Novell Identity Manager - Implementation and Administration

Implementation and Administration

There are a number of ways to develop, configure, or reconfigure an IDM implementation. Using Novell's own iManager has been an option since IDM 2. This option appeals to many administrators because it only requires a computer with a web browser and network access to perform all tasks associated with IDM. Because the configuration files are XML-based they can be imported and exported from anywhere in the world or edited directly in iManager's pages.

A newer method of administration, and especially, deployment, is now available through a product known as Designer. A free companion to IDM, Designer is written in Eclipse and runs on either a Linux or Windows workstation. Because it is a fat client it does not need to be connected to any networks to make changes to drivers though it does need to deploy changes for them to take effect. Designer is made to speed up the process of deploying new drivers and modifying and testing existing drivers by removing the multiple-click requirement that comes with any web interface, and offering quicker access to driver configuration settings. As of Designer 3.0, Designer also provides Subversion based version control. This simplifies development of an IDM implementation in a team environment, and also provides access to a history of changes made to IDM objects.

Along with changing and deploying entire environments Designer offers the added benefit of real-time testing of drivers before they are placed in production. An operation document can be fed into Designer and run through the driver's configuration and policies to see what will come out after the processing takes place. It is this output that would be used to make changes on either the eDirectory or application system. Because the test operation document is XML, just like the IDM configurations, the document can be easily viewed in a text editor or web browser before and after the simulation operation.