the Role on the Node. If there are no Node specific Permissions then the default Permissions for the Role in the DefaultRolePermissions Property of the NamespaceMetadata for the namespace the Node belongs to are used (see OPC 10000-5). The resulting mask is the effective Permissions. If the bits corresponding to current operation are set, then the operation can proceed. If they are not set the Server returns Bad_UserAccessDenied.

Roles appear under the Roles Object in the Server Address Space. Each Role has mapping rules defined which appear as Properties of the Role Object (see OPC 10000-5). The examples shown in Table 3 illustrate how the standard mapping rules can be used to determine which Roles a Session has access to and, consequently, the Permissions that are granted to the Session.

Table 3 – Example Roles

Role

Mapping Rules

Description

Anonymous

Identities = Anonymous

Applications =

Endpoints =

An identity mapping rule that specifies the Role applies to anonymous users.

AuthenticatedUser

Identities = AuthenticatedUser

Applications =

Endpoints =

An identity mapping rule that specifies the Role applies to authenticated users.

Operator1

Identities = User with name ‘Joe’

Applications = urn:OperatorStation1

Endpoints =

An identity mapping rule that specifies specific users that have access to the Role with a application rule that restricts access to a single Client application.

Operator2

Identities = Users with name ‘Joe’ or ‘Ann’

Applications = urn:OperatorStation2

Endpoints =

An identity mapping rule that specifies specific users that have access to the Role with a application rule that restricts access to a single Client application.

Supervisor

Identities = User with name ‘Root’

Applications =

Endpoints =

An identity mapping rule that specifies specific users that have access to the Role

Administrator

Identities = User with name ‘Root’

Applications =

Endpoints = opc.tcp://127.0.0.1:48000

An identity mapping rule that specifies specific users that have access to the Role when they connect via a specific Endpoint.

The examples also make use of the Nodes defined in Table 4. The table specifies the value of the RolePermissions Attribute for each Node.

Table 4 – Example Nodes

Node

Role Permissions

Unit1.Measurement

AuthenticatedUser = Browse

Operator1 = Browse, Read

Unit2.Measurement

AuthenticatedUser = Browse

Operator2 = Browse, Read

SetPoint

AuthenticatedUser = Browse

Operator1 and Operator2 = Browse, Read, Write

Supervisor = Browse, Read

DisableDevice

AuthenticatedUser = Browse

Operator1 and Operator2 = Browse, Read

Administrator = Browse, Read, Write

When a Client creates a Session the Roles assigned to the Session depend on the rules defined for each Role. Table 5 lists the assigned Roles for different Sessions created with different Users, Client applications and Endpoints.

Table 5 – Example Role Assignment

User Provided by Client

Roles Assigned to Session

Anonymous

Anonymous

Sam

AuthenticatedUser

Joe using OperatorStation1 application.

AuthenticatedUser, Operator1

Joe using OperatorStation2 application.

AuthenticatedUser, Operator2

Joe using generic application.

AuthenticatedUser

Root using OperatorStation1 application.

AuthenticatedUser, Supervisor

Root using generic application and 127.0.0.1 endpoint.

AuthenticatedUser, Supervisor, Administrator

Root using generic application and another endpoint.

AuthenticatedUser, Supervisor

When a Client application accesses a Node the RolePermissions for the Node are compared to the Roles assigned to the Session. Any Permissions available to at least one Role is granted to the Client. Table 6 provides a number of scenarios and examples and the resulting decision on access.

Table 6 – Examples of Evaluating Access

Use Case

Role Permissions

Anonymous user on localhost browses Unit1.Measurement Node.

Access denied because no rule defined for Anonymous users.

User ‘Sam’ using OperatorStation1 application browses Unit1.Measurement Node.

Allowed because AuthenticatedUser is granted Browse Permission.

User ‘Sam’ using OperatorStation2 application reads Value of Unit1.Measurement Node.

Access denied because AuthenticatedUser is not granted Read Permission.

User ‘Joe’ using OperatorStation1 application reads Value of Unit1.Measurement Node.

Allowed because Operator1 is granted Read Permission.

User ‘Joe’ using OperatorStation2 application reads Value of Unit1.Measurement Node.

Access denied because AuthenticatedUser and Operator2 are not granted Read Permission.

User ‘Joe’ using generic OPC UA application reads Value of Measurement Node.

Access denied because AuthenticatedUser is not granted Read Permission.

User ‘Joe’ using OperatorStation1 application write Value of SetPoint Node.

Allowed because Operator1 is granted Write Permission.

User ‘Root’ using OperatorStation1 application write the Value of SetPoint Node.

Denied because AuthenticatedUser and Supervisor are not granted Write Permission.

User ‘Joe’ using OperatorStation1 application write Value of DisableDevice Node.

Access denied because AuthenticatedUser and Operator1 are not granted Write Permission.

User ‘Root’ using OperatorStation1 application write the Value of DisableDevice Node.

Access denied because AuthenticatedUser and Supervisor are not granted Write Permission.

User ‘Root’ using endpoint 127.0.0.1 to write Value of DisableDevice Node.

Allowed because Administrator is granted Write Permission.