Modernize Amazon Redshift authentication by migrating consumer administration to AWS IAM Identification Heart

August 28, 2025

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Amazon Redshift is a strong cloud-based knowledge warehouse that organizations can use to research each structured and semi-structured knowledge by means of superior SQL queries. As a completely managed service, it offers excessive efficiency and scalability whereas permitting safe entry to the info saved within the knowledge warehouse. Organizations worldwide depend on Amazon Redshift to deal with huge datasets, improve their analytics capabilities, and ship useful enterprise intelligence to their stakeholders.

AWS IAM Identification Heart serves as the popular platform for controlling workforce entry to AWS instruments, together with Amazon Q Developer. It permits for a single connection to your current identification supplier (IdP), making a unified view of customers throughout AWS purposes and making use of trusted identification propagation for a easy and constant expertise.

You may entry knowledge in Amazon Redshift utilizing native customers or exterior customers. An area consumer in Amazon Redshift is a database consumer account that’s created and managed immediately throughout the Redshift cluster itself. Amazon Redshift additionally integrates with IAM Identification Heart, and helps trusted identification propagation, so you should utilize third-party IdPs resembling Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), Okta, Ping, OneLogin, or use IAM Identification Heart as an identification supply. The IAM Identification Heart integration with Amazon Redshift helps centralized authentication and SSO capabilities, simplifying entry administration throughout multi-account environments. As organizations develop in scale, it’s endorsed to make use of exterior customers for cross-service integration and centralized entry administration.

On this submit, we stroll you thru the method of easily migrating your native Redshift consumer administration to IAM Identification Heart customers and teams utilizing the RedshiftIDCMigration utility.

Answer overview

The next diagram illustrates the answer structure.

The RedshiftIDCMigration utility accelerates the migration of your native Redshift customers, teams, and roles to your IAM Identification Heart occasion by performing the next actions:

Create customers in IAM Identification Heart for each native consumer in a given Redshift occasion.
Create teams in IAM Identification Heart for each group or position in a given Redshift occasion.
Assign customers to teams in IAM Identification Heart in keeping with current assignments within the Redshift occasion.
Create IAM Identification Heart roles within the Redshift occasion matching the teams created in IAM Identification Heart.
Grant permissions to IAM Identification Heart roles within the Redshift occasion based mostly on the present permissions given to native teams and roles.

Stipulations

Earlier than operating the utility, full the next conditions:

Allow IAM Identification Heart in your account.
Comply with the steps within the submit Combine Identification Supplier (IdP) with Amazon Redshift Question Editor V2 and SQL Shopper utilizing AWS IAM Identification Heart for seamless Single Signal-On (particularly, comply with Steps 1–8, skipping Steps 4 and 6).
Configure the IAM Identification Heart utility assignments:
1. On the IAM Identification Heart console, select Utility Assignments and Purposes.
2. Choose your utility and on the Actions dropdown menu, select Edit particulars.
3. For Consumer and group assignments, select Don’t require assignments. This setting makes it doable to check Amazon Redshift connectivity with out configuring particular knowledge entry permissions.
Configure IAM Identification Heart authentication with administrative entry from both Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) or AWS CloudShell.

The utility can be run from both an EC2 occasion or CloudShell. If you happen to’re utilizing an EC2 occasion, an IAM position is hooked up to the occasion. Guarantee that the IAM position used throughout the execution has the next permissions (if not, create a brand new coverage with these permissions and fasten it to the IAM position):

Amazon Redshift permissions (for serverless):

{
    "Model": "2012-10-17",
    "Assertion": [
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor0",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "redshift-serverless:GetCredentials",
                "redshift-serverless:GetNamespace",
                "redshift-serverless:GetWorkgroup"
            ],
            "Useful resource": [
                "arn:aws:redshift-serverless:${region}:${account-id}:namespace/${namespace-id}",
                "arn:aws:redshift-serverless:${region}:${account-id}:workgroup/${workgroup-id}"
            ]
        },
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor1",
            "Impact": "Enable",
            "Motion": [
                "redshift-serverless:ListNamespaces",
                "redshift-serverless:ListWorkgroups"
            ],
            "Useful resource": "*"
        },
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor2",
            "Impact": "Enable",
            "Motion": [
                "redshift:CreateClusterUser",
                "redshift:JoinGroup",
                "redshift:GetClusterCredentials",
                "redshift:ExecuteQuery",
                "redshift:FetchResults",
                "redshift:DescribeClusters",
                "redshift:DescribeTable"
            ],
            "Useful resource": [
                "arn:aws:redshift:${region}:${account-id}:cluster:redshift-serverless-${workgroup-name}",
                "arn:aws:redshift:${region}:${account-id}:dbgroup:redshift-serverless-${workgroup-name}/${dbgroup}",
                "arn:aws:redshift:${region}:${account-id}:dbname:redshift-serverless-${workgroup-name}/${dbname}",
                "arn:aws:redshift:${region}:${account-id}:dbuser:redshift-serverless-${workgroup-name}/${dbuser}"
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Amazon Redshift permissions (for provisioned):

{
    "Model": "2012-10-17",
    "Assertion": [
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor0",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "redshift:GetClusterCredentials",
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:redshift: ${region}:${account-id}:dbname:${cluster_name}/${dbname}",
                "arn:aws:redshift: ${region}: ${account-id}:dbuser:${cluster-name}/${dbuser}"
            ]
        },
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor1",
            "Impact": "Enable",
            "Motion": [
                "redshift:DescribeClusters",
                "redshift:ExecuteQuery",
                "redshift:FetchResults",
                "redshift:DescribeTable"
            ],
            "Useful resource": "*"
        }
    ]
}

{
    "Model": "2012-10-17",
    "Assertion": [
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor0",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "s3:PutObject",
                "s3:GetObject",
                "s3:GetEncryptionConfiguration",
                "s3:ListBucket",
                "s3:DeleteObject"
            ],
            "Useful resource": [
                "arn:aws:s3:::${s3_bucket_name}/*",
                "arn:aws:s3:::${s3_bucket_name}"
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Identification retailer permissions:

{
    "Model": "2012-10-17",
    "Assertion": [
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor0",
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "identitystore:*",
            "Resource": [
                "arn:aws:identitystore:::group/*",
                "arn:aws:identitystore:::user/*",
                "arn:aws:identitystore::${account_id}:identitystore/${identity_store_id}",
                "arn:aws:identitystore:::membership/*"
            ]
        },
        {
            "Sid": "VisualEditor1",
            "Impact": "Enable",
            "Motion": "identitystore:*",
            "Useful resource": [
                "arn:aws:identitystore:::membership/*",
                "arn:aws:identitystore:::user/*",
                "arn:aws:identitystore:::group/*"
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Artifacts

Obtain the next utility artifacts from the GitHub repo:

idc_redshift_unload_indatabase_groups_roles_users.py – A Python script to unload customers, teams, roles and their associations.
redshift_unload.ini – The config file used within the previous script to learn Redshift knowledge warehouse particulars and Amazon S3 areas to unload the information.
idc_add_users_groups_roles_psets.py – A Python script to create customers and teams in IAM Identification Heart, after which affiliate the customers to teams in IAM Identification Heart.
idc_config.ini – The config file used within the previous script to learn IAM Identification Heart particulars.
vw_local_ugr_to_idc_urgr_priv.sql – A script that generates SQL statements that carry out two duties in Amazon Redshift:
- Create roles that precisely match your IAM Identification Heart group names, including a specified prefix.
- Grant applicable permissions to those newly created Redshift roles.

Testing situation

This take a look at case is designed to supply sensible expertise and familiarize you with the utility’s performance. The situation is structured round a hierarchical nested roles system, beginning with object-level permissions assigned to technical roles. These technical roles are then allotted to enterprise roles. Lastly, enterprise roles are granted to particular person customers. To reinforce the testing atmosphere, the situation additionally incorporates a consumer group.The next diagram illustrates this hierarchy.

Create datasets

Arrange two separate schemas (tickit and tpcds) in a Redshift database utilizing the create schema command. Then, create and populate a couple of tables in every schema utilizing the tickit and tpcds pattern datasets.

Specify the suitable IAM position Amazon Useful resource Identify (ARN) within the copy instructions if mandatory.

Create customers

Create customers with the next code:

-- ETL customers
create consumer etl_user_1 password 'EtlUser1!';
create consumer etl_user_2 password 'EtlUser2!';
create consumer etl_user_3 password 'EtlUser3!';

-- Reporting customers
create consumer reporting_user_1 password 'ReportingUser1!';
create consumer reporting_user_2 password 'ReportingUser2!';
create consumer reporting_user_3 password 'ReportingUser3!';

-- Adhoc customers
create consumer adhoc_user_1 password 'AdhocUser1!';
create consumer adhoc_user_2 password 'AdhocUser2!';

-- Analyst customers
create consumer analyst_user_1 password 'AnalystUser1!';

Create enterprise roles

Create enterprise customers with the next code:

-- ETL enterprise roles
create position role_bn_etl_tickit;
create position role_bn_etl_tpcds;

-- Reporting enterprise roles
create position role_bn_reporting_tickit;
create position role_bn_reporting_tpcds;

-- Analyst enterprise roles
create position role_bn_analyst_tickit;

Create technical roles

Create technical roles with the next code:

-- Technical roles for tickit schema
create position role_tn_sel_tickit;
create position role_tn_dml_tickit;
create position role_tn_cte_tickit;

-- Technical roles for tpcds schema
create position role_tn_sel_tpcds;
create position role_tn_dml_tpcds;
create position role_tn_cte_tpcds;

Create teams

Create teams with the next code:

-- Adhoc customers group
create group group_adhoc;

Grant rights to technical roles

To grant rights to the technical roles, use the next code:

-- role_tn_sel_tickit
grant utilization on schema tickit to position role_tn_sel_tickit;
grant choose on all tables in schema tickit to position role_tn_sel_tickit;

-- role_tn_dml_tickit
grant utilization on schema tickit to position role_tn_dml_tickit;
grant insert, replace, delete on all tables in schema tickit to position role_tn_dml_tickit;

-- role_tn_cte_tickit
grant utilization, create on schema tickit to position role_tn_cte_tickit;
grant drop on all tables in schema tickit to position role_tn_cte_tickit;

-- role_tn_sel_tpcds
grant utilization on schema tpcds to position role_tn_sel_tpcds;
grant choose on all tables in schema tpcds to position role_tn_sel_tpcds;

-- role_tn_dml_tpcds
grant utilization on schema tpcds to position role_tn_dml_tpcds;
grant insert, replace, delete on all tables in schema tpcds to position role_tn_dml_tpcds;

-- role_tn_cte_tpcds
grant utilization, create on schema tpcds to position role_tn_cte_tpcds;
grant drop on all tables in schema tpcds to position role_tn_cte_tpcds;

Grant technical roles to enterprise roles

To grant the technical roles to the enterprise roles, use the next code:

-- Enterprise position role_bn_etl_tickit
grant position role_tn_sel_tickit to position role_bn_etl_tickit;
grant position role_tn_dml_tickit to position role_bn_etl_tickit;
grant position role_tn_cte_tickit to position role_bn_etl_tickit;

-- Enterprise position role_bn_etl_tpcds
grant position role_tn_sel_tpcds to position role_bn_etl_tpcds;
grant position role_tn_dml_tpcds to position role_bn_etl_tpcds;
grant position role_tn_cte_tpcds to position role_bn_etl_tpcds;

-- Enterprise position role_bn_reporting_tickit
grant position role_tn_sel_tickit to position role_bn_reporting_tickit;

-- Enterprise position role_bn_reporting_tpcds
grant position role_tn_sel_tpcds to position role_bn_reporting_tpcds;

-- Enterprise position role_bn_analyst_tickit
grant position role_tn_sel_tickit to position role_bn_analyst_tickit;

Grant enterprise roles to customers

To grant the enterprise roles to customers, use the next code:

-- etl_user_1
grant position role_bn_etl_tickit to etl_user_1;

-- etl_user_2
grant position role_bn_etl_tpcds to etl_user_2;

-- etl_user_3
grant position role_bn_etl_tickit to etl_user_3;
grant position role_bn_etl_tpcds to etl_user_3;

-- reporting_user_1
grant position role_bn_reporting_tickit to reporting_user_1;

-- reporting_user_2
grant position role_bn_reporting_tpcds to reporting_user_2;

-- reporting_user_3
grant position role_bn_reporting_tickit to reporting_user_3;
grant position role_bn_reporting_tpcds to reporting_user_3;

-- analyst_user_1
grant position role_bn_analyst_tickit to analyst_user_1;

Grant rights to teams

To grant rights to the teams, use the next code:

-- Group group_adhoc
grant utilization on schema tickit to group group_adhoc;
grant choose on all tables in schema tickit to group group_adhoc;

grant utilization on schema tpcds to group group_adhoc;
grant choose on all tables in schema tpcds to group group_adhoc;

Add customers to teams

So as to add customers to the teams, use the next code:

alter group group_adhoc add consumer adhoc_user_1;
alter group group_adhoc add consumer adhoc_user_2;

Deploy the answer

Full the next steps to deploy the answer:

Replace Redshift cluster or serverless endpoint particulars and Amazon S3 location in redshift_unload.ini:
- cluster_type = provisioned or serverless
- cluster_id = ${cluster_identifier} (required if cluster_type is provisioned)
- db_user = ${database_user}
- db_name = ${database_name}
- host = ${host_url} (required if cluster_type is provisioned)
- port = ${port_number}
- workgroup_name = ${workgroup_name} (required if cluster_type is serverless)
- area = ${area}
- s3_bucket = ${S3_bucket_name}
- roles = roles.csv
- customers = customers.csv
- role_memberships = role_memberships.csv
Replace IAM Identification Heart particulars in idc_config.ini:
- area = ${area}
- account_id = ${account_id}
- identity_store_id = ${identity_store_id} (out there on the IAM Identification Heart console Settings web page)
- instance_arn = ${iam_identity_center_instance_arn} (out there on the IAM Identification Heart console Settings web page)
- permission_set_arn = ${permission_set_arn}
- assign_permission_set = True or False (True if permission_set_arn is outlined)
- s3_bucket = ${S3_bucket_name}
- users_file = customers.csv
- roles_file = roles.csv
- role_memberships_file = role_memberships.csv
Create a listing in CloudShell or by yourself EC2 occasion with connectivity to Amazon Redshift.
Copy the 2 .ini information and obtain the Python scripts to that listing.
Run idc_redshift_unload_indatabase_groups_roles_users.py both from CloudShell or your EC2 occasion:python idc_redshift_unload_indatabase_groups_roles_users.py
Run idc_add_users_groups_roles_psets.py both from CloudShell or your EC2 occasion:python idc_add_users_groups_roles_psets.py
Join your Redshift cluster utilizing the Amazon Redshift question editor v2 or most popular SQL consumer, utilizing superuser credentials.
Copy the SQL within the vw_local_ugr_to_idc_urgr_priv.sql file and run it within the question editor to create the vw_local_ugr_to_idc_urgr_priv view.

Run following SQL command to generate the SQL statements for creating roles and permissions:

choose existing_grants,idc_based_grants from vw_local_ugr_to_idc_urgr_priv;

For instance, contemplate the next current grants:

CREATE GROUP "group_adhoc";
CREATE ROLE "role_bn_etl_tickit";
GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA tpcds TO position "role_tn_sel_tpcds" ;

These grants are transformed to the next code:

CREATE position "AWSIDC:group_adhoc";
CREATE position "AWSIDC:role_bn_etl_tickit";
GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA tpcds TO position "AWSIDC:role_tn_sel_tpcds";

Overview the statements within the idc_based_grants column.
This won’t be a complete checklist of permissions, so evaluate them fastidiously.
If all the pieces is right, run the statements from the SQL consumer.

When you have got accomplished the method, you must have the next configuration:

IAM Identification Heart now accommodates newly created customers from Amazon Redshift
The Redshift native teams and roles are created as teams in IAM Identification Heart
New roles are established in Amazon Redshift, equivalent to the teams created in IAM Identification Heart
The newly created Redshift roles are assigned applicable permissions

If you happen to encounter a difficulty whereas connecting to Amazon Redshift with the question editor utilizing IAM Identification Heart, discuss with Troubleshooting connections from Amazon Redshift question editor v2.

Concerns

Take into account the next when utilizing this answer:

On the time of writing, creating permissions in AWS Lake Formation shouldn’t be in scope.
IAM Identification Heart and IdP integration setup is out of scope for this utility. Nonetheless, you should utilize the view vw_local_ugr_to_idc_urgr_priv.sqlto create roles and grant permissions to the IdP customers and teams handed by means of IAM Identification Heart.
When you’ve got permissions given on to native consumer IDs (not utilizing teams or roles), you have to change that to a role-based permission method for IAM Identification Heart integration. Create roles and supply permissions utilizing roles as an alternative of immediately giving permissions to customers.

Clear up

When you’ve got accomplished the testing situation, clear up your atmosphere:

Take away the brand new Redshift roles that had been created by the utility, equivalent to the teams established in IAM Identification Heart.
Delete the customers and teams created by the utility inside IAM Identification Heart.
Delete the customers, teams, and roles specified within the testing situation.
Drop the tickit and tpcds schemas.

You should use the FORCE parameter when dropping the roles to take away related assignments.

Conclusion

On this submit, we confirmed how one can migrate your Redshift native consumer administration to IAM Identification Heart. This transition presents a number of key benefits to your group, resembling simplified entry administration by means of centralized consumer and group administration, a streamlined consumer expertise throughout AWS companies, and decreased administrative overhead. You may implement this migration course of step-by-step, so you’ll be able to take a look at and validate every step earlier than totally transitioning your manufacturing atmosphere.

As organizations proceed to scale their AWS infrastructure, utilizing IAM Identification Heart turns into more and more useful for sustaining safe and environment friendly entry administration, together with Amazon SageMaker Unified Studio for an built-in expertise for all of your knowledge and AI.