Role based security model

Don Weeks

I would like to see a role based security model. Where we could assign different users of our radios different privileges based on a set of criteria. For instance, an owner role with all privileges, a no transmit role, a role that would only allow preset profiles to be used, or a contest specific role limiting them to a particular band or antenna system. 

I have a fear of anyone else using my radio. I would not mind showing it off in a "listen only mode" like a websdr. But I don't want to give out transmit capabilities. I also would want to disable users or lock them out for say antenna maintenance, lightening storms, or other work where the radio might be up but other pieces in the shack are under going maintenance or my own testing. I might switch out an antenna and therefore limit the bands available. There are things that you must convey to someone using your system remotely that are just not obvious without a deep knowledge of the other systems around it (antenna, amp, tuner, etc). Preventing someone from "accidentally" making a mistake by limiting their privileges to just what can be done to me would be a great security enhancement. 

Pat N6PAT

If you have a fear of anyone else using your radio then why would you let them use it at all?

Bill -VA3WTB

According to Flex, this is a planned feature as they continue to upgrade the Multi Client feature.
I advise you to only let friends use your radio.

Ha Gei

Don,
you are right and many have the same wishes. All your thoughts are the basic needs for a remotely controlled radio. We can just hope this is beeing somewhere in the roadmap. 
I don´t fear to have someone transmit on my radio , hence we are about half a dozen users who can access, but i MUST know who they are and i must be able to lock them or some out when i need to. 

Bill -VA3WTB

Don, at this time, when a person logs onto your radio, their station name appears on the bottom of the screen. Also we can disconnect a connected station at any time.

Steve K9ZW

Doesn't this area seems like a good area for an effective Third-Party application?

The issues are not quite as simple at they seem at first blush, especially if you consider that based on station-specific Rules by Roles there are other station automation needs to be addressed.

• Who/when are antenna changes allowed (and coordinated if using MultiFlex)?
• Who controls the amps, and the power?
• Who troubleshoots issues, perhaps rebooting parts of the station?
• Who controls the tuner(s), swings the beam? 
• What about settings and profile management?  
• Who gets to hear the other and under what conditions?
• How are band conflicts handled
• Who gets recorded and where does that recording go to?
• What about logging?
• How are several radios incorporated?
• What about including non-Flex-6000 radios?
• How are several sites coordinated?

I'm sure I haven't captured more than a start of the issues to be considered!

Lots of moving parts to consider. Lots!



73

Steve
K9ZW

Blog:  http://k9zw.wordpress.com  

Don Weeks

Doesn't authentication happen on Flex's server? BTW, the servers would just be passing some data down the line (IE, the role). What that role means would be up to the main/root station operator and defined on the station side.

73 de N5SKT

Mike VE3CKO

I'm pretty protective of my equipment and have let others log in with specific instruction NOT TO TRANSMIT, don't mind listening but I sure do mind them transmitting as there are totally unfamiliar with my antennas are resonant etc. and various setups. My superior operating techniques allow me to run my station without blowing my finals, (there is a little joke in there). As Bill pointed out this is a feature requested from some time ago and hopefully will get addressed at some point and at some point for both Mult-Flex and SmartLink. I hope to better my internet connection eventually  so I can take advantage of SmartLink.

Ha Gei

yes, but there is only one password and user defined for each radio at present.

The radio , hence knows the users PC name and could decide on that , what to allow .
For my opinion there are some minimal and som nice to have definitions  like:

can transmit
can tune
can create and delete slices
can kick user
can switch off
etc.

nice:
can transmit 10 watts only on 80
can switch antennas 

etc.

programmatically just a bunch of enumerations...


And Steve, this come close to using remoterig which is something completely different to SSDR