IBM Tivoli Access Manager
| Company type | Product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer software, Security software |
| Predecessor | Access360 software |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Products | Authentication and authorization platform for enterprise web services, operating systems, and applications |
| Parent | IBM |
IBM Tivoli Access Manager (TAM) serves as an authentication and authorization platform designed for enterprise web services, operating systems, and applications. It is compatible with a variety of operating system environments, including Unix variants such as AIX, Solaris, and HP-UX, as well as Linux and Windows. The product has since been renamed IBM Security Access Manager (ISAM), reflecting the broader rebranding of Tivoli solutions, similar to the transition from TIM to ISIM.
In 2002, IBM enhanced TAM by acquiring Access360 software, integrating its features into the platform. Later, in 2009, IBM collaborated with Fujitsu to embed Fujitsu’s biometric authentication technology within TAM. Competing solutions in this market include Oracle Access Manager, CA SiteMinder, NetIQ Access Manager, and SAP NetWeaver Single Sign-On.
Core components
The architecture of TAM is founded on two principal components:
- A user directory.
- An authorization engine coupled with a database that processes access control requests.
Moreover, the resource manager enforces security policies by forwarding access attempts to the authorization engine. Depending on the authorization outcome—whether access is granted or denied—it controls user permissions accordingly. These authorization determinations are based on the Privilege Attribute Certificate (PAC), which is issued for each authenticated user irrespective of the authentication technique employed.
Tivoli Access Manager Family
The Tivoli Access Manager product line consists of several offerings that share a common authentication and authorization framework:
- IBM Tivoli Access Manager for e-business (TAMeb)
- IBM Tivoli Access Manager for Operating Systems (TAMOS), which governs access to operating system resources
- IBM Tivoli Access Manager for Enterprise Single Sign-On (TAMESSO)