NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON IDENTITY MANAGEMENT 12/01/04 Today's focus: Vendor group plans authentication protocol
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * About the Initiative for Open Authentication * Links related to Identity Management * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sposored by Imprivata There are a growing number of Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO) solutions, each with its own capabilities, associated costs, resource requirements, deployment needs, and implementation times. This white paper is intended to make the ESSO evaluation process simpler and faster by identifying the critical question you need to ask when you are evaluating ESSO solutions. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=88493 _______________________________________________________________ COMPREHENSIVE ENTERPRISE STORAGE INFORMATION Go to NW Fusion's Research Center for detailed information on enterprise storage. Find the latest breaking news, case studies, white papers, commentary, reviews and more. Topics on how ILM impacts your storage strategy, how to migrate to a new tape drive, how to link SAN islands and more are all found in the Research Center. Click here: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=89297 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: Vendor group plans authentication protocol By Dave Kearns Open source has encompassed all areas of software applications and services, so there was little doubt that authentication would, sooner or later, be part of this fast growing movement. OpenLDAP, the open source directory project, has been with us for quite some time. But there's a new movement to create an authentication protocol, to standardize how authentication data is exchanged. The Initiative for Open Authentication (OATH) was formed to standardize the response to what OATH members claim are the three major challenges to our networks: * Theft of or unauthorized access to confidential data. ��* The inability to share data over a network without an �� increased security risk. ��* The lack of a viable single sign-on framework. OATH hopes to address these challenges with standard, open technology that is available to all. The organization is taking an all-encompassing approach, delivering systems and services that allow for strong authentication of all users on all devices, across all networks. OATH's membership includes many familiar names in the identity and access management space: ActivCard, Aladdin Knowledge Systems, ARM, Assa Abloy ITG, Authenex, Aventail, Axalto, BEA Systems, BMC Software, Check Point and VeriSign (which created the group), among others. More information about OATH can be found at its Web site ( <http://www.openauthentication.org/> ). Two companies prominent in both open source and identity management, Sun and Novell are surprisingly and conspicuously absent from the membership. Microsoft's absence is less surprising. The key features and benefits of the proposed reference architecture for open authentication include: * Lower costs for authentication devices (chips, tokens, smart � �cards). ��* Simplified validation as a network utility instead of a �� complex and confusing enterprise responsibility. ��* Best-of-breed solutions through interoperable components. ��* Development of devices that embed multiple authentication �� methods such as One-Time Password, SIM authentication and �� PKI-based authentication. ��* Cell phones, PDAs, and laptops become strong authentication �� devices. ��* Application developers gain the ability to build connectors �� for strong authentication using open specifications. ��* Provides open specifications for strong device and user �� authentication, enabling easy native support in enterprise �� applications and identity management platforms. ��* Allows the sharing of device credentials, strong �� authentication algorithms, and authentication client software �� across many network end-points (desktop computers, servers, �� switches, Wi-Fi access points, set top boxes, etc.). There's a good white paper - "An Industry Roadmap for Open Strong Authentication" - available at <http://www.openauthentication.org/resources.asp> (registration required). Download it and see how your efforts in the authentication area mesh with those of this organization. If you like what you see, get involved. _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Dave Kearns Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be found at Virtual Quill <http://www.vquill.com/>. Kearns is the author of three Network World Newsletters: Windows Networking Tips, Novell NetWare Tips, and Identity Management. Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these respective addresses: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books, manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing, technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sposored by Imprivata There are a growing number of Enterprise Single Sign-On (ESSO) solutions, each with its own capabilities, associated costs, resource requirements, deployment needs, and implementation times. This white paper is intended to make the ESSO evaluation process simpler and faster by identifying the critical question you need to ask when you are evaluating ESSO solutions. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=88492 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Breaking identity management news from Network World, updated daily: http://www.nwfusion.com/topics/directories.html Archive of the Identity Management newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/dir/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE DOWNLOAD INDUSTRY WHITE PAPERS NOW NW Fusion's White Paper Library is your source for the latest industry white papers. Recent additions to the library include white papers on securing remote access, VOIP and productivity, domain name system best practices, WLAN security, IT documentation and much more. 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