What is the relationship between an ISU (Integration System User) and an ISSG (Integration System...

This question explores the relationship between an Integration System User (ISU) and an Integration System Security Group (ISSG) in Workday Pro Integrations, focusing on how security is structured for integrations. Let’s analyze the relationship and evaluate each option to determine the correct answer.

Understanding ISU and ISSG in Workday

Integration System User (ISU): An ISU is a dedicated user account in Workday specifically designed for integrations. It acts as a "robot account" or service account, used by integration systems to interact with Workday via APIs, web services, or other integration mechanisms (e.g., EIBs, Core Connectors). ISUs are typically configured with a username, password, and specific security settings, such as disabling UI sessions and setting session timeouts to prevent expiration (commonly set to 0 minutes). ISUs are not human users but are instead programmatic accounts for automated processes.

Integration System Security Group (ISSG): An ISSG is a security container or group in Workday that defines the permissions and access rights for integration systems. ISSGs are used to manage what data and functionalities an integration (or its associated ISU) can access or modify within Workday. There are two types of ISSGs:

Unconstrained: Allows access to all data instances secured by the group.

Constrained: Limits access to a subset of data instances based on context (e.g., specific segments or data scopes).ISSGs are configured with domain security policies, granting permissions like "Get" (read), "Put" (write), "View," or "Modify" for specific domains (e.g., Worker Data, Integration Build).

Relationship Between ISU and ISSG: In Workday, security for integrations is managed through a hierarchical structure. An ISU is associated with or assigned to an ISSG to inherit its permissions. The ISSG acts as the security policy container, defining what the ISU can do, while the ISU is the account executing those actions. This relationship ensures that integrations have controlled, audited access to Workday data and functions, adhering to the principle of least privilege.

Evaluating Each Option

Let’s assess each option based on Workday’s security model for integrations:

Option A: The ISU is a member of the ISSG.

Analysis: This is correct. In Workday, an ISU is assigned to or associated with an ISSG to gain the necessary permissions. The ISSG serves as a security group that contains one or more ISUs, granting them access to specific domains and functionalities. For example, when creating an ISU, you use the "Create Integration System User" task, and then assign it to an ISSG via the "Assign Integration System Security Groups" or "Maintain Permissions for Security Group" tasks. Multiple ISUs can belong to the same ISSG, inheriting its permissions. This aligns with Workday’s security framework, where security groups (like ISSGs) manage user (or ISU) access.

Why It Fits: The ISU is a "member" of the ISSG in the sense that it is linked to the group to receive its permissions, enabling secure integration operations. This is a standard practice for managing integration security in Workday.

Option B: The ISU owns the ISSG.

Analysis: This is incorrect. In Workday, ISUs do not "own" ISSGs. Ownership or control of security groups is not a concept applicable to ISUs, which are service accounts for integrations, not administrative entities with authority over security structures. ISSGs are created and managed by Workday administrators or security professionals using tasks like "Create Security Group" and "Maintain Permissions for Security Group." The ISU is simply a user account assigned to the ISSG, not its owner or controller.

Why It Doesn’t Fit: Ownership implies administrative control, which ISUs lack; they are designed for execution, not management of security groups.

Option C: The ISU grants security policies to the ISSG.

Analysis: This is incorrect. ISUs do not have the authority to grant or modify security policies for ISSGs. Security policies are defined and assigned to ISSGs by Workday administrators or security roles with appropriate permissions (e.g., Security Configuration domain access). ISUs are passive accounts that execute integrations based on the permissions granted by the ISSG they are assigned to. Granting permissions is an administrative function, not an ISU capability.

Why It Doesn’t Fit: ISUs are integration accounts, not security administrators, so they cannot modify or grant policies to ISSGs.

Option D: The ISU controls what accounts are in the ISSG.

Analysis: This is incorrect. ISUs do not control membership or configuration of ISSGs. Adding or removing accounts (including other ISUs) from an ISSG is an administrative task performed by users with security configuration permissions, using tasks like "Maintain Permissions for Security Group." ISUs are limited to executing integration tasks based on their assigned ISSG permissions, not managing group membership.

Why It Doesn’t Fit: ISUs lack the authority to manage ISSG membership or structure, as they are not administrative accounts but integration-specific service accounts.

Final Verification

Based on Workday’s security model, the correct relationship is that an ISU is a member of an ISSG, inheriting its permissions to perform integration tasks. This is consistent with the principle of least privilege, where ISSGs define access, and ISUs execute within those boundaries. The other options misattribute administrative or ownership roles to ISUs, which are not supported by Workday’s design.

Supporting Information

The relationship is grounded in Workday’s integration security practices, including:

Creating an ISU via the "Create Integration System User" task.

Creating an ISSG via the "Create Security Group" task, selecting "Integration System Security Group (Unconstrained)" or "Constrained."

Assigning the ISU to the ISSG using tasks like "Assign Integration System Security Groups" or "Maintain Permissions for Security Group."

Configuring domain security policies (e.g., Get, Put) for the ISSG to control ISU access to domains like Worker Data, Integration Build, etc.

Activating security changes via "Activate Pending Security Policy Changes."

This structure ensures secure, controlled access for integrations, with ISSGs acting as the permission container and ISUs as the executing accounts.

Key References

The explanation aligns with Workday Pro Integrations documentation and best practices, including:

Integration security overviews and training on Workday Community.

Guides for creating ISUs and ISSGs in implementation documentation (e.g., NetIQ, Microsoft Learn, Reco.ai).

Tutorials on configuring domain permissions and security groups for integrations (e.g., ServiceNow, Apideck, Surety Systems).