By default, a Ideagen Internal Audit (Aura) system configured with SAML2 authentication seeks to re-authenticate after 30 minutes.  In most cases this is done as a background task and the user is unaware that it is happening, but in some cases an error message can be thrown.

In addition, early releases of the SAML2 mechanism did not work well if a client PC's IP address changed during a session (e.g. where a user undocks a laptop and moves to a wireless network).

If a user reports an authentication-related error 30 minutes after launching Pentana, then do the following:

• If using an older version, patch:  Ensure that the system is using at least v5.3.0.11 or v5.4.0.3
• If using a later version already, alter the token validity duration:  It is possible to increase the 30 minute token refresh.  Details are provided below

Increasing the SAML token validity period

Before carrying out these steps, ensure that nobody is using the system - during this change the services will restart.

• Open App Manager and connect to the instance that you are wanting to change
• Click on the [Config] tab
• Under that, ensure the [Service] tab is highlighted
• In the <configSections> section, add the following text:

<section name="Pentana.Tng.SAML" type="System.Configuration.DictionarySectionHandler"/>

• Underneath the </configSections> tag, add a new section:

<Pentana.Tng.SAML>
 <add key="SAMLTokenDuration" value="720" />
</Pentana.Tng.SAML>

(note that the value is minutes)

The App Manager screen will look like this:

• Click the Save icon
• Repeat this change in the following files, accessed via the tabs in App Manager:
  • WebUI
  • Client (note that with a configured ClickOnce system this install this will automatically update the client, but if you are using Xcopy or MSI for deployment then the clients will need this change to be implemented via your preferred method
• It is also necessary to change the file at wwwroot\[your instance]\SamlMvc\web.config.  This file cannot be edited via App Manager, so it is necessary to update via a text editor:
  • Underneath the <configuration> tag, add the following sections:

 <configSections>
   <section name="Pentana.Tng.SAML" type="System.Configuration.DictionarySectionHandler"/>
 </configSections>

 <Pentana.Tng.SAML>
   <add key="SAMLTokenDuration" value="720" />
 </Pentana.Tng.SAML>

The file will now look like this:

• Save the change
• Finally, recycle the application pools

The application has been updated, and can now be used.