OpenNetwork Delivers Secure, Robust Enterprise Identity Management Across Disparate User Communities.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2002

Enable Enterprises to Rapidly Adopt and Deploy Microsoft Passport 

and .NET Technologies through DirectorySmart by OpenNetwork

OpenNetwork(R) Technologies today announced plans to resell Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") Passport and adopt the Windows identity management infrastructure as a part of the DirectorySmart(R) by OpenNetwork security solution. This will enable enterprises to securely manage and deploy identity-based Web solutions for growing, disparate enterprise user communities.

As a designated reseller of Passport, OpenNetwork will adopt and make available the Passport authentication service as part of the DirectorySmart security solution offering, designed to secure and manage millions of users' access to confidential information and multiple applications over the Web, regardless of platform or domain. OpenNetwork will employ key Microsoft developer tools and technologies in integrating Passport and DirectorySmart including Visual Studio .NET and the .NET Framework.

DirectorySmart will integrate with the Windows identity management infrastructure, including Active Directory and Authorization Manager, enabling customers to make use of Active Directory's native functionality including a single data store for users, groups and organization objects. DirectorySmart, working with Active Directory, will enable consolidated application authentication, authorization and Web single sign-on across all of an OpenNetwork customer's applications, whether they are accessed on the internal network, intranet, extranet or Internet. OpenNetwork and Microsoft provide businesses with a flexible identity management solution that enables businesses to provide enhanced customer service and convenience while reducing the cost of managing growing user communities within their business.

"Solving the challenge of disparate digital identities is crucial to enabling the next wave of innovation in enterprise computing," said Brian Arbogast, vice president, .NET Core Services Platform at Microsoft. "Authentication plays a crucial role in a company's overall identity management solution. Integrating Passport with DirectorySmart allows companies to rapidly deploy identity management security solutions that enable them to connect islands of digital identity and offer enhanced communication and collaboration experiences for employees, business partners, and customers today."

"Microsoft .NET provides a secure and flexible architecture for deploying business-critical Web services," said Adrien Ransom, vice president of marketing and alliances at OpenNetwork. "OpenNetwork is pleased to strengthen its support for Passport and its relationship with Microsoft by enabling our customers to quickly adopt Passport and manage their users with minimal impact to their business."

About OpenNetwork Technologies OpenNetwork is a global provider of directory-enabled Web identity and access management security solutions for online business. The company's flagship product, DirectorySmart(R), enables businesses to secure and manage millions of users' access to confidential information and multiple applications over the Web regardless of platform or domain. DirectorySmart is the first and only pure directory-enabled security product that leverages an LDAP directory as the central trusted identity store for both user and policy information for e-business. This streamlined and flexible security approach enables companies to fully take advantage of the power of directory technology and quickly bring their e-business initiatives to market securely and easily manage, scale and support millions of users with the least impact to their organization while providing the highest return on investment.

Headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., OpenNetwork has offices across the United States and in Europe and partners with leading technology companies, including Microsoft, BEA, IBM and Plumtree. For more information about OpenNetwork and DirectorySmart, visit www.opennetwork.com, send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone].

OpenNetwork and the OpenNetwork logo are trademarks of OpenNetwork Technologies, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of the company with which they are associated.