Mandantenschlüssel

Mandantenschlüssel is a German term that translates to "client key" or "tenant key." In software development, particularly in multi-tenant systems, a Mandantenschlüssel is a unique identifier used to distinguish between different clients or tenants. Each client or tenant operating within the same instance of a software application is assigned a distinct Mandantenschlüssel. This allows the application to segregate data and configurations specific to each client, ensuring privacy and preventing cross-contamination of information.

The implementation of a Mandantenschlüssel is crucial for the operation of Software as a Service (SaaS) applications where multiple customers share the same underlying infrastructure and code. When a user logs into the application, their Mandantenschlüssel is typically associated with their session. This key then dictates which data sets and operational parameters the user can access and modify. For example, a user from Client A would only see and interact with data belonging to Client A, and would be unaware of or unable to access data from Client B, even though both are using the same software instance.

In database design, this often translates to a column within tables that stores the Mandantenschlüssel. Queries are then filtered by this key to retrieve only the relevant data for the logged-in client. This approach offers scalability and cost-effectiveness by allowing a single software deployment to serve numerous clients simultaneously, while maintaining the illusion of a dedicated environment for each. The security and integrity of the multi-tenant system heavily rely on the correct and consistent use of the Mandantenschlüssel.