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Data Lake Formation:Permission management

Last Updated:Nov 05, 2025

This topic describes the Data Lake Formation (DLF) permission model, including how to grant permissions to a Resource Access Management (RAM) user. This allows them to access and use DLF features.

The permission model has two layers: API permissions and data permissions. To access DLF console or data, a user must pass permission checks at both layers.

  • API permissions: Govern access to all DLF APIs. This layer determines whether a RAM user can access specific DLF APIs or console pages.

  • Data permissions: Manage granular permissions for data assets within the data lake, such as a catalog, database, or table.

Permission check workflow

image

How permission checks work

Layer 1: API permissions

This layer centrally controls access to all DLF APIs, ensuring that a RAM user can only access their authorized features or console pages. We offer two system policies in the RAM console to meet different access requirements:

Policy name

Description

AliyunDLFFullAccess

Use this policy for users who perform comprehensive data lake management.

AliyunDLFReadOnlyAccess

Grants access to read-only DLF APIs (like List and Get). This policy prohibits any write or delete operations (such as Create and Delete).

Layer 2: Data permissions

This layer controls access to data assets within DLF. It also governs permissions for operations related to DLF principals.

To facilitate centralized data permission management, DLF provides built-in administrator roles. You can find these roles on System & Security > Access Control > Roles and add users to them.

Role name

Role description

Details

admin

Data lake administrator

Has all data permissions and authorization permissions in DLF. This role can also add custom roles and create new catalogs.

super_administrator

Super administrator

Has all the permissions of the admin role and can also modify users assigned to the admin role.

Note
  • The RAM user who activates DLF automatically becomes the super_administrator for the current region.

  • A RAM user with the AdministratorAccess system policy has permissions equivalent to the super_administrator role.