Vendors boost e-provisioning

There were a number of developments on the e-provisioning front over the past couple of weeks involving MaXware, TruLogica and Business Layers.

MaXware has been known for its virtual directory technology, but until this week it didn’t sell “connectors” – it sold a tool kit which allows users to quickly and easily create their own connectors so that data could be shared among various data stores on a network.

Evidently clients just don’t have the time to learn to use MaXware’s tool kit to build their own data connectors, or claim they don’t. The company frequently had to find consultants to do that work for clients and eventually decided there might actually be a market for pre-built connectors.

This week it’s shipping ExpresSync, which out of the box contains two connectors (one publisher, one subscriber) of the client’s choice. Still true to its roots, though, even ExpresSync is extensible via JavaScript, VBScript or PERL. For people looking to synchronize data among a small group of data stores quickly and relatively inexpensively, ExpresSync could be the right tool.

On a different note, TruLogica Strategy Vice President Archie Reed pointed out to me that its Concero Identity Management products contain a contextual element. You’ll remember that last issue I talked about context in terms of identity and privacy. While TruLogica’s contextual services aren’t necessarily privacy-oriented, they do form a basis for looking at identity where context is important. In the case of Concero, context allows seemingly disparate data to be joined and synchronized quickly and efficiently with less manual intervention. See the link below and judge for yourself if this is a good use of the term “context”:

https://www.trulogica.com/features.htm

It’s with deep regret that we note the passing of Business Layers CTO Adrian Viego. He was a tireless worker for the company and the industry and he will be greatly missed.

To end on a more upbeat note, Business Layers recently partnered with BMC Software to create Control-SA eProvision, a new module for the well-known security management product. It’s intended to add greater efficiency and ease-of-use to the important identity management features of BMC’s flagship offering. While this will be of greatest interest to current Control-SA customers, it could be just enough to tip the scales toward BMC for potential clients who are still on the fence about the right security choices.