Novell eDirectory 8.7 extends leadership as building block for secure identity management and provisioning

Novell, Inc., the leading provider of Net business solutions, today announced the upcoming availability of the Novell® eDirectory™ 8.7 public beta, which introduces Web-based and wireless directory administration and expanded developer tools and lays the foundation for driving the industry adoption of the UDDI (Universal Description, Discovery and Integration) standard. With more real-world experience than any competing directory service, eDirectory helps customers create one Net, where all types of networks work together, by simplifying the management of user identities, access rights, platforms and network resources. This centralized management lowers administrative and support costs and provides a platform for business solutions in areas such as provisioning, user access control, desktop management and many others.

As companies move their business processes online, one of the top challenges they face is integrating their corporate network with the Internet. They must manage multiple users and machines across different platforms, while ensuring the reliability and security their partners and customers require. Directories have emerged as a key element in meeting this challenge. Novell, long the leader in the directory market, continues to lead innovation in the field with eDirectory 8.7, which delivers a powerful new Web-based management interface, enabling network administration through a Web browser, as well as a variety of handheld devices. This flexible, remote management helps companies improve the efficiency of their IT staff and lower administrative overhead.

"The true value of eDirectory is as an essential component in broader business solutions," said Doug Lionberger, senior director, communications and security services, with TransUnion, the world's largest credit-reporting agency. "As the central repository for user identity information and access rights, eDirectory has been at the heart of our efforts to tighten network security, give users single sign-on to a host of applications, secure our eCommerce business-to-business environment and derive a better ROI from the technology we already have in place. The addition of a Web-based management interface will be a great step forward, giving network administrations the ability to manage key network processes wherever they happen to be — even thousands of miles away from the home office."

Managing Web Services
In addition to a host of new features, eDirectory 8.7 supports Web services standards and lays the foundation for driving the industry adoption of UDDI. This latest release includes enhancements to existing XML support in eDirectory, as well as Web-based management via the emerging SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) standard. In addition, shortly after the shipment of eDirectory 8.7 later this year, Novell will deliver UDDI services for the directory. These services will help address the challenge of effectively managing Web services and provide secure access to a UDDI registry.

"While many vendors have delivered tool kits for the creation of Web services, no offering has yet effectively addressed the challenge of managing those Web services in an enterprise environment," said Ed Anderson, director of provisioning solutions for Novell. "With the delivery of eDirectory 8.7 and soon-to-follow UDDI services, Novell will create a hub for Web services activity, and customers will be able to count on the same scalability and reliability they've come to expect from eDirectory for their enterprise Web services."

New features
Other new features in eDirectory 8.7 include the following:

• Web-based and wireless administration — eDirectory now includes a new management utility, known as iManager, which allows customers to manage the directory and the users, access rights and network resources within the directory from a Web browser and a variety of handheld devices. These remote management capabilities lower administrative overhead and allow companies to more quickly adapt and respond to ever-changing enterprise environments.
• Role-based administration — Administrative rights to eDirectory can now be assigned in a more specific, more granular fashion, according to a user's role within the company. For example, the manager of the accounting department can now be granted administrative rights solely to directory information related to the accounting department, rather than broad rights to the entire directory. This feature allows a company's IT staff to confidently delegate the administration of basic directory tasks — updating titles, phone numbers, etc. — to individual users and departments, freeing the IT staff to work on more strategic projects.
• Developer tools — A number of new software developer tools are included in eDirectory 8.7. For example, many eDirectory functions, or "events," are now open to developers, who can use those events to create advanced auditing and monitoring tools for the directory.
• Enhanced security — Novell Modular Authentication Service (NMAS™) Standard Edition is included with eDirectory 8.7. NMAS Standard Edition supports several basic authentication mechanisms, including password and certificate methods. To use additional forms of authentication, such as smart cards, biometric technologies, proximity cards and tokens, customers can upgrade to NMAS Enterprise Edition. eDirectory also now supports security standards such as TLS (Transport Layer Security) and enhanced LDAP authentication.

Availability and Pricing
Customers, partners and solution providers can download the Novell eDirectory 8.7 public beta April 15. Pricing and general availability of eDirectory 8.7 will be announced at a later date.

ISVs, equipment manufacturers and developers interested in learning more about the eDirectory Redistribution Program, can go to http://developer.novell.com/edirectory for more information.