Forefront Team Blog : Geneva and Identity Platform

Microsoft to acquire Sentillion for improved healthcare through streamlined identity and access

Forefront Blogger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:20:00 GMT

Today Microsoft's Health Solutions Group announced the acquisition of Sentillion, a company based in Andover, MA which provides healthcare industry solutions for context management, user provisioning and single sign-on (SSO).

The primary goal of the acquisition is to make it easier for healthcare professionals to deliver better patient care by streamlining access to multiple IT applications and patient data. By combining Sentillion’s technologies with Microsoft Amalga UIS, Microsoft aims to give clinicians new insight about patients in real time and enable them to perform the appropriate task with unprecedented speed.

This ties to our efforts in identity & access management - part of the Business Ready Security strategy - to deliver capabilities in the Active Directory platform, and through next-generation products, such as the Microsoft Forefront Identity Manager 2010.

The acquisition brings complementary assets to Microsoft in the areas of single sign-on (SSO), user provisioning and context management that are focused on the healthcare industry. As we integrate Sentillion into Microsoft in the coming months, we will further explore synergies with Microsoft’s identity and access management solutions, such as our Forefront products.

Dark Reading, customers and analysts on TMG

Forefront Blogger — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:17:00 GMT

Leading security news site Dark Reading reports on the release of Forefront Threat Management Gateway - including some insightful quotes:

Analyst Rob Enderle: "By focusing on the employee, Microsoft is beginning to address what I believe are some of the most vulnerable parts of the current enterprise. With this, Microsoft is beginning to transition from a company trying to catch up to the market to one that is trying to lead it."

Analyst Chenxi Wang, principal analyst for security and risk management at Forrester. "This is a major step up from what ISA could do in securing Web access. If Microsoft wants to play more in the enterprise security game, it needs to add more functionality to it, and they did in this release."

Customer George Podolak of Architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, a TMG customer, uses the gateway to protect both its end users and the business from malware when its users visit social networking or other sites. "I'm not against Facebook [and we allow our users to access it], but when you're using it, we don't want you to wander off to a malware site."

Follow Forefront on Twitter

Forefront Blogger — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:11:00 GMT

If you are a Twitter fan, be sure to follow us at http://twitter.com/MS_Forefront ! Our own John "JG" Chirapurath, senior director in the MSFT Identity and Security Business Group, is leading the Forefront Tweet charge in his typically pithy way. Come join the conversation about all things identity and security.

Joel Sider

Available now: Windows Identity Foundation for building more secure, simplified access to cloud applications

Forefront Blogger — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:35:00 GMT

Today at our Professional Developers Conference Microsoft announced the availability of Windows Identity Foundation (WIF), a new extension to the .NET Framework that makes it easier for developers to create more secure applications with interoperable, identity-based access.

The software and documentation are available here. You can watch a video discussion about WIF on Channel 9 here.

WIF is ideal for both on-premises and cloud apps, and it ties closely to today’s launch of the Windows Azure, Microsoft’s cloud services platform. As part of our open platform for simplified access to both on-premises and cloud applications (formerly known as codename “Geneva”,) WIF is a key element of how Microsoft is addressing customer needs around cloud security. It also represents more progress for our Business Ready Security strategy.

Extending single sign-on from on-premises infrastructure to cloud applications is an important customer need, to simplify user login and ensure productivity. But the complexities of identity and access often block developers from quickly delivering this capability. There are too many identity technologies to choose from. Custom development of identity functionality is slow, expensive and requires developers to be identity and security experts.

WIF changes this, by providing developers with a standard approach to building identity-based access into on-premises and cloud applications using the claims-based architecture. It boosts developer productivity through a single, simplified identity model within familiar tools, such as .NET and Visual Studio.

For example, Quest Software says it was able to reduce authentication/authorization development time by 80% using WIF for its new OnDemand IT management solution hosted on Windows Azure – announced today. Quest OnDemand relies on ADFS 2.0 (beta) for authentication, too.

Online travel service leader Hogg Robinson in the UK is using WIF and ADFS 2.0, as well. Lead architect Jon Simpson said the technologies "masked many complexities, yet offered extension points throughout the solution such that we could implement all of our requirements. We welcome this new, open approach from Microsoft. We didn't have to compromise our solution anywhere!"

WIF enhances application security because it provides consistent, proven means for single sign on, federation, strong authentication and identity delegation. With WIF developers don’t have to continually re-build authentication logic, and applications can call each other securely. And, because WIF allows developers to externalize identity logic from applications, re-coding is less likely to be required as identity needs change.

Additionally, WIF is based on industry standard protocols for interoperability across heterogeneous cloud and enterprise environments.

Complementing WIF are the upcoming Active Directory Federation Services 2.0 – a role in Windows Server that allows customers to extend their existing investment in identity infrastructure to cloud applications – and Windows CardSpace 2.0, which helps end users easily navigate multiple logins and manage different personas.

Developers: Try out the Windows Identity Foundation Release Candidate

Forefront Blogger — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:46:00 GMT

Windows Identity Foundation (formerly called code name Geneva framework) is a new Microsoft .NET Framework technology that gives developers a programming model and SDK to create new advanced identity capabilities in .NET applications. It provides developers pre-built .NET security logic for building claims-aware applications, enhancing either ASP.NET or WCF applications. Windows Identity Foundation makes it easeir to build richer, more secure applications (cloud and on-premise) without being a security and identity expert. It will boost developer productivity, as a result, and enhance app security through a standard approach to federation, strong authentication and identity delegation.

The RC is available here.

Look for more information about "WIF" coming out of Microsoft's Professional Developer Conference, the week of Nov 16.

Forefront secure messaging screencast & interview

Forefront Blogger — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:15:00 GMT

Cristian Mora Aguilar, Forefront Technical PM, starts off by briefly telling us about Microsoft's secure messaging solution and what business problems it resolves. He then gives us a screencast / demo of some of the cool scenarios enabled and problems solved with the secure messaging solution. Find out how Microsoft products help secure Microsoft Exchange Server.

http://edge.technet.com/Media/Forefront-Secure-Messaging-screencast-and-interview/

MSFT Identity and Access news: Forefront Identity Manager RC1 and ADFS 2.0 SAML interoperability

Forefront Blogger — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 GMT

The RC1 release of Forefront Identity Manager 2010 (FIM) is available today here. The next version of Identity Lifecycle Manager 2007, FIM 2010 dramatically improves enterprise identity management by delivering powerful self-service capabilities for Office end-users, rich administrative tools and enhanced automation for IT professionals, and .NET and WS-* based extensibility for developers. The final release is slated for the first quarter of 2010.

What’s new in FIM RC1:

· Significant performance and scalability improvements across the product.

· Key feature enhancements, including management policy rule (MPR) explorer and capability to enable/disable MPR’s, usability improvements in the portal and ability to disable batch approve/reject of membership requests if needed. Also, a System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) management pack and configuration migration tools are new for RC1.

· The FIM 2010 user interface has enhanced usability and layout in many areas, resulting directly from RC0 customer feedback.

· The product is now rebranded as Forefront Identity Manager 2010, with a few exceptions, replacing the old “ILM 2” codename.

FIM is part of Microsoft’s continued, far-reaching commitment to enabling more secure, identity-based access to applications - on-premises and in the cloud, from virtually any location or device.

This commitment includes other solutions, such as Forefront Unified Access Gateway, and capabilities in the Windows platform, such as Active Directory Federation Services 2.0 (formerly known by codename “Geneva.”) ADFS 2.0 uses identity federation to extend Active Directory authentication and single sign-on to cloud-based services, hosted by Microsoft or others, so IT can gain flexibility and cost savings but avoid managing extra user accounts and passwords.

Another key part of our efforts in identity and access management is work across the industry to ensure interoperability. Today, for example, Microsoft was part of a Kantara Initiative and Liberty Alliance announcement. ADFS passed SAML 2.0 interoperability testing, meaning it will interoperate with heterogeneous environments and provide federation.

And, also, this week the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) is holding its Identity Management 2009 conference. Microsoft is a sponsor and participating in sessions and discussion around helping governments transparently manage citizens' identities and access to information. Lee Nackman, Microsoft vice president of the Identity and Security Division, is quoted in the OASIS press release.

"Promoting widespread use of secure and trustworthy digital identities, while preserving personal privacy and protecting civil liberties, is a critical challenge for governments and the technology industry. Working with government leaders, industry partners and consortia like OASIS, Microsoft is committed to the technical and policy innovation needed to provide citizens with safe access to resources and services, in both the public and private sectors. Identity Management 2009 will provide an ideal forum for knowledge sharing and collaboration in this area."

Steve Ballmer on The New Efficiency

Forefront Blogger — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:56:00 GMT

Making business decisions regarding IT investment is tougher than ever. To help, today Microsoft hosted a special VIP Business Leadership Roundtable event. CEO Steve Ballmer and moderator Robert Youngjohns, President of the Microsoft US Subsidiary, discussed major trends in the new role of technology in the workplace. Ballmer and Youngjohns were joined by a panel of early adopter customers representing key industries like automotive, hospitality, transportation and IT. Attendees got a close look at how real companies are making IT investments across the desktop, server, network and beyond.

How IT needs to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated users
The ever more mobile and distributed workforce, and
The impact of greater industry regulations and ongoing threats to data.

Forefront identity and security solutions, and our Business Ready Security strategy, are core parts of the way Microsoft is helping customers tackle these issues. You can view highlights of today's event and get lots of info on the range of Microsoft IT solutions - including a Business Ready Security overview, Secure Messaging, Secure Collaboration, Identity and Access Management and Information Protection at www.TheNewEfficiency.com

Forefront Identity Manager RC1 at TEC 2009

Forefront Blogger — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:49:00 GMT

Forefront Identity Manager Release Candidate 1 will be released on Sept 30 - moving closer to final release next year. In advance of the RC1 release, we will preview it this week at The Experts Conference (TEC) 2009 EMEA. TEC 2009 EMEA presents a great opportunity to showcase significant feature enhancements since RC0 including improved manageability tools, updated UI and performance enhancements. We're looking forward to seeing European customers and partners at the event and discussing identity management!

You will be able to download RC1 here on Sept 30.

The ID Element

Forefront Blogger — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:56:00 GMT

If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to pay a visit to The ID Element - the one stop shop for all things identity on Channel 9 - where you will find all kinds of material on Identity and Access Control: weekly interviews with product team members, developer how-tos, news, aggregated resources and more. There will be content for identity experts and those just getting started with the topic; content for developers and for IT Pros; discussions at the architecture level and step-by-step code guides. Most recent videos include: Alex Weinert on Forefront Identity Manager 2010 and Donovan Follette on making the shift from ADFS v1 to Geneva Server . Enjoy!

ID and Security in the Cloud

Forefront Blogger — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:50:00 GMT

Many companies and IT leaders are eager to realize the benefits of cloud computing, but security is often a concern. For example, a recent study by Maritz Research found that 59% of IT leaders in the US rated security as the biggest risk with cloud.

As part of our Business Ready Security strategy , we are taking a comprehensive approach to security across on-site and cloud infrastructure. This encompasses protection, access and management, all built around user identity and integrated with a highly secure, interoperable platform for a broad set of partner solutions. (At the Worldwide Partner Conference on 7/13, we also announced the official names of the products comprising the Forefront Protection Suite, previously known as codename “Stirling”, in an effort to align our portfolio with this broader definition of security.)

We are delivering both standalone security services and security technologies within Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure. Forefront Online Protection for Exchange is an example of a standalone service solution, providing email security for both on premise Exchange Server and Exchange Online (and other on-premise messaging systems.) Another example is System Center Online Desktop Manager, available in beta by the end of the year. It is an integrated security and management tool that will provide desktop management capabilities in the form of an online service.

Identity is a core part of our strategy, because it allows for more contextual protection and access to information and resources. With our Forefront platform, on-premise identities, such as those in Active Directory, work with cloud services. That enables simplified, secure user access to applications, such as Exchange, regardless of where the application is hosted.

Forefront's identity provisioning/de-provisioning and access management empower customers to integrate their investments in Active Directory and existing identities with cloud infrastructure. And, with solutions like Rights Management Services, in the future customers will be able to enforce persistent, identity-based policies around data anywhere it is stored, sent, or accessed - including the cloud.

We are also providing fundamental identity components for Microsoft cloud services, such as the Azure Services Platform. The Microsoft Services Connector, for example, extends identities from on premises systems to cloud services. The .Net Access Control Service issues and manages identity “claims.” Both are based on the next generation of Active Directory Federation Services, Windows Cardspace, and Windows Identity Foundation which comprise an open platform for simplified user access that works across organization boundaries for on-premise and cloud-based applications. Beta 2 of all three components is currently available.

Pushing Information Cards forward

Forefront Blogger — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:38:00 GMT

Earlier this week the international open standards consortium OASIS announced that its members - including Microsoft, IBM, EMC, CA, Novell and others - have approved Identity Metasystem Interoperability (IMI) version 1.0 as an OASIS standard. The IMI standard is an important step toward broader adoption of Information Cards - a new way for people to register, login and share information with web sites without a username and password for each site.

From the press release:

"Information Cards offer the best of both worlds—greater privacy and easier access," said Marc Goodner of Microsoft, chair of the OASIS IMI Technical Committee. "As an approved OASIS Standard, IMI assures interoperability across platforms and services, which will result in Information Card usage becoming even more widespread."

Information Cards are the digital equivalent of the cards people carry in their wallet or purse. They are stored in a new application called a card selector and carry information about a person's identity and relationship to the card provider, such as their employer, bank, library, store, etc.

Business Ready Security news at WPC

Forefront Blogger — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:01:00 GMT

This week in New Orleans Microsoft is hosting its annual Worldwide Partner Conference. We made several announcements today at the conference about our identity and security solutions. This news is part of our Business Ready Security strategy to help both partners and customers 1) protect everywhere and access anywhere, 2) integrate and extend security across the enterprise, and 3) simplify the security experience and manage compliance

Official names and pricing for “Stirling”

Forefront codename “Stirling” - the next generation of the Forefront Security Suite for integrated, comprehensive protection across endpoints, servers and the edge – will be officially known as Forefront Protection Suite (FPS).

FPS will include the products in the current suite, plus the Forefront Protection Manager (formerly known as the “Stirling” management console) and the Forefront Threat Management Gateway Web Security Service.

FPS pricing will remain the same as the current Forefront Security Suite and all of the component solutions will continue to be licensed on a subscription basis. They will also be available independently, with Forefront Protection Manager included. (Note that the Forefront Threat Management Gateway license is sold separately on a per processor basis.)

At WPC we are also announcing the following new product solution names:

· Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010 - current version is Forefront Client Security

· Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server - current version is Forefront Security for Exchange Server

· Forefront Protection 2010 for SharePoint - current version is Forefront Security for SharePoint

· Forefront Online Protection for Exchange - currently called Forefront Online Security for Exchange

· Forefront Threat Management Gateway Web Security Service - the next generation of ISA Server 2006.

The new FPS solutions are currently in beta and final versions will ship over the course of the latter half of 2009 and the first half of 2010.

Public beta 2 of Forefront Unified Access Gateway

Forefront Unified Access Gateway beta 2 is available for download at www.microsoft.com/forefront. UAG provides secure, virtually anywhere access to messaging, collaboration and other applications, increasing productivity and policy compliance. UAG also extends the benefits of Windows DirectAccess across the enterprise, enhancing scalability, deployment and management.

Official name for “Geneva”

The three components of Microsoft “Geneva” – the upcoming open platform providing simplified user access and single sign-on for cloud and on-premises applications – have the following names:

· Active Directory Federation Services – formerly known as “Geneva” Server

· Windows Identity Foundation – formerly known as “Geneva” Framework

· Windows Cardspace – same as current version

Partner opportunities

At WPC partners will learn about how the solutions above offer tremendous opportunity to better meet the identity and security needs of customers...and to build their own businesses. Since announcing a $75 million investment in our partner ecosystem at WPC last year, we have seen very strong partner development and growth.

For example, we have seen a 50% increase in participation in the Security Software Advisors (SSA) program, which offers fees to partners who influence deployment. The Security Solutions Competency, which enables partners to differentiate themselves as experts, is one of the fastest growing competencies in Microsoft’s history and in the last year grew 46% in participation. This year we anticipate quadrupling the number of identity and security partners we support with training, marketing and customer engagement.

Server & Tools Business Exec discusses state of IT, answers your questions on June 23

Forefront Blogger — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:15:00 GMT

Are you interested in hearing about how other IT pros are reacting to economic conditions and where they’re investing (particularly security?)

Do you have questions about Microsoft’s efforts to help IT be more cost effective and deliver new solutions to business?

Is there a connection between virtualization and cloud computing?

On Tuesday, June 23rd from 10:30am – 11:00am (PDT), join a teleconference with Bob Kelly, corporate VP of Infrastructure Server Marketing. Bob will talk about the state of IT within the context of results from a new Harris Interactive study of 1,200 IT professionals from the U.S., United Kingdom, Japan and Germany. The study was commissioned by Microsoft’s Server & Tools Business. There will be time for your questions following the brief presentation. Submit questions over the phone or you can submit them at any time leading up to or during the teleconference by tweeting with the Twitter hashtag, #qs4ms. If you are interested in attending, please REGISTER NOW. Once you open the invite box, you can save and close to your calendar.

Trial and win!

Forefront Blogger — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:36:00 GMT

Check out the Forefront Trial Download Sweepstakes:

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Now, through June 30, 2009, every time you download a different Microsoft Forefront trial software product, you’ll help keep your business safe and have a chance to win big in the Microsoft Forefront Trial Download Sweepstakes."