Forefront Identity Manager 2010 R2 Now Available

Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) 2010 R2 is now generally available!  FIM 2010 R2 adds many new capabilities to help organizations handle the growing complexity of managing identity and permissions across heterogeneous systems.  We feel that 2010 R2 is the best FIM release yet – and wanted to review just a few of the new capabilities you’ll find inside.

Improved Self-service Password Reset
A cornerstone of the FIM 2010 experience has always been enabling end users to manage their own identity – a key part of which is making it possible to reset passwords.  Password resets can be an incredibly expensive burden for helpdesks – with some studies showing the cost as high as $10 per reset!  They also bring their share of user frustration, with password policies that vary across systems and delays in helpdesk response.  First introduced as part of FIM 2010, Self Service Password Reset (SSPR) has been significantly improved for FIM 2010 R2.  Now with an improved enrollment process, deploying SSPR is easier than ever.  We’ve also extended the password reset portal to work with many of the most popular web browsers available (including Internet Explorer, of course!), and now support extranet-based reset experiences as well.  Together, the browser-based reset and extranet support mean that your users can resolve password issues wherever they are, from nearly any device.

Role Based Access Control
Microsoft acquired BHOLD Software in 2011 as part of our ongoing commitment to deliver the comprehensive set of tools our customers need to tackle their identity challenges.  As part of the FIM 2010 R2 release, the BHOLD software is extended to all FIM 2012 R2 customers.  Any customer purchasing FIM 2010 R2, or currently under Software Assurance is now licensed to take advantage of the many capabilities within the Microsoft BHOLD Suite.

The Microsoft BHOLD Suite allows customers to easily define and manage access based on user roles.  Roles are mapped to multiple permissions across many systems, simplifying access privileges from the user perspective.  This capability also helps ensure that access rights are maintained over time – even during position, location, and responsibility changes.  Once in place, the BHOLD Suite can be used to help demonstrate compliance with organizational and industry/governmental regulations, saving valuable time.

But Wait, There’s More!
In case that wasn’t enough, there are many other areas in which FIM 2010 R2 offers improved functionality.

• In response to popular demand, we’re happy to say that we’ve made significant improvements to the reporting engine.  FIM 2012 R2 now leverages the System Center Service Manager Data Warehouse to store and display reports.  Since the System Center Service Manager Data Warehouse is built around SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), reports may be run through that interface as well.
• To more easily connect your third-party business applications, we’ve made the new WebServices Connector available on the Microsoft Download Center.  The WebServices Connector is used to connect to SAP ECC 5/6, Oracle PeopleSoft, and Oracle eBusiness. It is an optional component for FIM 2010 Update 2 and FIM 2010 R2 and can be used on either version.
• You’ll also see lots of improvements in the areas of performance, simplified deployment and troubleshooting, better documentation, and more language support.

Hopefully I’ve conveyed just a bit about how excited we are about this latest release of FIM 2010 R2.  Now that we’ve given you a snapshot of what to expect, please check out http://www.microsoft.com/fim for more information -- and download an evaluation version of FIM 2010 R2!

Josh Heller
Sr. Product Manager
Forefront Identity Manager