OpenNetwork Announces Universal Identity Platform

OpenNetwork Announces Universal Identity Platform 5.0 For Unified, End-to-End Identity Management

The Industry's Only .NET-based Solution Leverages Microsoft and Web Services as Underlying Identity Infrastructure

Clearwater, FL, USA. July 02, 2003.

OpenNetwork Technologies, a leading provider of non-intrusive identity management security solutions, today announced the Universal Identity Platform (Universal IdP). The next generation solution was designed specifically to take advantage of the reliability, scalability and functionality of Microsoft technology, and to extend its value as an identity infrastructure to J2EE and mainframe environments. Universal IdP is the industry's only identity management solution built in the .NET Framework. It is also the only product that eliminates the need for expensive point solutions because it leverages Microsoft directory and meta-directory services, the .NET Framework and Web Services for end-to-end identity management across applications, users and locations inside and outside the enterprise.

Universal IdP centralizes and unifies the management of identities and security policies, secures access to protected resources, and delivers automated workflow and provisioning into the enterprise. The solution addresses the needs of companies who have selected Microsoft as their identity infrastructure, yet require the flexibility to support heterogeneous environments. For the first time, companies with a combination of Microsoft and Java development environments can consistently manage and secure their business resources with a .NET interface.

Universal IdP uniquely integrates Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) with mainframe systems such as RACF and ACF2. It also provides a provisioning connector framework that easily extends the identity infrastructure to custom applications and systems. For businesses looking to implement federation, Universal IdP can provide SSO SAML communication and DSML/SPML provisioning communication for trusted partners beyond corporate boundaries.

"Today's businesses must manage a growing identity ecosystem that encompasses internal and external user accounts, profiles, security policies and business workflow processes," said John Studdard, CTO of VirtualBank. "We are addressing this challenge with a unified identity management platform that removes the complexity of securely managing diverse users, applications and development environments, while laying the foundation for the future of federation and Web services."

"Corporations today are faced with the increasingly complex challenge of managing digital identities inside and outside the enterprise," said Dan Blum, senior vice president at Burton Group. "We recommend that these companies implement a flexible solution that will allow them to rationalize the management of internal and external user accounts, identity profiles, security policies and business workflow processes -- regardless of platform or domain."

While OpenNetwork supports an array of technologies, Universal IdP uniquely adapts to the Microsoft infrastructure and uses it as the foundation for end-to-end identity management. The solution benefits from the performance and scalability of Windows servers and technologies including Active Directory, ADAM, Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) and .NET, and extends their value across applications, systems and services that reside on multiple platforms and domains throughout an enterprise.

"Universal IdP enables customers who have standardized on Windows Server for their identity infrastructure to extend this support to other platforms," said Michael Stephenson, lead product manager for Windows Server at Microsoft. "The new solution, which is developed and designed in the Microsoft .NET framework, uses the Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) and the directory and security technologies in Windows Server 2003, providing customers with a solid identity management solution."

"OpenNetwork and Microsoft provide the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta with a flexible identity management platform that supports our evolving business needs," said David Booth, director of information management for the WCB. "We selected the OpenNetwork solution because of their impressive product functionality, competitive pricing model and close integration with Microsoft technology."

More Efficient Business with Identity Management

Universal IdP makes it easy and more efficient for corporations to implement identity management. Key new and enhanced features include:

Account provisioning: Universal IdP leverages Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) for the creation, modification and synchronization of identities to back-end systems. Universal IdP further extends MIIS to mainframe systems such as RACF, ACF2, and TopSecret.
Advanced workflow automation enables companies to save time and dramatically improve overall business process management.
Password management capabilities enable self-service profile and password administration and synchronization across business resources.
Role based access control makes it easy to designate what resources a user can access. These roles can then be assigned to a common group allowing a single action to update roles for unlimited numbers of users. Universal IdP supports adaptive, static and dynamic role definition for the ultimate flexibility in role management. Universal IdP can manage and enforce roles leveraging Microsoft's authorization manager security framework for role based access control.
Delegated administration allows for organizations to push out user management policy creation and enforcement in a delegated model through a point-n-click management interface to result in easier management, faster deployment, and high security of identities and policies across the enterprise and its partners.
Centralized and Consolidated auditing and reporting capabilities makes it possible for fine grained reporting on identity activity including usage, administration, and access.
Unified and Centralized management provides one point of control for internal and external user identities, security policies and platform configuration and information.

Universal IdP is fully internationalized and localized with support for English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Traditional Chinese. Both products ship with APIs in .NET, C, COM and Java to easily extend platform functionality to custom applications.

Packaging and Availability

Universal IdP is available in a Limited edition for Web based solutions and in an Enterprise version for Web and internal identity management. The product will ship in mid August [2003].

About OpenNetwork

OpenNetwork provides end-to-end identity management solutions that make it easier to securely manage Web and enterprise users and resources. The company's Universal Identity Platform (IdP) uniquely leverages a company's existing Microsoft infrastructure to unify and centrally manage disparate identities, control access to protected resources, and provide automated workflow and provisioning. The solution eliminates the need for proprietary, duplicative identity stores and redundant point solutions that introduce risk, administrative burden and cost. Universal IdP provides the fastest, most secure path to consistent identity management inside and outside the enterprise.

OpenNetwork is headquartered in Tampa Bay, FL, with offices throughout North America and Europe. Company partners include: Microsoft, Unisys, BEA, IBM and Plumtree. For more information, visit http://www.opennetwork.com, send an e- mail to info@opennetwork.com, or call 727.561.9500.

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See also: "Microsoft Announces Release of Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) 2003."

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The next generation solution was designed specifically to take advantage of the reliability, scalability and functionality of Microsoft technology, and to extend its value as an identity infrastructure to J2EE and mainframe environments. Universal IdP is the industry's only identity management solution built in the .NET Framework. It is also the only product that eliminates the need for expensive point solutions because it leverages Microsoft directory and meta-directory services, the .NET Framework and Web Services for end-to-end identity management across applications, users and locations inside and outside the enterprise. Universal IdP centralizes and unifies the management of identities and security policies, secures access to protected resources, and delivers automated workflow and provisioning into the enterprise. The solution addresses the needs of companies who have selected Microsoft as their identity infrastructure, yet require the flexibility to support heterogeneous environments. For the first time, companies with a combination of Microsoft and Java development environments can consistently manage and secure their business resources with a .NET interface. Universal IdP uniquely integrates Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) with mainframe systems such as RACF and ACF2. It also provides a provisioning connector framework that easily extends the identity infrastructure to custom applications and systems. For businesses looking to implement federation, Universal IdP can provide SSO SAML communication and DSML/SPML provisioning communication for trusted partners beyond corporate boundaries. "Today's businesses must manage a growing identity ecosystem that encompasses internal and external user accounts, profiles, security policies and business workflow processes," said John Studdard, CTO of VirtualBank. "We are addressing this challenge with a unified identity management platform that removes the complexity of securely managing diverse users, applications and development environments, while laying the foundation for the future of federation and Web services." "Corporations today are faced with the increasingly complex challenge of managing digital identities inside and outside the enterprise," said Dan Blum, senior vice president at Burton Group. "We recommend that these companies implement a flexible solution that will allow them to rationalize the management of internal and external user accounts, identity profiles, security policies and business workflow processes -- regardless of platform or domain." While OpenNetwork supports an array of technologies, Universal IdP uniquely adapts to the Microsoft infrastructure and uses it as the foundation for end-to-end identity management. The solution benefits from the performance and scalability of Windows servers and technologies including Active Directory, ADAM, Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) and .NET, and extends their value across applications, systems and services that reside on multiple platforms and domains throughout an enterprise. "Universal IdP enables customers who have standardized on Windows Server for their identity infrastructure to extend this support to other platforms," said Michael Stephenson, lead product manager for Windows Server at Microsoft. "The new solution, which is developed and designed in the Microsoft .NET framework, uses the Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) and the directory and security technologies in Windows Server 2003, providing customers with a solid identity management solution." "OpenNetwork and Microsoft provide the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta with a flexible identity management platform that supports our evolving business needs," said David Booth, director of information management for the WCB. "We selected the OpenNetwork solution because of their impressive product functionality, competitive pricing model and close integration with Microsoft technology." More Efficient Business with Identity Management Universal IdP makes it easy and more efficient for corporations to implement identity management. Key new and enhanced features include: Account provisioning: Universal IdP leverages Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) for the creation, modification and synchronization of identities to back-end systems. Universal IdP further extends MIIS to mainframe systems such as RACF, ACF2, and TopSecret. Advanced workflow automation enables companies to save time and dramatically improve overall business process management. Password management capabilities enable self-service profile and password administration and synchronization across business resources. Role based access control makes it easy to designate what resources a user can access. These roles can then be assigned to a common group allowing a single action to update roles for unlimited numbers of users. Universal IdP supports adaptive, static and dynamic role definition for the ultimate flexibility in role management. Universal IdP can manage and enforce roles leveraging Microsoft's authorization manager security framework for role based access control. Delegated administration allows for organizations to push out user management policy creation and enforcement in a delegated model through a point-n-click management interface to result in easier management, faster deployment, and high security of identities and policies across the enterprise and its partners. Centralized and Consolidated auditing and reporting capabilities makes it possible for fine grained reporting on identity activity including usage, administration, and access. Unified and Centralized management provides one point of control for internal and external user identities, security policies and platform configuration and information. Universal IdP is fully internationalized and localized with support for English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Traditional Chinese. Both products ship with APIs in .NET, C, COM and Java to easily extend platform functionality to custom applications. Packaging and Availability Universal IdP is available in a Limited edition for Web based solutions and in an Enterprise version for Web and internal identity management. The product will ship in mid August [2003]. About OpenNetwork OpenNetwork provides end-to-end identity management solutions that make it easier to securely manage Web and enterprise users and resources. The company's Universal Identity Platform (IdP) uniquely leverages a company's existing Microsoft infrastructure to unify and centrally manage disparate identities, control access to protected resources, and provide automated workflow and provisioning. The solution eliminates the need for proprietary, duplicative identity stores and redundant point solutions that introduce risk, administrative burden and cost. Universal IdP provides the fastest, most secure path to consistent identity management inside and outside the enterprise. OpenNetwork is headquartered in Tampa Bay, FL, with offices throughout North America and Europe. Company partners include: Microsoft, Unisys, BEA, IBM and Plumtree. For more information, visit http://www.opennetwork.com, send an e- mail to info@opennetwork.com, or call 727.561.9500. Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive. See also: "Microsoft Announces Release of Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS) 2003."