1.3.1 Administration Portal

Add repositories: A repository is an internal representation of a database that contains user information. For example: An organization, Digital Airlines might store its user information in Active Directory to manage the information for each user, such as username, telephone, address, and so on. Advanced Authentication administrators can add this Active Directory instance to Advanced Authentication as a repository. This allows various departments in the organization (such as IT, finance, HR, and Engineering) to authenticate users described by the information from the database and to customize the authentication experience based on their department and/or organizational requirements. For more information about how to add repositories, see Adding a Repository.

Configure methods: A method (also called an authenticator) helps to confirm the identity of a user (or in some cases, a machine) that is trying to log on or access resources. For example, you might want users to verify their identity by using a smart card or by providing a password. As an administrator, you can configure the settings for any of the supported methods. For more information about how to configure methods, see Configuring Methods.

Create chains: A chain is a specific combination of methods. To successfully authenticate, users must verify themselves with every methods in a chain. For example, a chain can be created with Fingerprint and Card methods for the IT department and a chain with the Smartphone, LDAP Password, and HOTP methods can be assigned to the Engineering department. In this example, the IT user must provide both a known card and a recognized fingerprint for authentication, while the engineering user must first authenticate using a smartphone application and then provide LDAP along with an additional one-time password. For more information about how to create chains, see Creating a Chain.

Configure events: Events enable a specific application or device (such as Windows machine, RADIUS client, third-party client, and so on.) to use Advanced Authentication functionality. Events provide the necessary protocol and policy for access and are triggered whenever a specific device or application needs to perform an authentication. After creating a chain, the Administrator maps the chain to an appropriate event. For more information about how to configure events, see Configuring Events.

Map endpoints: An endpoint is a device on which you can authenticate. Endpoints can be computers, Laptops, tablets, and so on. For more information about how to configure endpoints, see Managing Endpoints.

Configure policies: Policies are rules and settings that are specific to users, devices, or locations. They are managed by the Administrator to customize authentication. In Advanced Authentication, you can manage the policies in a centralized policy editor. For more information about how to configure policies, see Configuring Policies.