IAM: enhancing access

Extract from an interview in the 2007 Summer Review magazine.
 

Enterprises are entering a new age of secure access to private information. At last it is becoming easy for everyone to use identity recognition tools thanks to Microsoft’s systems solutions coupled with Gemalto’s personal authentication solutions.

Two senior executives talk to us about the changes that Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions will bring. An interview with James McLaughlin, Senior Manager, Global Alliances, Gemalto, and John G. Chiraputah, Identity & Access Microsoft.

What is the objective of Microsoft’s Identity & Access solutions?

John Chiraputah: They are a comprehensive set of platform technologies and products that are designed to help organizations manage user identities and associated access privileges. With a focus on security and ease of use, these solutions help businesses boost productivity, reduce IT costs, and eliminate the complexity of identity and access management. You can visit www.microsoft.com/ida for more information.

 

What are the business benefits of these solutions?

John Chiraputah: First, they can improve operational efficiency. Now businesses can aggregate identities across the enterprise into a single view, simplify user access to multiple applications, reduce IT costs, and increase productivity. Furthermore, it can boost compliance. Companies can ensure that every user has proper access to resources, create auditable processes for access rights, and deploy single signon capabilities that comply with company policy. The third aspect is the heightened security. Businesses can reduce the risk of security leaks by ensuring that only authorized users gain access to company resources and that people know who they are dealing with electronically. Last but not least, it enables business success: by securely sharing identities across organiz­ational boundaries, businesses can collaborate more efficiently with partners and customers.

 

What problems do these solutions solve for the enterprise?

John Chiraputah: Microsoft and Gemalto help organizations eliminate the use of passwords where strong authentication is required for secure access to corporate assets. Benefits, such as ease of management, simplified deployment, reduction of administrative costs and improved security can all be achieved though strong authentication, smart cards and Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager (ILM) 2007. Specific scenarios include secure multifactor authentication for remote access and desktop log-on. It also offers the ability to provide secure e-mail and digital certificates for data protection and code signing. Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager 2007 gives organizations an easier way to deploy and maintain digital certificates and smart cards without adding the overhead of IT costs

James McLaughlin: Gemalto smart tokens using the Microsoft Windows Smart Card Framework and applications can be used for digital signature of documents to eliminate paper documentation and thereby improve business efficiency and reduce costs.

Are such solutions available to both large and small enterprises today?

James McLaughlin: Yes, these solutions are available to enterprises of all sizes with the same benefits. In fact, companies can match their needs to specific benefits without having to buy into the entire breadth of the product offerings. Their investment in the Gemalto smart token solution can be preserved as the company’s needs expand into stronger authentication.

What is the specific role played by each in matters like identity lifecycle management and authentication?

John Chiraputah: Customers look to Microsoft and its world class Directory Services solution powered by Active Directory to manage and maintain identities. Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager 2007 provides an integrated and comprehensive solution for managing the entire lifecycle of user identities and their associated credentials. It provides identity synchronization, certificate and password management, and user provisioning in a single solution that works across Microsoft Windows and other heterogeneous systems. As a result, IT organizations can define and automate the processes used to manage identities from creation to retirement.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John G. Chiraputah, Identity & Access Microsoft.

 

 

 

 

James McLaughlin, Senior Manager, Global Alliances, Gemalto