Desktop Authority Password Self-Service Overview
Desktop Authority Password Self-Service is a Web-based application that provides an easy-to-implement and use, yet highly secure, password management solution. A user can connect to Password Self-Service by using Microsoft Internet Explorer and perform password self-management tasks, thus eliminating the need for assistance from high-level administrators and reducing help desk workload. The solution offers a powerful and flexible password policy control mechanism that allows the Password Self-Service administrator to ensure that all passwords in the organization comply with the established policies.
Password Self-Service works with Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 domains, including domains operating in mixed mode.
The key features and benefits of Desktop Authority Password Self-Service include:
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Global access. Desktop Authority Password Self-Service provides 24x7x365 access to the Self-service site from intranet computers as well as via Internet from any most common browser. The solution supports flexible access modes and logon options.
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Strong data encryption and secure communication. The solution relies on industry-leading technologies for enhanced communication security and data encryption.
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Cross-platform password synchronization. Desktop Authority Password Self-Service has been designed for use with Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003, which makes it possible to automatically synchronize users' passwords across multiple connected data sources.
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Web interface for help desk service. Password Self-Service features Help Desk site which allows administrators to delegate help desk tasks to dedicated operators. These tasks include resetting user passwords, managing users' Questions and Answers profiles, and assigning temporary passcodes to users.
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x64 version of Password Policy Manager. An x64 version of Password Policy Manager module has been designed for use on domain controllers running an x64 Microsoft Windows Server operating system.
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E-mail event notifications. Administrators can configure event notifications which are sent by e-mail to designated personnel when specified events occur.
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Seamless OS integration. Desktop Authority Password Self-Service relies on intrinsic security databases only and is capable of managing domains across trust boundaries (no trust relationship required).
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Powerful password policies. Desktop Authority Password Self-Service ensures that only passwords that meet administrator-defined policies are accepted. Unsuccessful authentication attempts are logged and the corresponding accounts are locked if necessary.
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Granular policy enforcement. Password policies are applied on a per-group or per OU basis.
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Questions and Answers authentication mechanism. To reset passwords or unlock accounts, users are prompted to answer a series of questions for which users provide their secret answers when registering with Desktop Authority Password Self-Service.
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Enhanced user name search options. Users can be allowed to view their account attributes, such as user logon name, first name, display name, and SMTP address, when searching for their forgotten user names. A more specific search query returns the most relevant search results.
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Fault tolerance and scalability. Desktop Authority Password Self-Service is designed to work with network load balancing clusters and in a Web farm environment.