Updated on 2023-12-29 GMT+08:00

User Management

You can use CREATE USER and ALTER USER to create and manage database users.

  • In the non-separation-of-permission mode, a GaussDB(DWS) user account can be created and deleted only by a system administrator or a security administrator with the CREATEROLE attribute.
  • In separation-of-permission mode, a user account can be created only by a security administrator.

Creating a User

The CREATE USER statement is used to create a GaussDB (DWS) user. After creating a user, you can use the user to connect to the database.

  • Create common user u1 and assign the CREATEDB attribute to the user.
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    CREATE USER u1 WITH CREATEDB PASSWORD '{Password}'; 
    
  • To create the system administrator mydbadmin, you need to specify the SYSADMIN parameter.
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    CREATE USER mydbadmin sysadmin PASSWORD '{Password}';
    
  • View the created user in the PG_USER view.
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    SELECT * FROM pg_user;
    
  • To view user attributes, query the system catalog PG_AUTHID.
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    SELECT * FROM pg_authid; 
    

Altering User Attributes

The ALTER USER statement is used to alter user attributes, such as changing user passwords or permissions.

Example:

  • Rename user u1 to u2.
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    ALTER USER u1 RENAME TO u2;
    
  • Grant the CREATEROLE permission to user u1:
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    ALTER USER u1 CREATEROLE;
    
  • For details about how to change the user password, see Setting and Changing a Password.

Locking a User

The ACCOUNT LOCK | ACCOUNT UNLOCK parameter in the statement is used to lock or unlock a user. A locked user cannot log in to the system. If an account is stolen or illegally accessed, the administrator can manually lock the account. After the account is secured, the administrator can manually unlock the account.

Example:

  • To lock user u1, run the following command:
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    ALTER USER u1 ACCOUNT LOCK;
    
  • To unlock user u1, run the following command:
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    ALTER USER u1 ACCOUNT UNLOCK;
    

Deleting a User

The DROP USER statement is used to delete one or more GaussDB(DWS) users. An administrator can delete an account that is no longer used. Deleted users cannot be restored.

  • If multiple users are deleted at the same time, separate them with commas (,).
  • After a user is deleted successfully, all the permissions of the user are also deleted.
  • When an account to be deleted is in the active state, it is deleted after the session is disconnected.
  • When CASCADE is specified in the DROP USER statement, objects such as tables that depend on the user will be deleted. That is, the objects whose owner is the user are deleted, and the authorizations of other objects to the user are also deleted.

Example:

  • -- Delete user u1.
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    DROP USER u1;
    
  • Delete account u2 in a cascading manner.
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    DROP USER u2 CASCADE;