Installation passwords enable Net access between client and server without requiring each user to make a remote authorization. Additionally, installation passwords release Ingres Star clients from having to provide both local authorization (that is, authorization to the Ingres Star node) and remote authorizations to each remote node of a distributed database.

To use installation passwords, the system administrator gives a password to an Ingres server installation and enters the installation password on each trusted client. This then allows all users on the trusted clients to access the server installation without each having to provide a separate remote private authorization to the server.