ActivIdentity says support for eDirectory is key

Last week I wrote about Novell’s eDirectory as what used to be called the “crown jewels” of Novell products. I was reminded, again, of the importance of the directory product in speaking with a vendor later that week.

Ed McBeth is senior vice president of business development at ActivIdentity, the company formerly called ActivCard and best known for its smart cards, including the almost 10 million issued by the Department of Defense to be used as identity cards for military personnel. The company changed its name after acquiring Protocom Development Systems two years ago. Protocom, originating in Australia in 1989, has long been a Novell partner looking to exploit the strengths of eDirectory beginning with its first product, SecureConsole.

Protocom was one of the first independent software vendors to release an enterprise single sign-on (ESSO) product, SecureLogin and it was this week’s release of Version 6 of the product that McBeth wanted to talk to me about.

You’ll find details of the product in this week’s Identity Management newsletter. Here, I simply wanted to indicate that – at least to ActivIdentity – eDirectory is still the leading directory services product available. Unlike many of the vendors I talk to, in fact, MAD (Microsoft Active Directory) wasn’t even mentioned (although it is supported). It was eDirectory and the directories from Sun, IBM, Oracle and CA that are the primary listings for supported platforms.

ActivIdentity is also working with Novell in the healthcare industry as a partner for the Novell Clinical Workstation product, one I think best shows off the power of the directory as a platform.

SecureLogin Version 6 is a neat product, one you should investigate for your own ESSO. And ActivIdentity’s unfailing support for eDirectory (and Novell) are simply icing on the cake. And you know how much you like the icing!