U.S. Army Enhances Security With Improved Identity and Access Software

To securely manage information and communications, the Army wanted an identity and access solution that could integrate into its 14 separate domain forests. Users currently access protected information with a Common Access Card and PIN. The Advanced Technologies directorate tested Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) to safeguard information by requiring substantiation certification of each domain forest. But the Army wanted to provide efficient, protected communication across its entire architecture. Advanced Technologies is now testing AD RMS with Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS), available with the Windows Server 2008 Enterprise operating system. Using Windows Server 2008, the Army can stand an AD RMS cluster in a single forest and deploy AD FS in other forests to share AD RMS resources across forest boundaries.