Novell Identity Manager Driver 3.0 for Linux and UNIX

A Component of the Identity Manager Integration Module for Linux and UNIX

overview

Note: This driver includes functionality previously available in Novell Account Management 3 for UNIX, as well as NIS driver functionality previously available in the Identity Manager Integration Module for Directory.

With Identity Manager Driver for Linux and UNIX, you'll enjoy the following features and benefits:

Features

User provisioning
Password management
User self-service
Point-and-click customization
Role-based administration
System-wide auditing and reporting
Native script handling
Authentication redirection

Benefits

Increased operational efficiency
Support for compliance with industry regulations
Reduced administration and helpdesk costs
Reduced security risks
Empowered users
Enhanced performance of your operating systems
Reduced network computing costs

Identity Manager Driver 1.0 for Linux and UNIX is a component of the Identity Manager Integration Module for Linux and UNIX. This driver works with Identity Manager 3 (formerly DirXML®) and includes two provisioning options: the bi-directional driver and the fan-out driver. The bi-directional driver enables you to synchronize information to and from Identity Manager and a connected system. The fan-out driver enables you to synchronize information from Identity Manager to many different connected systems using a single driver. By unifying the bi-directional and fan-out drivers in a single integration module, Novell enables customers to choose the functionality most appropriate for their environment.

bi-directional driver

When you deploy the Identity Manager Driver for Linux and UNIX, you are required to select a provisioning option. The bi-directional driver option enables you to integrate the NIS user management system—commonly used in UNIX environments—with Novell® eDirectory™. As user information is added, modified or deleted in eDirectory, the bi-directional driver ensures that all changes are reflected in any connected NIS database or management files. Likewise, as NIS database information is added, modified or deleted, the bi-directional driver seamlessly and automatically updates eDirectory.

Identity Manager Driver for Linux and UNIX supports the NIS and NIS+ databases as well as the /etc/passwd and /etc/group files—all methods of managing UNIX users. This driver also runs on the following platforms:

Solaris Sparc 2.8, 2.9 or 2.10
Red Hat Linux AS 2.1, 3 or 4
IBM AIX 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3

The bi-directional driver greatly simplifies the process of adding new users to your network. It provides support for generating default user and group IDs—as well as home directories—when a new user or group is created in eDirectory and synchronized to the NIS databases. And with some customization, the driver can also generate default passwords for new users. When combined, all of these features allow new users to log in without any intervention from the NIS database administrator.

fan-out driver

The fan-out driver enables you to synchronize information from Identity Manager to many different connected systems using a single driver.

The fan-out driver offers delegated logic and control to your system administrators. You can process any Identity Manager data-change event with a script on the platform. Authentication redirection provides login support for a universal password, accessing a central repository for login and password rules. Full bi-directional password synchronization is also supported.

The fan-out driver is the natural upgrade path from Novell Account Management. The same extensible scripts are supported to manage users and groups on target platforms, and the same Authentication Services API is supported. In future releases, the fan-out driver will provide tighter integration with Identity Manager, while continuing to provide the flexibility to manage all aspects of the user experience using extensible scripts.

The fan-out driver has two components:

The core driver
Platform Services

The core driver provides event fan-out to target platforms running Platform Services. A single core driver can support many platforms running Platform Services, regardless of platform operating system.

system requirements

Identity Manager 3.0 and higher
Software required by Identity Manager 3.0
Any of the following platforms:

Note on Fan-out:

http://support.novell.com