What are External Roles mapped to?

External roles in a database context, particularly in systems like Teradata, are mapped to users on an external directory server such as LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). This mapping allows organizations to manage user access and permissions centrally through their existing directory services. By associating external roles with users in a directory server, database administrators can efficiently manage user access rights, provide role-based access control, and ensure consistent security policies across various applications and systems.

This approach enhances security and simplifies user management by allowing external authentication, ensuring that users are validated against the directory service before accessing the database. Ultimately, this allows for a more streamlined process when it comes to user management and roles, as it takes advantage of existing infrastructure and policies rather than duplicating efforts within the database system itself.