Patent ID: 7865959

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for managing user access information for access to one or more database network nodes by a user, the method comprising: storing database user authorization in a central directory that is associated with one or more network nodes, the database user authorization comprising a user role associated with a collection of locally defined roles and associated users, wherein the user role in the central directory assigns user privileges to the user as defined by the locally defined roles contained within the user role, wherein the database user authorization is stored as one or more data objects in the central directory; storing database user authentication information; receiving the user role at a local database network node from the central directory; locally defining, by using a processor, a locally defined role for assigning the user privileges specific to a local database network node for a local scope of access at the local database network node, wherein the locally defined role is locally defined by processing at the local database network node the user role that is received from the central directory, and the user privileges granted by the locally defined role are given to the user based at least in part upon the user's association with the user role such that the locally defined role has a different scope of access than another locally defined role defined by processing the same user role at another local database network node; receiving an access request from the user for the local database network node; authenticating the user using a shared schema based at least in part upon the database user authentication information, wherein the shared schema comprises a schema that is accessible by a plurality of users and the plurality of users are mapped to the shared schema on the local database network node such that the plurality of users do not need their own accounts on the local database network node; granting the user privileges on the local database network node based at least in part upon the shared schema and the locally defined role; and storing the user privileges in a volatile or non-volatile computer-usable medium or displaying the user privileges on a display device.