Merit Network Launches Merit Michigan ID
ANN ARBOR -- Merit Network Inc. Thursday announced the launch of Merit Michigan ID, a federated identity management service.
Merit Michigan ID enables participating organizations to provide access to shared resources, applications and content over Merit's trusted network via a single sign-on account.
Said Merit President and CEO, Don Welch: "This federated identity management service will not only make it easier for Merit Members to collaborate and share resources over Merit's trusted network, but it will make that exchange even more secure. Organizations everywhere are realizing the true power of collaboration and the efficiencies and cost savings to be gained by sharing services. Merit Michigan ID will create a vibrant community in support of next-generation, dynamic exchange of resources and applications."
Merit will host a free webinar on Thursday, July 12 at 11 a.m. Eastern time on the uses and benefits of Merit Michigan ID. To register, visit www.merit.edu/events/archive/specialevents/meritmichiganid_webinar.
For Merit Michigan ID participants, a single set of credentials or a single sign-on provides access to multiple resources from any service provider in the federation. The service also integrates with a participating organizations' Active Directory or LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) so that control remains with the Member organization.
Merit Michigan ID uses SAML (Security Assertions Markup Language), an open standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between security domains, or between an Identity Provider and a Security Provider. A major benefit for Merit Members is that no sensitive information such as passwords or personal data passes over the net.
Similar federation services charge upwards of $700 initially to join and require ongoing fees to participate. And most are limited to higher education providers. Merit Michigan ID is $125 to join and carries no annual ongoing charges or fees. Any Merit Member organization with a dedicated connection can take advantage of Merit Michigan ID, whether they are a higher education, K-12, library, healthcare or governmental organization.
"The idea is to eliminate barriers for any organization to participate," said Elwood Downing, vice president of member relations, communications, services and product development for Merit. "Merit Michigan ID is a service that increases in value for our Members as more and more organizations participate. We expect this to be a real asset for the entire Merit Community."
Merit Michigan ID will feature a master list of service providers on the Merit Member Portal. Merit Members can submit their metadata through the Member Portal and also browse other service providers for collaborative opportunities.
More at www.merit.edu.
