Re: ODBC Access

[Jerry Draper <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The read only problem is the if Q.

If the user or some user gets access to the DSN config and then 
configures their own ODBC pipeline they may set themselves up with 
read/write.

It is our responsibility to grant appropriate access to our users so 
they can get their jobs done :-).

Only a PC Admin can set up a DSN on PC's a a place where I work so we 
thought this was tightly controlled.  Of course one of our knowledgeable 
user went home and set it up himself on his home PC after mapping a 
drive to //sys/qibm/proddata/CA400.

The problem is that if you are read/write and the user "saves" the 
spreadsheet the data gets modified while all edit controls are 
circumvented.  Nightmare.

The only answer is to use an ODBC exit program (google this to find 
samples).  The best I've seen secures ODBC with an authority list that 
checks read only status in the DSN.  Only users in the auth list can get 
ODBC access.

Last issue is what library they can have access to as this is defined in 
the DSN.  If sensitive files (ie:  payroll) are in the same library as 
other data (ie:  sales) this can be a problem.

Jerry