Blogger: Gerry Gebel
If it's time for Catalyst, then it must be time for another interoperability demonstration! This year we are focusing on standards-based single sign-on to off-premise or cloud hosted applications. Of course cloud computing is all the rage this year and many enterprises are pursuing the benefits of utilizing SaaS applications plus directly accessing with more of their partner's applications. Such application scenarios can create additional usability and administrative burdens - and the purpose of this demonstration is to highlight how federation standards address the usability concerns.
Federation standards, such as SAML, WS-Federation and even OpenID and information cards can and are being used for authentication of users to off-premise applications. This demo focuses the attention to SaaS or cloud hosted applications and attempts to meet several goals, including:
- Show that federation standards are mature technologies, usable in many scenarios
- Illustrate that SaaS application vendors are already using federation standards
- Emphasize that enterprises should require SaaS support standards for SSO
In the past, interoperability demonstrations typically utilize a sample application during testing. This year, the demo includes real commercial applications - thanks to participants such as Cisco WebEx, Exostar (hosted SharePoint), eXpresso Corp, Google Apps, PivotLink, SalesForce, and even Burton Group's client web site. Other participants contributing from the federation software side include Arcot, CA, Cloud Identity, FuGen Solutions, IBM, Microsoft, Novell, OpenIAM, Ping Identity, RSA, Siemens, Sun Microsystems, Symplified, and TriCipher. FuGen Solutions and JanRain have also been developing some advanced scenarios to demonstrate how higher levels of assurance can be achieved in a federated authentication. Other organizations that have also participated include Azigo, Information Card Foundation, Microsoft Live ID, MySpace, Plaxo, and Yahoo!. Many thanks to all the participants who have been working over the last few months to bring this interop together!
A special shout also goes to Ping Identity, TriCipher, Symplified, and CA for their sponsorship to help cover interop expenses! Other sponsorships still available...
So, the interop demonstration is another reason to join us in San Diego for Catalyst - hope to see you there! Catalyst takes place July 27-31 and the demonstration will occur on the evening of July 29.
Comments