Highlights

RSA® Authentication Manager 6.1, which began shipping at the end of September 2005, offers several new features. First, it provides enhancements to the RSA SecurID® for Microsoft® Windows® functionality that was initially introduced in version 6.0. Some of the benefits of these enhancements include:

• Implementation flexibility - the option to configure RSA SecurID for Microsoft Windows groups by: number of offline days, offline support, and password integration
• Improved end user usability - a PIN only method to unlock a screensaver and the ability to automatically update the offline authentication files when connected through a VPN
• Administrator ease of use - the inclusion of password integration for Windows runas, netuse, and mapping utilities
• Improved end user usability - greatly reduces storage on domain controllers and reduces replication requirements dramatically

Another major new feature in RSA Authentication Manager 6.1 results from the inclusion of an 802.1x compliant RADIUS server. RSA has teamed with Funk Software to include a specialized version of Steel Belted Radius with every shipment of RSA Authentication Manager. Some of the benefits of this include:

• Support for 802.1x - enables simplified deployment for 802.1x-based Wired and Wireless LANs
• Support for multiple authentication protocols - customers have the flexibility to implement a variety of standard authentication protocols including PAP and EAP including: POTP, TTLS, PEAP and EAP15

Finally, RSA Authentication Manager 6.1 is now available for the Linux operating system.

Obviously, this latest release builds on the functionality introduced in version 6.0 which began shipping in September, 2004. A recap of 6.0 follows.

RSA® Authentication Manager 6.0 introduced new features designed to extend two-factor user authentication into a Microsoft® Windows environment. Used in conjunction with RSA® Authentication Agent for Windows and RSA SecurID Authenticators, the RSA Authentication Manager authenticates Windows users both online and offline.

RSA Authentication Manager 6.0 can authenticate Microsoft Windows users in the following scenarios:

• Local authentication
• Domain logon
• Terminal services
• Wireless LAN
• Offline authentication

The solution provides enhanced network security, a simple and consistent login experience for the end user, and a consolidated audit trail for all user authentication events. RSA Authentication Manager 6.0 built onto the many new features first introduced in RSA Authentication Manager 5.2 (formerly named RSA ACE/Server), including:

• Enhanced Reporting: Lowers administration costs by allowing administrators to perform robust, flexible queries against the RSA Authentication Manager log and user data
• Directory Synchronization: Allows directories as the authoritative source of users' group information and enabled/disabled status as well as basic user information. Import and automated synchronization utilities let administrators bring data from the directory into the RSA Authentication Manager software and keep the data synchronized. Provides support for leading directories such as Microsoft® Active Directory®, Sun® ONE LDAP Directory, and Novell® eDirectoryTM
• Increased Compliance: Logs events from all server processes to the system log and numbers high-priority events, facilitating integration with SNMP solutions
• Reduced Risk: Reduces the risk of administrative downtime by allowing remote admin clients to find a promoted replica server in a disaster recovery scenario. Also, the RSA Authentication Manager Enterprise Edition now supports running the primary server on the VERITAS® Cluster Server High Availability platform on the SolarisTM operating system
• Deployment Flexibility: Supports "tokencode only" mode for authentication (no PIN required). This method can streamline the end-user experience for organizations that require users to enter a PIN to access their tokens (for example, an RSA SecurID® Authenticator stored on a smart card)
• Simplified Administration through LDAP Interoperability: RSA Authentication Manager has the ability to interoperate with LDAP directories, significantly reducing administration overhead. Improved LDAP synchronization changes this from a manual to an easy-to-use, automated process
• Improved Disaster Recovery Support: Functionality in RSA Authentication Manager software allows for easy promotion of any replica to the status of primary server, thereby quickly and flexibly restoring administrative capability in the case of a system failure
• Support for Standards-Based RSA SecurID AES Tokens: RSA Authentication Manager 5.1 was the first server version to support the next generation of RSA SecurID tokens based on the standard AES cryptographic algorithm. An organization can gradually introduce AES tokens into their environment while continuing to fully leverage the investment they have made in traditional RSA SecurID tokens.
• Lower Cost of Deployment: RSA Authentication Deployment Manager, an automated user provisioning system that significantly streamlines the token deployment process, is a standard feature of the RSA Authentication Manager Enterprise Edition license.. Those who are not RSA Authentication Manager Enterprise Edition customers should be sure to speak to their RSA Security Sales Representative to learn more about RSA Authentication Deployment Manager and the benefits of upgrading to an RSA Authentication Manager Enterprise Edition license.