IT Vocabulary Builder
Single Sign-On
Feb 11th
The Information Technology (IT) Vocabulary Builder series aims to deliver a very concise summary of a currently relevant topic to Information Professionals. It is done mostly by collecting a small number of highly relevant web links to save you the time of combing through search results yourself. It differs from sites such as Wikipedia because it includes opinions, forecasts, and detractions in addition to just facts.
Today’s term is Single Sign-On. This is how Wikipedia defines the it:
“Single sign-on (SSO) is a property of access control of multiple, related, but independent software systems. With this property a user logs in once and gains access to all systems without being prompted to log in again at each of them. Single sign-off is the reverse property whereby a single action of signing out terminates access to multiple software systems.
As different applications and resources support different authentication mechanisms, single sign-on has to internally translate to and store different credentials compared to what is used for initial authentication.”
Essentially, it is the practice of setting up one, very-high security fence for your users to cross. Once they pass this tough security check-point, then they have ability to use all of the system resources without having to deal with another user-intrusive validation procedure. If your information system is a castle, then the single sign-on is the main gate and the computing resources are all of the shops in the castle market that is inside the walls and moat. The opposing model is one, very similar to the Internet, where users get asked for differing usernames, passwords, and security tokens before they get access to individual pages, databases, and programs.
Single Sign-On protocols usually invoke very hard security requirements to make sure that users are authenticated, validated, and properly approved for access at that once check. Solutions usually involve some or all of the following:
- Usernames
- Strong passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)
- Hardware Tokens
- Random number generators
- Digital certificates
- Access Control Lists
- Smart cards
Here are some of the reasons why one might be interested in instituting a single sign-on solution:
- Users are more willing to be inconvenienced with complicated security protocols once and actually follow them. This means that you can really come up with a high-powered “lock” and they will be willing to use it. This prevents the “writing the password on a sticky” problem as well as the one password for many places challenge.
- Having a single repository protocol for security services permits less vulnerabilities due to software or hardware faults.
- Troubleshooting of security processes is significantly simplified when only one system is in use.
- Vendors can develop products for your system and evoke security as a service.
- Disavowing a user is simplified for human resources because they only have to expunge them from one service vice many.
- You can use completely open source services to maximize forward looking compatibility.
- Alternatively, you can use completely proprietary systems to employ “security through obscurity” concepts and be comfortable that you can replace the entire single-sign on component at a future date if desired or required.
As you can see there are potentially many reasons to consider a cross grade.
What are some of the disadvantages?
- Complexity. These solutions are rarely easy, simple, or straight forward.
- Installation Expense. Good solutions require investments in people, products, and training. This is not the place to short change.
- Recurring Expense. If you choose solutions that require hardware tokens or third-party certificates, then you will be stuck purchasing them forever.
- People. If you only have one gate, then you had better make sure that your gate guards know what they are doing and how it works. If you choose an obscure or complicated system then you need to be ready to pay for the right people here.
- Fault Tolerance. If you have one gate and it gets stuck up then you entire system is out of commission. You need to have back-up plans that don’t remove all of the security advantages of the Single Sign-On system by creating back doors.
Here are some of the best links on the subject that I found in my search of the web:
- Wikipedia – Single Sign-On. Contains a great pros and cons as well as resources section.
- The Open Group – Single Sign-On. Contains open source specifications, solutions, and white papers.
- IBM – Build and implement a single sign-on solution. Industry best practices, Java implementation guide, and commercial products to achieve goals.
- Novell – Secure Login Solutions. Includes ROI calculators, product comparisons, implementation guides, and white papers.
I have used many Single Sign-On solutions. Overall, I think that if you properly procure the solution after a formal process of defining your requirements, manning for success, and training your people the benefits of these solutions far outweigh their costs. I am a big proponent of their employment.
Hopefully, this introduction to the vocabulary word was valuable for you. Considering all the options for optimizing knowledge management is a core competency of all Information Technology Professionals.
That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for February 11, 2010 by Scott Coughlin.
Image Credit: Positiv-it
IT Vocabulary Builder: Blade Servers
Dec 17th
The Information Technology (IT) Vocabulary Builder series aims to deliver a very concise summary of a currently relevant topic to Information Professionals. It is done mostly by collecting a small number of highly relevant web links to save you the time of combing through search results yourself. It differs from sites such as Wikipedia because it includes opinions, forecasts, and detractions in addition to just facts.
Seems that everywhere that you go these days in Data Centers somebody is babbling about Blade Servers. Some love them and think that they are the second coming of Enterprise Computing and others wonder why we took a good thing and broke it. Either way, they are the current state of the art in major Data Centers and coming to ever smaller IT instantiations near you. So what exactly are they and why do they matter?
This is how Wikipedia defines it:
“A blade server is a stripped down server computer with a modular design optimized to minimize the use of physical space. Whereas a standard rack-mount server can function with (at least) a power cord and network cable, blade servers have many components removed to save space, minimize power consumption and other considerations, while still having all the functional components to be considered a computer.
A blade enclosure, which can hold multiple blade servers, provides services such as power, cooling, networking, various interconnects and management—though different blade providers have differing principles around what to include in the blade itself (and sometimes in the enclosure altogether). Together, blades and the blade enclosure form the blade system.”
Basically, a blade server is a computer reduced to a single integrated, swappable, standard sized and ported, enclosure where size is the critical factor. Through reductions in footprint, remote management, and cooling/power efficiencies you achieve a four factor increase in CPU cycles per cubic foot while saving on real estate costs and system administrators.
The best industry site on the technology that I found was the Blade Computing Community site. It has wonderful articles and includes this list of benefits:
Blade Server Benefits
- Reduced Space Requirements – Greater density provides up to 35 to 45 percent improvement compared to tower or rack mounted servers.
- Reduced Power Consumption and Improved Power Management – consolidating power supplies into the blade chassis reduces the number of separate power supplies needed and reduces the power requirements per server.
- Lower Management Cost – server consolidation and resource centralization simplifies server deployment, management and administration and improves management and control.
- Simplified Cabling – rack mount servers, while helping consolidate servers into a centralized location, create wiring proliferation. Blade servers simplify cabling requirements and reduce wiring by up to 70 percent. Power cabling, operator wiring (keyboard, mouse, etc.) and communications cabling (Ethernet, SAN connections, cluster connection) are greatly reduced.
- Future Proofing Through Modularity – as new processor, communications, storage and interconnect technology becomes available, it can be implemented in blades that install into existing equipment, upgrading server operation at a minimum cost and with no disruption of basic server functionality.
- Easier Physical Deployment – once a blade server chassis has been installed, adding additional servers is merely a matter of sliding in additional blades into the chassis. Software management tools simplify the management and reporting functions for blade servers. Redundant power modules and consolidated communication bays simplify integration into datacenters and increase reliability.
Dell, HP, and IBM also have terrific project pages that explain, in detail, why you might want this form factor for your next project. If nothing else, these type of dedicated brand sites tell you that there is huge money at stake in this arena.
If you have never gotten to visit a data center or IT hub that uses all blade servers, it is something that, professionally, I recommend. It will change your paradigms about Enterprise Computing and lead you to different insights and expectations about it. As I mentioned earlier, I think that as an industry model Blade Servers will continue to appear in smaller and smaller IT builds until they are at the small business size. Now is a great time to bone up on the technology. Hopefully, my article helped you get started. Thanks.
That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for December 17, 2009 ©Scott Coughlin.
Image Credit: Dell
IT Vocabulary Builder: Microsoft Certified Professional
Dec 14th
The Information Technology (IT) Vocabulary Builder series aims to deliver a very concise summary of a currently relevant topic to Information Professionals. It is done mostly by collecting a small number of highly relevant web links to save you the time of combing through search results yourself. It differs from sites such as Wikipedia because it includes opinions, forecasts, and detractions in addition to just facts.
Depending on what part of the Information Technology Professional field you are in and what you customer base looks like (federal, public, private, or small company) you either have tons of Microsoft Certified Professionals running all around you or you may have never met one. What exactly does this term mean and is it a standard, a term or art, or one of science?
This is how Wikipedia defines it:
Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) broadly refers to all Microsoft certifications. But it can also refer to an individual who completes any exam within the program (subject to some exclusions).
The MCP program offers multiple certifications, based on different areas of technical expertise. To attain these certifications, a candidate must pass a series of exams within the program. The current generation of certifications are Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), the Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA), Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).
Basically, if you have ever earned a single Microsoft certificate for any product or service, then you are permitted to call yourself a Microsoft Certified Professional. The Term itself does not tell you what the person is certified for or what their expertise is. It also does not convey a level of expertise – journeyman or master.
Most of the entry level Microsoft Certifications are earned by successfully passing an examination. Most people need to complete an associated training course in order to get enough level of knowledge to successfully pass the exam, though some can do it just by purchasing written or audio study manuals and using them. In some cases, the higher level certs also have experience requirements and prerequisite certs.
New Horizons is one of the premier education centers providing full service training and examination for this program. Here is how they define it:
Microsoft Certified Professional Description
Individuals with expertise in a particular Microsoft® product can pursue the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) credential. MCPs have demonstrated in-depth knowledge of at least one Microsoft product. The MCP credential provides a helpful first step on the way to other Microsoft technical certifications.
Microsoft itself has a wonderful site dedicated to the program.
Certifications are available for most Microsoft technologies and skill levels from business workers to IT professionals, developers, technology trainers, and system architects. Pursuing a certification, provides you with up-to-date, relevant skills that can not only lead to a more fulfilling career, but offer valuable Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) benefits, including access to the MCP member site and a vast, global network of other certified professionals.
There is also a magazine dedicated to this group, The Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine. They highlight the top reason to obtain the title: salary, in a recent article.
A looming recession should affect salaries. So should reports of IT budgets being slashed for the rest of 2008. And so should global economies going crazy with every dollar fluctuation, mortgage crisis or the closing down of another subprime-laden bank or brokerage.
But get this: Those events haven’t made any such visible impact on IT compensation — at least, so far — as this year’s joint Redmond/MCPmag.com 2008 Salary Survey indicates. For a fourth year in a row salaries have risen, as have raises, bonuses and job stability, sidestepping any rising recessionary tide.
There are many many more IT certifications than just Microsoft’s, but there are no more widely accepted or understood ones. If you were not familiar with this program, hopefully I gave you enough to get started. If you are one of the many IT Pros who have them swarming around you…. you already know all that you will ever need about their value.
That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for December 14, 2009 ©Scott Coughlin.
Image Credit: Microsoft
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