Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 Supports Liberty Alliance and SAML Specifications

Sun Microsystems Delivers Industry's First Liberty-Enabled Web Single Sign-On Product

Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 Delivers Easy Access to Applications and Services Through Single User-Login, Reduces Administration Overhead and Provides Increased Revenue Opportunities

Santa Clara, CA, USA. January 14, 2002.

Delivering on its commitment to customers and the Liberty Alliance organization, Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the general availability of the Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0, the industry's first open-standards based network identity solution. Increasingly, organizations require the ability to enable their employees, business partners and customers to easily and seamlessly access information and services via the Web in a secure, privacy-protected, non-proprietary, cost-effective manner. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 provides a standards-based, future-proofed implementation that leverages Java technology, the Liberty Alliance, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), and XML specifications.

By providing a foundation based on SAML standards, Sun provides a complete identity and access management foundation that helps secure the delivery of business information today through open standards such as Liberty and provides organizations with the ability to adapt to changing business requirements. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is the first commercial-grade identity management solution that fully integrates access management, delegated administration, directory and federation services into a single product. A key component of Sun's overall identity management solution, it is built on top of the market-leading Sun ONE Directory Server and leverages the consolidation capabilities of the Sun ONE Meta Directory.

"Sun's identity and access management offering helps companies lower administration costs and improve security, while enhancing user experience and strengthening relationships across their value chains -- all in a standards-based environment," said Stephen Pelletier, vice president for network identity, communication and portal products at Sun Microsystems. "We are raising the network identity bar by being the first to provide the secure delivery of business information, Web single sign-on, and federated identity framework our customers need for their new partner and customer revenue opportunities."

The Sun ONE Identity Server can help to significantly lower enterprise IT costs through reductions in application development, security administration and help desk staffing. According to Gartner Research, identity and access management solutions can provide a three-year return on investment (ROI) in the triple-digit-percent range. ('ROI Drives Identity and Access Management Implementation,' Gartner Dec. 3, 2002)

A key capability of the Sun ONE Identity Server is the ability to federate identities, via either SAML or the Liberty Specification, both internal and external to the organization's firewall. Increasingly, customers are choosing Sun to provide them with a scalable, highly available solution that leverages existing directory and name space investments, while providing a path forward to new business ventures.

"Sun has established a reputation for providing customers with open, reliable, highly scalable, multi-platform software for identity services," said Michael Neuenschwander, senior analyst with the Burton Group. "The combination of its Solaris distribution channel and the multi-product identity solution position Sun to compete well against single product vendors, and to provide a more attractive integrated offering to the marketplace."

In addition, the Sun ONE platform for network identity has received strong support from industry-leading solution providers; an ecosystem of iForce Partners provides additional services, products and expertise to help customers design and implement secure, identity-enabled solutions.

"Standards-based security and network identity are key requirements for Web applications and Web services that customers are asking for," said Peter Gassner, vice president and general manager, PeopleTools and Technology, PeopleSoft. "Standards-based solutions from partners play a key role in enabling PeopleSoft applications to be accessed securely. Integration of the Sun ONE Identity Server with PeopleSoft 8 applications facilitates the secure access, instant retrieval and integration of critical data, anytime and anywhere."

iForce partners supporting the Sun ONE Platform for Network Identity include ActivCard, Business Layers, Inc., Passlogix, PeopleSoft, Persistent Systems and Thor Technology, as well as leading Sun integrator alliances and channel partners that assist clients with their identity infrastructures: Burntsand, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (CGE&Y), Caveo Technology Group, Dewpoint, ePresence, InSolutions, MGS Portal Solutions, Navidec, Perfect Order, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Schlumberger and True North.

The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 integrates the Sun ONE Directory Server and includes the following core services:

Access Management: Delivers single sign-on for Web-based resources and centrally controlled access services. Flexible authentication mechanisms including LDAP, RADIUS, X.509v3 certificates, SafeWord token cards, and UNIX platform authentication services. APIs in C, Java, and XML allow customization and easy integration for policy, authentication, auditing/reporting, and client interfaces.

Identity Administration: Provides centralized administration of identities, policies, and services. A flexible model of delegation enables administrators to provide users with self-administration for management of their own profile attributes. N-levels of delegation support organizations by domain, roles, groups, applications, or services.

Federation: These services enable shared authentication with affiliate organization Websites and are supported through the Liberty Alliance and SAML (Security Assertions Markup Language) specifications. These specifications will help establish an open, single sign-on standard with decentralized authentication and authorization.

Service Management: These capabilities help manage configuration data of external applications and services and provide a solution for customizing and registering management parameters for external applications, such as service-delivery via a portal or mail quota on an e-mail server. These parameters or attributes are grouped into services that can then be managed using the Sun ONE Identity Server.

The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is the latest chapter in a long history of Sun's network identity leadership. Sun is also a founding member of the Liberty Alliance (more information can be found at http://www.sun.com/software/products/identity_srvr/home_identity.html). The Sun ONE Directory Server is one of the most successful LDAP directory solutions with over 950 million licenses and growing, and more than 250 million Java technology-based smart cards have been deployed worldwide.

Availability

The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is available immediately.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer[tm]" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See: (1) "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)"; (2) "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."

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Delivering on its commitment to customers and the Liberty Alliance organization, Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the general availability of the Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0, the industry's first open-standards based network identity solution. Increasingly, organizations require the ability to enable their employees, business partners and customers to easily and seamlessly access information and services via the Web in a secure, privacy-protected, non-proprietary, cost-effective manner. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 provides a standards-based, future-proofed implementation that leverages Java technology, the Liberty Alliance, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), and XML specifications. By providing a foundation based on SAML standards, Sun provides a complete identity and access management foundation that helps secure the delivery of business information today through open standards such as Liberty and provides organizations with the ability to adapt to changing business requirements. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is the first commercial-grade identity management solution that fully integrates access management, delegated administration, directory and federation services into a single product. A key component of Sun's overall identity management solution, it is built on top of the market-leading Sun ONE Directory Server and leverages the consolidation capabilities of the Sun ONE Meta Directory. "Sun's identity and access management offering helps companies lower administration costs and improve security, while enhancing user experience and strengthening relationships across their value chains -- all in a standards-based environment," said Stephen Pelletier, vice president for network identity, communication and portal products at Sun Microsystems. "We are raising the network identity bar by being the first to provide the secure delivery of business information, Web single sign-on, and federated identity framework our customers need for their new partner and customer revenue opportunities." The Sun ONE Identity Server can help to significantly lower enterprise IT costs through reductions in application development, security administration and help desk staffing. According to Gartner Research, identity and access management solutions can provide a three-year return on investment (ROI) in the triple-digit-percent range. ('ROI Drives Identity and Access Management Implementation,' Gartner Dec. 3, 2002) A key capability of the Sun ONE Identity Server is the ability to federate identities, via either SAML or the Liberty Specification, both internal and external to the organization's firewall. Increasingly, customers are choosing Sun to provide them with a scalable, highly available solution that leverages existing directory and name space investments, while providing a path forward to new business ventures. "Sun has established a reputation for providing customers with open, reliable, highly scalable, multi-platform software for identity services," said Michael Neuenschwander, senior analyst with the Burton Group. "The combination of its Solaris distribution channel and the multi-product identity solution position Sun to compete well against single product vendors, and to provide a more attractive integrated offering to the marketplace." In addition, the Sun ONE platform for network identity has received strong support from industry-leading solution providers; an ecosystem of iForce Partners provides additional services, products and expertise to help customers design and implement secure, identity-enabled solutions. "Standards-based security and network identity are key requirements for Web applications and Web services that customers are asking for," said Peter Gassner, vice president and general manager, PeopleTools and Technology, PeopleSoft. "Standards-based solutions from partners play a key role in enabling PeopleSoft applications to be accessed securely. Integration of the Sun ONE Identity Server with PeopleSoft 8 applications facilitates the secure access, instant retrieval and integration of critical data, anytime and anywhere." iForce partners supporting the Sun ONE Platform for Network Identity include ActivCard, Business Layers, Inc., Passlogix, PeopleSoft, Persistent Systems and Thor Technology, as well as leading Sun integrator alliances and channel partners that assist clients with their identity infrastructures: Burntsand, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (CGE&Y), Caveo Technology Group, Dewpoint, ePresence, InSolutions, MGS Portal Solutions, Navidec, Perfect Order, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Schlumberger and True North. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 integrates the Sun ONE Directory Server and includes the following core services: Access Management: Delivers single sign-on for Web-based resources and centrally controlled access services. Flexible authentication mechanisms including LDAP, RADIUS, X.509v3 certificates, SafeWord token cards, and UNIX platform authentication services. APIs in C, Java, and XML allow customization and easy integration for policy, authentication, auditing/reporting, and client interfaces. Identity Administration: Provides centralized administration of identities, policies, and services. A flexible model of delegation enables administrators to provide users with self-administration for management of their own profile attributes. N-levels of delegation support organizations by domain, roles, groups, applications, or services. Federation: These services enable shared authentication with affiliate organization Websites and are supported through the Liberty Alliance and SAML (Security Assertions Markup Language) specifications. These specifications will help establish an open, single sign-on standard with decentralized authentication and authorization. Service Management: These capabilities help manage configuration data of external applications and services and provide a solution for customizing and registering management parameters for external applications, such as service-delivery via a portal or mail quota on an e-mail server. These parameters or attributes are grouped into services that can then be managed using the Sun ONE Identity Server. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is the latest chapter in a long history of Sun's network identity leadership. Sun is also a founding member of the Liberty Alliance (more information can be found at http://www.sun.com/software/products/identity_srvr/home_identity.html). The Sun ONE Directory Server is one of the most successful LDAP directory solutions with over 950 million licenses and growing, and more than 250 million Java technology-based smart cards have been deployed worldwide. Availability The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is available immediately. About Sun Microsystems, Inc. Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer[tm]" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See: (1) "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)"; (2) "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."