Avatier Corporation Announces Password Station.NET 3.0 with Cross Platform Password Synchronization and Self-Service Reset

Business Wire, Oct 8, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Microsoft Exchange Conference

ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2002

New Cross Platform Version Leverages Microsoft Windows .NET Server

2003 Framework to Offer Common Password Policy Enforcement that

Improves Employee Productivity, Help Desk Efficiency

Avatier Corporation, a leading provider of award-winning enterprise administration, security and productivity applications for Global 2000 companies, announced today the immediate availability of Password Station.NET(TM) 3.0. Password Station.NET 3.0 is the first secure, self-service password solution providing password reset, synchronization and management across multiple platforms and applications by taking advantage of the Microsoft Windows .NET Server 2003 framework. The new version now supports Novell eDirectory, Lotus Notes/Domino, Unix (SUN, HP, IBM), LDAP (SUN One Directory Server/iPlanet), and RedHat LINUX environments, in addition to Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server, Active Directory and Windows .NET Server 2003 operating system platforms. Password Station.NET 3.0 streamlines the user experience and enhances the ease of password management for administrators by reducing employees' dependency on IT resources. For Microsoft Exchange 2000 customers, Password Station.NET 3.0 detects when an employee's password is about to expire and allows the end user to automatically enroll in the system. Once an employee has enrolled, they receive proactive rule-based email notifications on password expiration and policies, regardless of their email platform. Avatier is exhibiting Password Station.Net 3.0, Trusted Enterprise Manager 5.0(TM) (see separate announcement released today) and Password Bouncer Deluxe(TM) at Microsoft Corp.'s MEC 2002 Conference in Anaheim, Calif., October 8-11, Booth #661.

"We developed Microsoft .NET Server 2003 to enable heterogeneous enterprises to broadly connect their businesses by bringing together all their applications and information, Microsoft and non-Microsoft, regardless of the platform on which they reside," said Michael Stephenson, lead product manager of Windows Server Infrastructure at Microsoft. "Avatier's Password Station.NET 3.0 validates how Active Directory can be the foundation that enables organizations to automate important business processes such as creating and implementing common passwords across the enterprise to greatly improve organizational efficiencies and security."

According to Gartner Group, forgotten passwords account for over 30% of Help Desk calls. Enhanced password security often leads to an increase in Help Desk calls which industry analysts estimate to cost as much as $30 each. Password Station.NET reduces IT overhead and improves productivity by enabling employees to securely and easily reset forgotten passwords, set new passwords, query account status, and unlock accounts all through an enhanced Web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) without Help Desk intervention.

"The costs associated with increased Help Desk calls, combined with the lost productivity from employee down time, make password management one of the highest impact issues on today's IT roadmap," said Nelson Cicchitto, president and CEO of Avatier. "Password Station.NET 3.0 provides immediate ROI by deploying in under an hour, reducing costly Help Desk calls, getting employees back to work faster and requiring less IT management. Microsoft's advanced .NET technology is enabling Avatier to extend the benefits, security and cost savings of Password Station.NET to a much broader range of users."

Password Station.NET 3.0's Enhanced Functionality

With version 3.0, Avatier has enhanced the supporting technology, end user functionality and administrative functions. Key new features include:

-- Automated Enrollment -- Automatically enrolls new users and keeps all employees up-to-date on password expiration, password age and other password policy events via rule-based notification emails.

-- System Availability Monitor -- Automatically verifies the availability of all systems involved in a password reset or synchronization before the operation is initiated in order to reduce errors and end-user confusion caused by failed password resets.

-- Rapid Deployment Architecture -- Deploys within one hour in most environments. Password Station.NET 3.0 automatically captures user identity data and can automate the enrollment, eliminating the need for expensive Help Desk calls and time intensive IT assistance. Leveraging existing Active Directory and Windows NT repositories to store employees' private authentication questions and answers means no additional directory creation is required. Additionally, Password Station.NET 3.0's new Enterprise Connector Management interface allows administrators to add and/or remove system connectors within minutes.

-- Integration with Password Bouncer Deluxe Edition -- Offers administrators an enterprise strength password policy engine that allows organizations to enforce and deploy a consistent password policy across a variety of applications and platforms.