NetIQ CloudAccess 2.0 securely delivers improved single sign-on experience to SaaS applications

NetIQ has announced NetIQ CloudAccess 2.0, the latest version of its single sign-on (SSO) virtual appliance that securely extends existing IAM processes to include cloud-based SaaS applications. With CloudAccess 2.0, IT teams can more easily extend access controls beyond the firewall to SaaS applications in order to protect sensitive data and deliver a one-touch, consistent experience for users from their desktop, laptop or mobile device.

“Enterprises continue to be drawn to the cloud and to SaaS delivery models for their promised efficiencies and economies of scale,” Gartner stated. “However, they must address the same IAM requirements as for on-premises applications, and their IT management disciplines and technologies continue to be challenged by SaaS adoption.”

As SaaS application adoption increases, users must manage more and more logins and passwords, creating a risk that poorly managed accounts will lead to a data breach. Furthermore, these disparate identities cannot be properly provisioned and deprovisioned by IT, making it difficult to meet compliance and governance requirements to certify who has access to what assets.

CloudAccess 2.0 extends the convenience and security of SSO that has been established for on-premise applications to those in the cloud, helping organisations protect valuable, sensitive or regulated information. It also delivers a secure yet simplified access experience to mobile users. Once users enter their PIN, they gain one-touch access to both web based and native applications on iOS and Android devices, giving them anywhere, anytime access while on-the-go.

With CloudAccess 2.0, IT teams are afforded the ability to:
· Extend the convenience of SSO to cloud applications
· Help ensure that only authorised users are able to access sensitive or regulated information
· Reduce the risk that corporate credentials are stored in the cloud
· Provide full turnkey access management support for most popular cloud based platforms: Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps, and Salesforce
· Get SSO support for hundreds for cloud based SaaS applications
· Don’t have to rely on complicated federation solutions, such as Microsoft’s Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), which can be complex to configure and maintain
· Are able to more easily manage multi-domain environments than is possible with complex directory sync tools
· Enable convenient access of information on BYOD devices (iOS and Android) anytime, anywhere, without intruding on the device
· Gain visibility to use of cloud-based applications to reduce costs by preventing over-licensing of cloud services

“SaaS use in the business world is exploding, and IT teams face the challenge of keeping up with the pace of adoption while meeting both the demands of highly-mobile business users and protecting corporate information,” noted Geoff Webb, Senior Director, Solution Strategy at NetIQ. “CloudAccess 2.0 makes it simpler and easier and more secure for users to access these cloud based services – whether it be from a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone – giving IT a greater advantage in solving this challenge.”