RSA, The Security Division of EMC, and Passlogix announced an expanded strategic partnership that will result in tighter integration between the RSA SecurID two-factor authentication system and the Passlogix v-GO Sign-On Platform – market-leading strong authentication and enterprise single sign-on (ESSO) technologies, respectively. The new terms of the relationship also provide for the transition of responsibilities for RSA’s own ESSO solution, RSA Sign-on Manager, to Passlogix.

Under the terms of this expanded strategic partnership, Passlogix will become a certified RSA SecurID reseller and plans to natively integrate support for RSA SecurID authentication technology into the v-GO Sign-on Platform. This solution will be designed to provide customers with a one-stop shop for the v-GO software with RSA SecurID two-factor authentication, resulting in a simplified experience for end users and administrators and a more seamless deployment process. The integrated solution will be available directly from Passlogix and Passlogix’s OEM and channel partners.

The new agreement extends a strategic partnership that began in 2003 when RSA licensed Passlogix’s v-GO technology as the foundation of the RSA Sign-On Manager product. Combined use of the companies’ technologies helps enable enterprises to provide the security of two-factor authentication at Microsoft Windows logon and automated single sign-on to virtually any application, system or platform.

“The growing use of enterprise single sign-on solutions is driving a parallel increase in demand for two-factor authentication. When deployed together, the two technologies are engineered to create a compelling solution for improving user productivity, reduce password management costs, and improve an organization’s security posture,” said Toffer Winslow, RSA’s Vice President of Product Management & Product Marketing. “The expansion of the strategic partnership between RSA and Passlogix brings together two market leaders to deliver a robust, integrated solution while simultaneously enhancing RSA’s ability to execute on its mission of delivering information-centric security.”

Under the agreement:

Passlogix and RSA will work together to tighten integration between v-GO software and RSA SecurID technology for seamless user authentication, to both desktops and shared workstations, without the need for multiple application passwords and Windows logons. The improved integration will apply to v-GO Authentication Manager and v-GO Credential Manager, v-GO add-on modules that support strong authentication deployments and simplify provisioning and de-provisioning of any two-factor authentication device.  This portion of the agreement is unique, making Passlogix the only ESSO vendor authorized to embed RSA SecurID into its sign-on platform.

Passlogix will become a reseller of RSA SecurID technology, enabling organizations to purchase v-GO software and RSA SecurID hardware and software products without going to separate suppliers. This will further simplify combined ESSO and strong authentication deployments, which represent a large and growing portion of the ESSO implementations seen by both companies.

Responsibility for the support, development and maintenance of the RSA Sign-On Manager solution will undergo a controlled transition to Passlogix, with a defined emphasis on the protection of existing customer investments.  RSA will deliver a major new release of RSA Sign-on Manager later this year to add important functionality requested by certain customers.  Passlogix will support the new version as well as existing deployments for a period of three years; offer free-of-charge migration to the v-GO platform through December 2010; and embed personnel in the RSA Sign-On Manager Development and Customer Support teams to facilitate knowledge transfer.  In addition, Passlogix intends to add a range of differentiating features from RSA Sign-on Manager into the v-GO platform, including RSA’s patented IntelliAccess technology, to further enhance the v-GO platform and ensure a smooth transition for RSA’s ESSO customers.

“This is a far-reaching agreement that will improve the ability of enterprises around the world to provide secure and easy access to business applications,” said Marc Boroditsky, CEO and president of Passlogix.“Pairing the best-of-breed ESSO and strong authentication solutions makes perfect sense and gives the market an integrated package that offers streamlined deployment.”

The v-GO platform is the market’s leading ESSO system with more than 6 million licenses sold. It is built around v-GO SSO (v-GO Single Sign-On), which automatically and securely signs the user into enterprise applications after a single network logon without requiring additional identification and authentication processes.  Five add-on products extend v-GO’s single sign-on capabilities to any form of strong authentication and to kiosk environments; enable identity provisioning systems to automatically inject user credentials into v-GO SSO for provisioned accounts; enable self-service reset of forgotten Windows passwords; and centralize management of strong authentication devices.

RSA SecurID technology is the world's leading two-factor user authentication solution, with more than 30 million tokens issued. RSA SecurID technology reliably proves user identities with a time-synchronous one-time passcode that changes every 60 seconds.The product enables mobile and remote users to gain secure access to network and online resources. It can protect Microsoft Windows desktops inside the enterprise; web, administrative and wireless access; and enterprise, web and federated single-sign on user communities.

EMC to Keynote Virtualization Conference & Expo
Jeff Nick, SVP and CTO of EMC, will be delivering the June 26, 2007 Keynote at SOA World Conference & Expo 2007, which is colocating with Virtualization Conference & Expo 2007.

"The confluence of several mature architectural paradigms with new user-centric paradigms will drive the next generation of IT," explains Nick. "Next generation IT," he continues, "will be based on the combination of model-driven architecture and service-oriented architecture applied to applications, information delivery, and IT resources alike."

"The agility gained in IT infrastructure coupled with highly configurable, lightweight, 'last mile' visualization technologies will dramatically increase the relevance and reactivity of IT to the business. By applying these architectures, technologies and open standards to the problems faced by IT we can focus on qualities of service delivery of IT in support of business value."

At the end of keynote presentation by the CTO of EMC, "Services Oriented Infrastructure in a Web 2.0, Virtualized World," delegates will understand the impact of service orientation on IT infrastructure; they will also understand the relevant architectures, technologies and standards.

Nick joined EMC in September 2004 from IBM, where he held the distinguished title of IBM Fellow, the highest technical honor that IBM bestows on its IT innovators. During his 24-year career with IBM, he filed more than 80 inventions and holds more than 50 U.S. patents in computer systems technology. Most recently, he was vice president, Architecture and Design, eBusiness On Demand, responsible for the design and architecture of IBM's On Demand initiative.

He also led IBM's Grid Computing strategy, responsible for the definition and evolution of IBM's Open Grid Services Architecture.

Nick began his IBM career as a software engineer focusing on the System 390 MVS operating system, and he eventually became the lead architect for the S/390 z-series platform and eServer initiative. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Marist College with a B.S. in finance.

Virtualization Conference & Expo (www.virtualizationconference.com) will take place on June 25-27, 2007, at the historic Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. The event is expected to attract over 1,000 developers, architects, IT managers, and software professionals of every stripe who will be converging in New York City to attend the first comprehensive meeting on Virtualization.

Virtualization Conference & Expo is sponsored by SYS-CON’s “Virtualization Journal” (www.virtualization.sys-con.com).