Identity discussions at Digital ID World, Part 2

Security: Identity Management This newsletter sponsored by Courion Corporation White Paper: Results Driven Provisioning Download the latest white paper from Courion, the provisioning and access compliance experts, to learn best practices for developing a user provisioning and access management strategy, evaluate key considerations when selecting an automated provisioning solution, and Courion's results-oriented approach to automated user provisioning. Network World's Security: Identity Management Newsletter, 10/10/07 Identity discussions at Digital ID World, Part 2 By Dave Kearns This is my last review of the people and things I saw at the recent Digital ID World (DIDW) conference, so let’s jump right in. Stephane Fymat, Passlogix VP of product management was as ebullient as ever. I do find it fascinating that all of the folks from this company, which has been the premier provider of SSO for a dozen years, continue to be upbeat when dealing with what’s really a fairly mundane area of the business. Of course, if you think it only does single sign-on, you need to check out its product list to see what it’s been up to. Compuware Covisint is not a name that rolls trippingly off the tongue. But when well-established Compuware bought well-known Covisint, no one could come up with a better name (all the good domain names are taken, you know). Still, it’s what it does that’s important, isn’t it? And that “something” is Covisint Trusted Authorization Manager, an outsourced identity management offering for healthcare that makes the provisioning and management of access to external identities simple, secure, fast and repeatable. Seriously, that’s what it told me. And, since it has been in the authorization space for a long time, I tend to believe it. You should take a look. Webcast: Get the latest on NAC Learn the latest on Network Access Control in Network World's Perspectives Editorial Webcast. Discover how IT professionals can leverage this hot security technology in their networks, while also learning about key management areas that have not yet been perfected. To learn more click here. I was supposed to meet with Sun’s Don Bowen, he’s a “distinguished marketing director,” but when I saw him in his Green Bay Packers shirt I knew that would not be a productive meeting for this Oakland Raiders fan. Plus, ever since Don got his face on a poster plastered all over the walls at Sun, he’s had a bit of a rock star persona. I’m meeting with the rest of the identity management team in the near future so I can give you the inside scoop. Sun’s Pat Patterson, Mark Dixon and Rakesh Radhakrishnan did provide interesting conversation, though, about not only Sun's identity management products and strategy, but also the work of the Liberty Alliance and Sun's new OpenID technology. Finally (for today), in his keynote address, Burton Group CEO Jamie Lewis reminded us about Bob Blakely’s Catalyst talk defining an “identity oracle,” an enterprise that would act for other enterprises to assert the validity of an identity without actually giving away identity information. Think of being able to buy a drink by asserting that you were “over 21” without having to flash a driver’s license. The first such business has been spotted “in the wild.” Privo acts on behalf of both children and their parents to provide minimally required data to authorize kids at approved Web sites. Watch for this niche to grow.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: Dave Kearns is the editor of IdM, the Journal of Identity Management as well as a consultant to both vendors and users of IdM technologies. He's written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print "Complete Guide to eDirectory." His other musings can be found at the Virtual Quill, an Internet publisher which 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. Comments to this newsletter can be e-mailed to Dave here.  This newsletter sponsored by Courion Corporation White Paper: Results Driven Provisioning Download the latest white paper from Courion, the provisioning and access compliance experts, to learn best practices for developing a user provisioning and access management strategy, evaluate key considerations when selecting an automated provisioning solution, and Courion's results-oriented approach to automated user provisioning. ARCHIVE Archive of the Security: Identity Management Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: security.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007