RSA finds new identity and access in partnerships
Security vendor signs deals with Microsoft and Accenture
Security vendor RSA has signed partnerships with Microsoft and Accenture for its Identity and Access Management product range.
Microsoft will build RSA's ClearTrust 5.5 web access management into its own identity and access software, the firms announced at the RSA Security Conference in Amsterdam.
Also RSA will team up with IT services firm Accenture and Thor Technologies to offer Accelerated I&AM Delivery Solution, an end-to-end identity management package.
"This is a logical progression of our relationship with Microsoft," said John Worrall, vice-president of worldwide marketing at RSA.
"We'll be working at a business level to support our products with Microsoft. We're also working on new interoperability standards to improve integration with servers."
The system will be available only to Windows Server 2003 users. It is compatible with Internet Information Services 6.0 and supports Active Directory, and allows system administrators to manage users' web and virtual private network access by assigning policies to specific user identities, the firms have claimed.
The Accenture deal will see RSA working on providing secure systems in association with Thor, with each installed system being tailored to the specific needs of the client.
Alastair MacWillson, global head of the security practice at Accenture, said: "Identity security and access management are critical business issues in all industries."
Des Lekerman, managing director of reseller Eurodata Systems, saw the latest evolution of RSA and Microsoft's growing relationship as positive for both sides.
"Microsoft is looking to make its systems more secure, particularly with authentication, and the best way to do that is by partnering with best-of-breed technology providers," he said.
According to Stephen Bacon, founder of security systems integrator NetConnect: "RSA wants to take its technology to all areas of the market, and Microsoft is clearly the one to go for."