IBM has added a new single sign-on tool to its Tivoli software range to make life easier for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) to link their websites with those of partners and customers.Single sign-on tools aim to save users the trouble of remembering separate passwords for each service they use, and simplify life for systems administrators by using a single identity store to control access to multiple services. Using Federated Identity Manager Business Gateway, an SMB’s employees, customers and partners can log on to the company’s website and then have that site confirm their identity when they connect to applications on related websites, without the need to log in again. The new software is a simplified version of IBM’s existing federated identity management software, making it quicker and cheaper to deploy, the company said Monday. One advantage of the system for small businesses is that they can use the software to federate their systems with those of their larger partners, leaving the lion’s share of the administration to their partners, IBM said. IBM is competing with suppliers such as Microsoft, Sun Microsystems and RSA Security (now part of EMC) to offer federated identity management tools. But IBM is also cooperating with those companies, and others, to develop standards to enable communication between them—a necessity if identity management is to be truly “federated.” The Tivoli software uses security assertions markup language (SAML) version 1.0 and 1.1, Web Services-Federation and WS-Trust to communicate with identity providers and service providers. Based on IBM’s WebSphere Application Server 6.1, Federated Identity Manager Business Gateway can connect to applications built with Java 2 Enterprise Edition or Microsoft’s .Net. The software will run on IBM’s flavor of Unix, AIX 5.2 or 5.3; on Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 for x86 servers and for IBM’s S/390 mainframe; on Sun’s Solaris 9 and 10; and on Microsoft’s Windows Server 2003, IBM said. Pricing is per user or per server, according to IBM.-Peter Sayer, IDG News Service (Paris Bureau)Related Links: IBM, Novell Team to Fuel SMB Linux Adoption IBM Unveils Servers Running Intel Quad-Core ChipsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Sponsored by Freshworks When your AI chatbots mess up AI ‘hallucinations’ present significant business risks, but new types of guardrails can keep them from doing serious damage By Paul Gillin Dec 08, 2023 4 mins Generative AI brandpost Sponsored by Dell New research: How IT leaders drive business benefits by accelerating device refresh strategies Security leaders have particular concerns that older devices are more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. By Laura McEwan Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Infrastructure Management case study Toyota transforms IT service desk with gen AI To help promote insourcing and quality control, Toyota Motor North America is leveraging generative AI for HR and IT service desk requests. By Thor Olavsrud Dec 08, 2023 7 mins Employee Experience Generative AI ICT Partners feature CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process. By Moira Alexander Dec 08, 2023 8 mins Certifications IT Skills Project Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe