Centrify Corporation, a provider of Microsoft Active Directory-based, identity and access management and auditing solutions for non-Microsoft platforms, has introduced the Centrify Suite 2008 for Linux on IBM System z. The first Linux supported as a guest OS is SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z.
The Centrify Suite is an integrated group of Active Directory-based auditing, access control and identity management solutions that secure cross-platform environments and strengthen regulatory compliance initiatives. Centrify DirectControl secures non-Microsoft platforms using the same authentication and Group Policy services deployed for the Windows environment. Centrify DirectAuthorize centrally manages and enforces role-based entitlements for fine-grained control of user access and privileges on Unix and Linux systems. Centrify DirectAudit delivers auditing, logging and real-time monitoring of user activity on non-Microsoft systems.
With Centrify Suite, enterprises can secure the hundreds to thousands of Linux servers that a single mainframe can host by leveraging their existing Active Directory infrastructure and user accounts, according to the vendor. The Centrify Suite also allows IT administrators to integrate all other Linux, Unix and Mac systems in an enterprise within Active Directory to provide centralized identity management, access control, privilege management and auditing of all non-Windows platforms.
Centrify Suite 2008 enables organizations to centrally control access and manage users on System z as well as those on Unix and Linux systems, states Corey Williams, director of product management for Centrify, observing that the central enforcement is critical for compliance. The suite has gone through IBM's Chiphopper program for ISVs, notes Williams, and has successfully earned the IBM brand "Ready for Systems with Linux" for System z servers, meaning that the Centrify Suite has met compatibility and integration specifications established by IBM. The Centrify offering is also certified for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for System z, and Centrify plans to also certify with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Williams adds.