ADMIN - Administrative authority level

Enhanced Definition

In the z/OS environment, "ADMIN" refers to an elevated level of authority granted to users or processes, enabling them to perform critical system management, security, and resource control functions. This authority is essential for maintaining the integrity, security, and operational efficiency of the mainframe system.

Key Characteristics

- Broad System Access: ADMIN authority typically grants extensive access to system resources, including datasets, programs, system commands, and security definitions across the z/OS system.
- Security Product Integration: Managed primarily through external security managers (ESMs) like RACF (Resource Access Control Facility), ACF2, or Top Secret, where specific privileges and profiles define administrative roles and scope.
- Privileged Commands: Allows execution of highly privileged operator commands (e.g., VARY, SET, CANCEL, HALT) and system utilities that can alter system state, configuration, or resource availability.
- Resource Management: Enables the creation, modification, and deletion of critical system resources, such as user IDs, groups, datasets, started tasks, system parameters (e.g., in SYS1.PARMLIB), and system libraries.
- Auditing and Logging: Actions performed with ADMIN authority are typically extensively logged and audited by the ESM and system facilities (e.g., SMF) for accountability, compliance, and security monitoring.
- Granular Control: While "ADMIN" implies broad power, modern ESMs allow for highly granular administrative roles (e.g., Security Administrator, System Programmer, Storage Administrator, Network Administrator) to adhere to the principle of least privilege.

Use Cases

- Security Administration: Creating, modifying, or revoking user IDs and groups, defining resource access rules, managing password policies, and auditing security events using ESM commands (e.g., ADDUSER, ALTUSER, PERMIT in RACF).
- System Programming: Installing and maintaining z/OS components, applying PTFs (Program Temporary Fixes), configuring system parameters, managing IPL (Initial Program Load) processes, and resolving system-level issues.
- Operations Management: Performing system IPLs, starting/stopping critical system tasks (e.g., CICS regions, DB2 subsystems), managing device configurations (e.g., VARY commands for channels, devices), and responding to system alerts.
- Database Administration: Granting database privileges to users, managing table spaces and indexes, running database utilities (e.g., DB2 REORG, COPY), and performing database recovery operations.
- Network Configuration: Defining and managing VTAM (Virtual Telecommunications Access Method) resources, configuring TCP/IP stacks, and troubleshooting network connectivity issues within the z/OS environment.

Related Concepts

ADMIN authority is foundational to the security architecture of z/OS, directly interacting with External Security Managers (ESMs) like RACF to enforce access control and manage user identities. It underpins the ability of system programmers and security administrators to manage system resources, users, and applications (like CICS, DB2, IMS). Without appropriate administrative levels, the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of the entire z/OS environment would be compromised, making it a critical component of system integrity and operational control.

Best Practices:

Principle of Least Privilege: Grant only the minimum necessary administrative authority required for a user or process to perform their job function. Avoid granting blanket SPECIAL or AUDITOR attributes in RACF unless absolutely essential and justified.
Segregation of Duties: Distribute administrative responsibilities among different individuals or teams to prevent a single person from having control over all critical system functions (e.g., one person creates users, another grants resource access).
Strong Authentication: Enforce strong password policies, multi-factor authentication (MFA) where supported, and regular password changes for all administrative IDs to prevent unauthorized access.
Regular Auditing and Monitoring: Continuously monitor and audit all actions performed by administrative IDs using SMF records and ESM logging. Regularly review audit trails for suspicious or unauthorized activity.
Dedicated Administrative IDs: Use separate, dedicated user IDs for administrative tasks, distinct from daily development or operational IDs, to clearly track administrative actions and facilitate auditing.
Emergency Access Procedures: Establish and document clear, secure procedures for emergency access to administrative authority, ensuring it's only used when absolutely necessary, is fully logged, and requires appropriate approvals.