DataWorks allows you to associate an E-MapReduce (EMR) cluster with a DataWorks workspace by using the shortcut mode or security mode. This topic describes the differences between the two modes.

The following table describes the differences between the shortcut mode and security mode.
Mode Description Permission management Scenario
Shortcut mode If you associate an EMR cluster with a workspace by using the shortcut mode, you can rapidly create and run EMR nodes to generate data. In shortcut mode, if you run or schedule EMR nodes in DataWorks by using an Alibaba Cloud account or a RAM user, the code of the nodes is committed to an EMR cluster and run by a Hadoop user in the EMR cluster. Fine-grained permission management is not supported.
Note Hadoop users have all permissions on the EMR cluster. Proceed with caution when you use the shortcut mode to associate an EMR cluster with a DataWorks workspace.
The shortcut mode is suitable for workspaces that do not require strict permission management for users who run nodes.
Security mode If you associate an EMR cluster with a workspace by using the security mode, you can create and run EMR nodes to generate data and manage permissions on the data to ensure higher security. In security mode, if you commit the code of EMR nodes by using an Alibaba Cloud account or as a RAM user to an EMR cluster, the code is run by the account to which your Alibaba Cloud account or RAM user is mapped.
  • Data lake clusters: The Mapping Type parameter can be set to System Account or OpenLDAP Account.
  • Hadoop clusters: The Mapping Type parameter can be set only to OpenLDAP Account.
You can configure a mapping between an Alibaba Cloud account or RAM user and a cluster account to obtain the permissions of the cluster account and isolate the permissions on the data of the nodes. EMR Ranger can be used to manage the permissions of each Hadoop user in the EMR cluster. This ensures that different Alibaba Cloud accounts, node owners, or RAM users have different data permissions when they run EMR nodes in DataWorks. The security mode is suitable for workspaces that require strict management and isolation of data permissions for users who run nodes.