Hewlett-Packard Co’s dispensed with the requirement that customers wanting to implement single sign-on policies for users install DCE Distributed Computing Environment cells. From next quarter HP will offer a DCE-free SSO single sign-on mechanism ostensibly for use with its Praesidium suite of security tools and applications, though it can also be used independently of the security framework, the company claims. HP’s OEMing the SSO software from Swedish company DynaSoft AB, Stockholm, which markets the technology as Boks. Previously, HP’s single sign-on solution was available only through DCE and the security services provided by Open Horizon Inc. HP says SSO enables administrators to provide users with a single point of access to applications distributed across heterogeneous systems from Windows 3.x or NT desktops. The GUI management console runs on an HP-UX workstation and is being integrated with HP’s OpenView IT Operations interface. Applications won’t have to be altered to accommodate SSO agents, according to HP. The SSO server component utilizes pre-existing security domains where they exist – as well as Praesidium applications such as Authorization Server – and provides Unix, NT, NetWare, MVS, Oracle and Sybase and application access. Optional items include encrypted smart cards providing application access details which are being produced by Philips. Users must keep them plugged into their desktops to access working environments and applications. Eventually the Imagine smart cards which are being created in association with Gemplus SA and Informix to encrypt data for use within HP’s ICF International Cryptography Framework, will be available for use with SSO. SSO costs from $60 to $200 per client and $10 per users for the server software depending on how many seats are purchased. There’s an awful lot missing from the first incarnation. Windows 95, OS/2 and Informix support is due in the third quarter, along with web-enablement and email connectivity, more mainframe connections, Tuxedo OLTP support, SAP, PeopleSoft and other application support, DCE and Kerebos connectivity, and multi-platform SSO toolkits. In the fourth quarter HP will add support for HP-UX workstation clients and Notes, SAS, Baan and Open Horizon applications, plus integration with other Praesidium services and the OpenView network management suite. Meantime, HP has added Entrust and SAP and to its roster of supporters for ICF, which supports multiple cryptographics APIs, Novell’s expected on board too. HP’s porting its Praesidium Authorization Server to Oracle; it currently uses an embedded Informix database. Dynasoft’s US subsidiary Securix Inc is based in Sunnyvale, California.
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