Security for Working Directories

Problem:

We have various boardroom computers that are shared between users and our consultants.  Is there a way to lock the pw_working folder so that it cannot be access by anyone else but the user?

Solutions:

Since the users and consultants are using a common computer, the Workdir would have to be saved to secure location.   And if the users are not logging into the computer with their own windows login, and just logging into ProjectWise, then that makes it even more difficult to find a secure location on the system.

• Move the working directory to a secure location. 

• If the users are logging into they system and not sharing the windows log in, then you could move the working directory to a location in the windows profile.
• Move the users working directories to a server share that the consultants do not have access to.

• Uncheck the leave local copy options in the user settings.  This way a copy of the files are not left on the machine.

The working directory is tracked by the ProjectWise user name and computer name in the database.  So if a user opens \ copies out a file on the computer in the board room, it is logged in  ProjectWise with that computer name and user name.

• Purge the working directory on log out.

• If it is necessary to leave a local copy then there is another user setting you could try which is under the Interface node called Show local Document organizer on log out.  When this is on, and the user logs out, a dialog is presented to remind the user to purge their local working directories.  Unfortunately the purging part is not automatic and is a step the users would have to be instructed to do.  This only purges the copies on the machine they are on.  Since this is a user setting they will  be prompted with this dialog regardless of the machine they are on.  So they would need to be instructed to only purge when in the board room.

• There may be an SDK routine that could be created that you could run that would automatically purge the working directories.  If you do not have an in house programmer, then you could contact  Bentley Professional services and ask to have a custom tool created.  You can contact Professional services through your Bentley Account manager.

See Also

See the ProjectWise Administrator help under User and Group Management \ Setting up user accounts \ to Modify a user's user settings, to learn how to change a users working directory and turn on and off the above mentioned settings.