ADFS Documentation Blog

Need help Troubleshooting ADFS? Check out the ADFS Diag Tool...

nickp — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:15:00 GMT

It's no secret, troubleshooting ADFS can be tough. That's why a few key members from our ADFS Test Team (Krish Shenoy and Marcelo Mas) took it upon themselves to create a diagnostics tool that can make troubleshooting ADFS much easier. I am inserting an image of a flyer we created recently (just click the image to see it expanded) that explains what the tool does and how you can use it. I am also inserting a couple of links below since they don't show up hot when you click on them in the image. Enjoy!

Where to get the tool - http://blogs.technet.com/adfs/archive/2007/11/01/adfs-diagnostic-tool.aspx

Where to send feedback - http://blogs.technet.com/adfs/default.aspx

Updated content for troubleshooting AD FS in Windows Server 2008 is now live

nickp — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:34:00 GMT

Additional AD FS event driven troubleshooting content has just been added to the Windows Server 2008 TechCenter web site today. Please take a look and let us know if you have any feedback or suggestions.

NEW - AD FS Design and Deployment Content for Windows Server 2008

nickp — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:18:00 GMT

We have updated the R2 version of the ADFS Design and Deployment Guides so that they now include Win2k8 specific guidance (where necessary). Most of the content changes are in the Deployment guide and address the various UI changes from R2 to Win2k8. Take a look and let us know if you have any feedback.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/servermanager/activedirectoryfederationservices.mspx

Windows Server 2008 AD FS Design and Deployment Guides coming soon!

nickp — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:30:00 GMT

Just wanted to give you all a heads up that we are in the last stages of the web publishing cycle to upload the new Windows Server 2008 version of the AD FS Design and Deployment Guides. I'll be in touch soon with more details.

New AD FS V1 Content on MSDN!

jim.causey — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:20:00 GMT

Jason Wells has worked closely with the AD FS development team to produce some targeted enhancements to the AD FS SDK. These new topics include:

Customizing Client Logon and Home Realm Discovery Pages

This topic discusses the customization of the AD FS user experience.

Claims-Aware Applications

Claims-aware applications can make authorization decisions based on the identity, group, or custom claims that can be passed between entities.

Custom Claims Transformation Modules

Custom claims transformation modules are custom authentication modules that allow you to authenticate users based on custom business logic, such as confirmation against a SQL Server table.

Managing Trust Policy

This topic includes scripts that allow you to maintain AD FS trust policy settings.

As we move ahead with Windows Server 2008 and the future of AD FS, please don't hesitate to let us know what other topics you'd like to see us cover in the AD FS SDK, either via comments on this blog or via the MSDN Community Content pages.

New RMS/ADFS Webcast

nickp — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:50:00 GMT

Just found out about a new ADFS Webcast that was released earlier this month. Check out the details below:

Title: Secure Collaboration in an Interconnected World with Rights Management Services and Active Directory Federation Services (Level 200)

Description: In this session, we look at how organizations can enable their users to collaborate securely with people in other companies by using Windows Server 2008 Rights Management Services (RMS) in conjunction with Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS).

Presenter: David Hastie

Click here to Register (prerecorded): http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032353810&culture=en-US

New Windows Server 2008 Troubleshooting Content Now Available on the Web!

nickp — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:17:00 GMT

I know, I know. Windows Server 2008 hasn't even shipped yet and here we are releasing new AD FS event driven troubleshooting content. First, let me assure you that this is very good content and that it will help you to take out some of the guess work that is often involved when it comes time to try and interpret how exactly to fix a problem based solely on the text from one or more event messages. To clarify further, this new content goes a step beyond the already verbose User Action text we provide in AD FS event messages by providing additional troubleshooting and verification procedures that walk you through exactly how to fix a specific problem.

Just in case your curious, the idea going forward is for Microsoft to provide folks in IT with additional troubleshooting content at or before the time a new Windows Server product ships. This new way of thinking is based on the common engineering criteria (CEC) initiative that was put in place some time ago and is largely based on customer feedback. This specific event driven troubleshooting content is also sometimes referred to as a Health Model for a given technology area. Additional updates to the AD FS Health Model content are planned for the January 2008 timeframe.

Introducing the ADFS/IBM Tivoli Step-by-Step Guide!

nickp — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 23:20:00 GMT

Here is yet another fine ADFS interop document authored by Dave Martinez. This new document titled ADFS Step-by-Step Guide: Federation with IBM Tivoli Federated Identity Manager has you install and configure IBM's Tivoli federation software to work with your existing ADFS test lab (which you create using the original ADFS Step-by-Step Guide). If you give it a try please make sure and send us your feedback.

By the way, a new ADFS/Oracle interop paper should be available within the next couple of weeks. I'll make sure and post once it becomes available.

AD FS V1 Content in July MSDN Update, and a new writer!

jim.causey — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:56:00 GMT

We've dropped the content update for July's MSDN update. We weren't able to touch all of the promised content in time for the drop, but we'll give you a more complete list when it shows up on MSDN.

I'd like to introduce you to Jason Wells, an experienced programming writer on my team who will be helping out with the AD FS SDK over the next few weeks. We're going to take advantage of this opportunity to fill out some badly needed content in the AD FS SDK.

As always, if there's anything specific you want to see pushed to the top of our stack, let us know. We'll be back soon with more information about what topics to expect, and when to expect them.

New AD FS event-based troubleshooting content coming soon

nickp — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 16:31:00 GMT

Soon new event driven troubleshooting content will be available for those of you using AD FS in Windows Server 2008. This content can be most useful in cases where you have been provided with one or more AD FS event message and are not sure how to resolve the issue.

This content is complete but is currently in the review stages. As always, I'll post here as soon as this content goes live to the web.

Coming in July: AD FS V1 SDK Content!

jim.causey — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:41:00 GMT

I've been away working on some other documentation, but am rolling back onto the Federated Identity scene ready to rock!The AD FS team and I are working together in a small window to develop some V1 SDK content to release for the July MSDN update.

Given time and resource constraints, it'll be a small update; however, I think it'll be a good one. We're going to focus on a couple of issues that come up time and again for AD FS developers based on that master list I brought up in a previous post. We're also going to try and leverage the new Community Content feature on MSDN Online to make it simpler for us to get you critical information in between the more formal updates.

Once we get the TOC nailed down in the next couple of working days, I'll get back to you all with more details. I can tell you that, based on popular demand, we're going to cover custom claims transformation.

As always, if you have other requests or suggestions for the AD FS SDK, feel free to post a comment or drop me a message!

ADFS/SiteMinder Step-by-Step Guide now available!

nickp — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:13:00 GMT

Using this step-by-step guide, titled ADFS Step-by-Step Guide: Federation with CA SiteMinder Federation Security Services, you can now successfully configure an ADFS/SiteMinder test lab environment. Note: This guide assumes you have an ADFS test lab in place that is based on the original ADFS step-by-step guide and that you have access to SiteMinder software.

Let us know what you think.

AD FS LH Beta 3 content is now available!

nickp — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:36:00 GMT

The AD FS Longhorn TechCenter page is now live and contains links to all AD FS content associated with the LH Beta 3 release. Please spread the word and feel free to let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions.

New AD FS content coming soon for the upcoming LH Beta 3 release

nickp — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:35:00 GMT

Good news. The following new content will become available on the web sometime late next week:

AD FS Overview
What's New in AD FS for Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 3?
Step-by-Step Guide for AD FS in Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 3

I'll let you know when these docs go live.