Dedicated and Shared endpoint app user licenses

In order to sync data between two applications, a user login is required for both the connecting applications. You can have a dedicated license for both the systems, instead of having a shared license. We recommend you connect to NetSuite using Token Based Authentication. For more information. see Configure NetSuite connection using two-factor authentication (2FA).

Tip: During implementation, a dedicated license is preferred. If the license you are utilizing is shared with another user, they may conflict.

Example: In NetSuite, user licenses are set up to only allow one login at a time.  So, if a second person logs in is using the same user credentials, the first person who is already logged-in is automatically logged out. This could happen if you’re using your NetSuite user login for testing, and the Celigo Technical Implementation Consultant (TIC) is using the NetSuite login used by the integration app to follow up on a question you’ve asked regarding a testing result. After go-live, the integration app will continue to need a user login in both systems.

Note: The user ID on both systems is required for the person who tests the integration app and for the integration app API itself.  Although many systems may kick out the first user when two users share a login, when sharing the NetSuite user with the integration app itself, there is no risk of a forced log out because the NetSuite user interface (UI) and application programming interface (API) does not log each other out.

A dedicated license also provides better visibility.  Most reports and monitoring tools won’t be able to differentiate between data that the integration app created and data that the person who shares that license created.  

Advantages of dedicated logins:

1. Minimize login conflicts
2. Better visibility for auditing

Disadvantages of dedicated logins:

1. Cost: For the applications in which each login requires a separate license, it’s more expensive to have dedicated licenses. 

Login Conflicts

During implementation, a dedicated license is recommended to minimize any login conflicts that may occur between two users.  For example, in NetSuite, user licenses are set up to only allow one user login at a time. Therefore, if a second person logs in using the same login credentials (same username and password), it will log out of the original person who was already logged in.  This could happen if you are using your NetSuite user login for testing purposes (or even for business purposes in a production environment), and a Celigo resource is using the same login to follow up on a question you’ve asked regarding a testing result.

Better Visibility for Auditing

A dedicated license also provides better visibility for auditing purposes, i.e. to see changes made to records.  If you are using one shared login for an individual user and the integration app, you most likely will not be able to differentiate between data that the integration app created or updated and data that the individual user-created or updated.   

Expense

Many applications, NetSuite included, a charge per user license.  In that case, sharing the license between the integration app endpoint and a user would cost less than buying a dedicated license in NetSuite (or other applications) for the integration app.

Ultimately, it is up to you to weigh the trade-offs and decide whether you want the integration app to share a user login or have a dedicated license.

Definitions:

• User Login: the user credentials used to log into your application, i.e. the username and password.
• User License: A typical software license grants end-user permission to use the software.
• In this article, the terms are related in a one-to-one relationship, i.e. one license corresponds to one username and password.
• A dedicated license means one license per person, i.e. each person uses his/her own username (or e-mail) to log into the system.
• A shared license means two or more people logging into the application with the same credentials.