Southwest Airlines Implements SAML with Oblix NetPoint

Southwest Airlines Deploys Industry Leading SAML Implementation On Oblix NetPoint

NetPoint SAML Solution Enables User Authentication and Authorization Across Corporate Extranets

Cupertino, California, USA. August 13, 2003.

Oblix, a leading developer of identity-based security solutions, today announced that Southwest Airlines has successfully deployed the Oblix NetPoint Identity Management and Access Control Solution with comprehensive support for SAML. As a result of the deployment, Southwest has reduced administration costs associated with password resets and account expirations, while simultaneously promoting its "family" corporate culture by helping more employees feel connected via easy access to business-critical information when they need it.

Hundreds of Southwest engineers and mechanics can now access technical documentation and other proprietary content housed on its aircraft supplier's secure Web site by using SAML-enabled single sign-on. Oblix NetPoint facilitates a seamless and secure Southwest user experience by exchanging SAML assertions between Southwest and supplier's security systems, in effect forwarding a SAML security assertion that automatically logs the employee into the supplier's remote system.

"Southwest Airlines' history of success is built on giving our Customers a 'positively outrageous' level of service. Consistently getting them to their destination on-time is a big part of that," said Brian Buege, manager of Application Frameworks, Southwest Airlines. "By deploying Oblix NetPoint integrated with SAML, our mechanics can spend more time keeping our fleet airborne and our flights on-time rather than searching for lost passwords or related information. A SAML-integrated identity and access management infrastructure delivers significant business benefits, including reduced administrative costs and increased productivity."

SAML, Security Assertion Markup Language, is an XML-based security standard for exchanging user authentication and authorization information. By combining SAML with Oblix NetPoint's identity management functionality, Southwest now securely and cost-effectively manages its employee identity information across disparate corporate boundaries, and can also integrate with partner/supplier security systems.

"Southwest understands the value of an identity management infrastructure tightly integrated with SAML to streamline employee access to content on a supplier's Web site," said Prakash Ramamurthy, vice president of products and technology, Oblix. "Oblix NetPoint enhances Southwest's user experience by introducing security technology that doesn't compromise convenience while providing a world-class identity management solution."

Today Oblix also released a solution designed to help additional companies that want to quickly and cost-effectively use SAML to connect to their business partners. Oblix SAML quickCONNECT combines the Oblix NetPoint SAML Solution with a specialized set of professional services delivered by experienced SAML deployment experts. For more information, please contact Oblix at 800-438-0626, or http://www.oblix.com/moreinfo.

Incorporating SAML into Oblix NetPoint is the latest example of the company's commitment to building interoperability and support for standards that align with customer requirements. In addition to SAML, Oblix NetPoint supports standards from key organizations including OASIS, Web Services Interoperability (WS-I), Microsoft .NET, and the Liberty Alliance.

About Southwest Airlines

Southwest is the nation's fourth largest airline in terms of Customers boarded. The airline serves 58 cities via 59 airports in 30 states. The carrier employs 35,000-plus workers and flies a fleet of more than 380 Boeing 737s.

About Oblix NetPoint

In addition to providing single sign-on capabilities to Web applications, Oblix NetPoint provides an identity infrastructure, COREid that serves as the foundation for an entire eBusiness environment. By automating the process of making changes to user identity information and access privileges through a delegated administration and workflow system, Oblix NetPoint can significantly lower the cost of building and managing an eBusiness environment. This capability also makes it easy to keep user identity information in large and dynamic online environments up-to-date, so that critical information can remain secure regardless of the number of changes in users and security levels. Oblix NetPoint fully leverages an organization's existing infrastructure investments by offering the market's broadest XML integration options.

About Oblix

Oblix Inc. is a leading developer of identity-based security solutions for eBusiness networks. The company's flagship product, Oblix NetPoint, is an enterprise identity management and Web access control solution that provides an identity infrastructure for an entire eBusiness environment. Based on Web services architecture, Oblix NetPoint includes rich identity management functionality and provides access control with single sign-on to enterprise applications. This combination significantly lowers IT costs for organizations conducting business on the Web. Global corporations such as APL, Banorte, Carlson Companies, CEMEX, Country Companies, Farmers Group, General Motors, Hitachi, i2 Technologies, Intuit, Norsk Hydro, Old Mutual, Southwest Airlines, Stanford University, Tellabs, Wachovia and many more rely on Oblix solutions. Oblix investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Apax Partners, Van Wagoner Capital Management, Cisco Systems, Intel 64 Fund, Focus Ventures, Credit Suisse First Boston, JP Morgan, Sumitomo Corporation and Novell, Inc. With offices in North America and Europe, Oblix is headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., and can be reached at (408) 861-6800.

Contact

Jim Welch
Oblix, Inc.
Tel: +1-408-861-6643
Email: jwelch@oblix.com

[Source: http://www.oblix.com/news/releases/2003/081303.html]

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See general references in "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)."

SEARCH Advanced Search ABOUT Site Map CP RSS Channel Contact Us Sponsoring CP About Our Sponsors NEWS Cover Stories Articles & Papers Press Releases CORE STANDARDS XML SGML Schemas XSL/XSLT/XPath XLink XML Query CSS SVG TECHNOLOGY REPORTS XML Applications General Apps Government Apps Academic Apps EVENTS LIBRARY Introductions FAQs Bibliography Technology and Society Semantics Tech Topics Software Related Standards Historic	Southwest Airlines Implements SAML with Oblix NetPoint Southwest Airlines Deploys Industry Leading SAML Implementation On Oblix NetPoint NetPoint SAML Solution Enables User Authentication and Authorization Across Corporate Extranets Cupertino, California, USA. August 13, 2003. Oblix, a leading developer of identity-based security solutions, today announced that Southwest Airlines has successfully deployed the Oblix NetPoint Identity Management and Access Control Solution with comprehensive support for SAML. As a result of the deployment, Southwest has reduced administration costs associated with password resets and account expirations, while simultaneously promoting its "family" corporate culture by helping more employees feel connected via easy access to business-critical information when they need it. Hundreds of Southwest engineers and mechanics can now access technical documentation and other proprietary content housed on its aircraft supplier's secure Web site by using SAML-enabled single sign-on. Oblix NetPoint facilitates a seamless and secure Southwest user experience by exchanging SAML assertions between Southwest and supplier's security systems, in effect forwarding a SAML security assertion that automatically logs the employee into the supplier's remote system. "Southwest Airlines' history of success is built on giving our Customers a 'positively outrageous' level of service. Consistently getting them to their destination on-time is a big part of that," said Brian Buege, manager of Application Frameworks, Southwest Airlines. "By deploying Oblix NetPoint integrated with SAML, our mechanics can spend more time keeping our fleet airborne and our flights on-time rather than searching for lost passwords or related information. A SAML-integrated identity and access management infrastructure delivers significant business benefits, including reduced administrative costs and increased productivity." SAML, Security Assertion Markup Language, is an XML-based security standard for exchanging user authentication and authorization information. By combining SAML with Oblix NetPoint's identity management functionality, Southwest now securely and cost-effectively manages its employee identity information across disparate corporate boundaries, and can also integrate with partner/supplier security systems. "Southwest understands the value of an identity management infrastructure tightly integrated with SAML to streamline employee access to content on a supplier's Web site," said Prakash Ramamurthy, vice president of products and technology, Oblix. "Oblix NetPoint enhances Southwest's user experience by introducing security technology that doesn't compromise convenience while providing a world-class identity management solution." Today Oblix also released a solution designed to help additional companies that want to quickly and cost-effectively use SAML to connect to their business partners. Oblix SAML quickCONNECT combines the Oblix NetPoint SAML Solution with a specialized set of professional services delivered by experienced SAML deployment experts. For more information, please contact Oblix at 800-438-0626, or http://www.oblix.com/moreinfo. Incorporating SAML into Oblix NetPoint is the latest example of the company's commitment to building interoperability and support for standards that align with customer requirements. In addition to SAML, Oblix NetPoint supports standards from key organizations including OASIS, Web Services Interoperability (WS-I), Microsoft .NET, and the Liberty Alliance. About Southwest Airlines Southwest is the nation's fourth largest airline in terms of Customers boarded. The airline serves 58 cities via 59 airports in 30 states. The carrier employs 35,000-plus workers and flies a fleet of more than 380 Boeing 737s. About Oblix NetPoint In addition to providing single sign-on capabilities to Web applications, Oblix NetPoint provides an identity infrastructure, COREid that serves as the foundation for an entire eBusiness environment. By automating the process of making changes to user identity information and access privileges through a delegated administration and workflow system, Oblix NetPoint can significantly lower the cost of building and managing an eBusiness environment. This capability also makes it easy to keep user identity information in large and dynamic online environments up-to-date, so that critical information can remain secure regardless of the number of changes in users and security levels. Oblix NetPoint fully leverages an organization's existing infrastructure investments by offering the market's broadest XML integration options. About Oblix Oblix Inc. is a leading developer of identity-based security solutions for eBusiness networks. The company's flagship product, Oblix NetPoint, is an enterprise identity management and Web access control solution that provides an identity infrastructure for an entire eBusiness environment. Based on Web services architecture, Oblix NetPoint includes rich identity management functionality and provides access control with single sign-on to enterprise applications. This combination significantly lowers IT costs for organizations conducting business on the Web. Global corporations such as APL, Banorte, Carlson Companies, CEMEX, Country Companies, Farmers Group, General Motors, Hitachi, i2 Technologies, Intuit, Norsk Hydro, Old Mutual, Southwest Airlines, Stanford University, Tellabs, Wachovia and many more rely on Oblix solutions. Oblix investors include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Apax Partners, Van Wagoner Capital Management, Cisco Systems, Intel 64 Fund, Focus Ventures, Credit Suisse First Boston, JP Morgan, Sumitomo Corporation and Novell, Inc. With offices in North America and Europe, Oblix is headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., and can be reached at (408) 861-6800. Contact Jim Welch Oblix, Inc. Tel: +1-408-861-6643 Email: jwelch@oblix.com [Source: http://www.oblix.com/news/releases/2003/081303.html] Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See general references in "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)."