Novell Automates the Give and Take of Employee Access

Novell is helping businesses maximize productivity when new employees come on board, and protect corporate assets when those employees leave the organization.

The company today announced the upcoming shipment of Novell® Nsure™ Resources™, a packaged solution that can be quickly deployed to automate the process of provisioning employee access to business resources. This automation not only boosts productivity and tightens security, but it also improves the bottom line, potentially cutting or redirecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in administration costs annually.

Previously code-named Mercury, Novell Nsure Resources is an important piece of Novell Nsure secure identity management solutions, outlined today in an online press conference (see related announcements at www.novell.com/news/press). These solutions combine capabilities like directory and metadirectory services, provisioning, access management and professional services to help businesses simplify the management of user identities and securely extend access to business resources.

"Novell Nsure Resources provides an ideal starting point for many secure identity management deployments," said Dave Stevenson, Novell vice president of Secure Identity Management solutions. "It takes a set of key systems - HR applications, email packages, directories and network operating systems - and links them, so that once a new user account is created in the authoritative system, usually the HR application, that account is also created on all the other integrated systems. That integration ensures the consistent and timely application of business policies, which in turn mitigates security risk and significantly improves productivity."

According to Jim Gerken, senior engineer for Novacoast, a Novell Platinum PartnerSM based in Santa Barbara, Calif., "Novell Nsure Resources opens a good opportunity for our business, addressing issues like cost containment, productivity, security, even regulatory compliance.

"With it, for example, we can help clients automate the process of granting application access to employees, so when employees first come on board or when they change roles, they have access to everything they need their first day on the job," Gerken said. "And it ensures network security by removing user accounts in the same fashion. When employees leave the company, their access to applications across the organization is automatically shut off. This not only protects confidential information stored on the network, it also makes sure company cell phones or pagers aren't left active."

Novell Nsure Resources allows customers to quickly integrate the identity information in a number of key systems, including HR applications (PeopleSoft* HR and SAP* HR), e-mail (GroupWise®, Microsoft* Exchange and Lotus Notes*) and network operating systems (eDirectory™, Active Directory* and NT Domains). The solution also offers an easy-to-use graphical management interface, workflow capabilities, and reporting and notification services. Most important, Novell Nsure Resources allows companies to put their business rules into action. Rather than forcing customers to change the way they operate, Novell Nsure Resources simply automates business processes, customized in a way that makes sense for every customer.

Availability and Pricing
Novell Nsure Resources will be available Nov. 1 for $35 per user through Novell solution provider partners, Novell consultant and system integrator partners, or directly from Novell by calling 888-321-4272.