Access to query the data warehouse is managed and processed through the UI Data Warehouse data catalog housed within Campus Data. Access to the warehouse is governed by the roles granted to your user account (your HawkID) or the service account for which you are requesting.
Scope of Access and Tool Support
This authorization process grants you the specific security roles and privileges required to connect to and query the underlying tables/views within the UI Data Warehouse.
This access does not include support, training, or licensing for any external data querying or visualization tools (e.g., SQL clients, third-party reporting software, business intelligence platforms).
User Responsibility for Querying Tools
- Tool Choice: You may use the data querying tool of your choice to interact with the warehouse.
- Institutional Data Tool Support: The University of Iowa Information Technology Services (ITS) will not provide technical assistance, troubleshooting, or configuration support for any external tools you select. Your data access is validated at the data warehouse layer; all connectivity and client-side tool issues are your sole responsibility.
- What is supported: The Data, Analytics, and Insights team along with the Oracle team support a variety of technical resources that can be helpful in navigating access, the warehouse, and institutionally available data tools. More information can be found on the data resource website.
DAI Resources
Authorization process for requesting access to query the warehouse
- Open the UI Data Warehouse Data Catalog in Campus Data.
Access the UI Data Warehouse Catalog Here
- Select the schema role for which you'd like to request access.
- Click the Request Access button.
- Enter a detailed business justification for why you need backend access to the UI Data Warehouse.
- Submit the request.
- The request will then be routed to your supervisor and the data stewards for the data source.
- Once all approvals are complete, Campus Data will automatically grant you the appropriate role in the UI Data Warehouse and notify you once the request is complete.
Common Data Warehouse access roles
When examining the data catalog, the user may notice that some tables and Hubs have multiple roles.
- It is common for end users to request a “Select User” role which will grant access to query the underlying table/tables.
- Roles termed “Stage User” or “Stage Select” are often used on the backend by database Administrators to perform their work.
When in doubt about the correct role to request, please reach out to the appropriate data steward and they will provide the most up-to-date guidance. You can find the appropriate data steward using this report:
Access the University Data Warehouse Data Stewards Report Here
Note on Reports and Dashboards: Gaining access to roles via the data catalog will not grant access to any of the reporting in Campus Data. Access to reports and dashboards are managed by different active directory roles. For campus data users, you can request access to the reporting tool directly via the reporting item. Please refer to the user guide linked below for more information.
Access Terminations
Termination of access can happen in a few ways.
- Policy Violation: Data Stewards or Trustees can revoke access at any time if you fail to abide by any policies or guidelines.
- Change of Role: When you change your role, either by leaving employment at the University of Iowa or by moving into a new unit.
- Inactivity: If you fail to log in and use your access to the warehouse after 400 days, your access will be locked. To reinstate your access to the warehouse, please contact the Help Desk.
Data Warehouse User Responsibilities and Acknowledgements
On accepting access to the data warehouse, users must agree to the following:
Professional Conduct: Data warehouse users will use data only for official institutional business and handle it according to the Institutional Data Policy and FERPA.
Account Security: Data warehouse users are responsible for their credentials. Users will not share access or allow others to use their active sessions.
Data Integrity: Data warehouse users will respect data classifications and only share information internally with those who have a legitimate business need. Users will not share data externally without steward approval.
Legal: Data warehouse users will forward any and all Public Records requests they receive to the UI Transparency Officer (public-records@uiowa.edu).
Reporting & Audit: Data warehouse users consent to usage monitoring and will immediately report any security breaches to the University of Iowa Information Security and Policy Office.
Consequences: Data warehouse users understand that violating these terms may lead to immediate loss of access and possible disciplinary and/or legal action.
What is a Service Account?
A service account is essentially a special user ID used by a non-human entity—such as a software application, an automated script, or a background process—instead of a person. These accounts allow systems and applications to interact with university resources.
Unlike user accounts (like HawkIDs) which are tied to individuals, service accounts are associated with specific services or functions.
Service accounts are important for security and automation for a few main reasons:
- Automation: They let programs run important tasks automatically, 24/7, without a person needing to log in. For example, a program that backs up data at 2 AM uses a service account to access the files and the backup server.
- Separation and Security: They provide a unique, separate identity for a program, distinct from any human user.
- If a human employee leaves, their user account is disabled, but the program's automated tasks (like the nightly backup) keep running because they rely on the separate service account.
- This separation also allows security to be managed precisely: the service account is only given the minimal permissions (known as the Principle of Least Privilege) it needs to do its job, limiting the damage if that account is ever compromised.