Cookies are named parcels of text stored on the Web client, and used for a variety of application-specific purposes (e.g. user preferences, authentication, etc.).  Ignite PI uses cookies to store things like:

• user that last logged in
• time interval
• session

Each type of web browser manages cookies differently:

Firefox

• Uses a single set of cookies across all tabs and browser windows. 
• example: If you log out of Ignite PI in one of the windows or tabs, all other windows/tabs will be logged out as well.

Internet Explorer

• Uses a single set of cookies across all tabs within each browser window, but a different set of cookies for each browser window. 
• example: If you log out of Ignite PI in one of the tabs, all other tabs in the same window will be logged out, but tabs in other IE windows are not affected.

This means that you need to use Ignite PI in separate Internet Explorer windows (not tabs) if you want to:

1. View different Repositories with PI on the same machine, or
2. Open a single Repository multiple times and have each window behavior independently.