IBM Enhances Global Sign-on for Multiplatforms
Includes Support for TME 10, Lotus Notes and Multiple Platforms
San Francisco (January 12, 1998) – IBM today announced Global Sign-On* for Multiplatforms V 1.5, enhancing its capabilities for providing customers with a secure sign-on point of entry for all their computing resources with the following new features:
Support for Tivoli’s TME 10 (Tivoli Management Enterprise) Administrators can now manage Global Sign-On users and Global Sign-On target systems through the TME 10 User Administration interface. With this support, IBM provides the strongest level of integration for a single sign-on product in the marketplace.
Support for Lotus Notes**, PeopleSoft and OS/400 applications This support provides even more convenience, by eliminating additional passwords for Global Sign-On users and network administrators.
Server support for Windows NT** and Sun Solaris** and client support for Windows 95** By providing support for these additional platforms, IBM makes the convenience of Global Sign-On available to a whole new set of users.
IBM continues its already strong support of multiple platforms and systems with this announcement. In addition to these enhancements, Global Sign-On supports OS/2* and Windows NT** 4.0 client workstations and is capable of logging the user onto mainframe systems, OS/2 Lan Server*, OS/2 Warp Server*, Novell NetWare**, Microsoft NT Server**, DB2/6000*, Informix**, Microsoft SQL Server**, Oracle**, and Sybase**.
Our strategy is to provide a single sign-on solution which is expandable to meet the needs of our customers and we began by creating a solution which uses existing, open technologies such as Kerberos Security, said Phyllis Byrne, vice president of IBM Distributed Systems Services. We are now evolving Global Sign-On by adding additional support and integration with our Tivoli TME 10 management system. In the near future you will see additional support added for token card/smart card integration, biometric devices, access to web-based resources, lightweight Java clients, and LDAP directories.
IBM Global Sign-On features a single logon interface that requires only one password instead of several, simplifying access to files, applications, printers and database servers anywhere in the enterprise. As a result, Global Sign-On provides a long list of security and productivity benefits:
Extendibility – GSO supports applications from native/home-grown systems without additional logons to give users the flexibility to add new applications and minimize the programming effort needed to support them.
Easy Integration – Based on open standards, GSO integrates with existing operating systems and reduces enterprise security exposures by providing secure authentication, authorization and data confidentiality.
Availability – GSO supports multiple servers to give users 7×24 access to their computing resources.
Connectivity – GSO provides transparent logon to the industry’s leading databases.
As heterogeneous systems proliferate, administrators face increased complexity, dynamic change, and inconsistent management tools, said Mark McClain, vice president, Enterprise Business Unit, Tivoli Systems Inc. We are pleased that Global Sign-On has included support for TME 10 User Administration. The integration of the two solutions will enable new levels of corporate productivity by providing both the user and administrator with tools for accessing multiple systems.
Source: IBM