Tivoli extends security support to Wap

Systems management vendor Tivoli announced last week a range of security management and access control products supporting wireless application protocol (Wap).

According to Tivoli, extending its management products into the mobile world will reduce the need for users to deploy a redundant, parallel access control product that manages access to e-business applications and data from Wap devices.

Through the extension of its SecureWay Policy Director and Privacy Manager products to Wap devices, Tivoli hopes to reduce the cost and complexity involved in deploying mobile commerce applications.

Carl Kessler, vice president and general manager at Tivoli SecureWay, said that 30 per cent of the expense of developing an application was consumed by building in security. He added that a better approach would take the implementation of security rules away from applications into a central authorisation server, such as Policy Director, which would manage access to data across an enterprise.

This is possible because the authorisation API of Policy Director enables customers to reduce costs associated with building security into applications by reducing the need to write security code.

"Tivoli's focus on controlling access and providing single sign-on to e-business applications from Wap devices will make it easier for developers to extend e-business applications to these non-traditional points of access," said Kessler.

Tivoli will not develop encryption and authentication technology, he added, but will work through partners to deliver this technology.

Illuminata analyst James Governor said that Tivoli can be expected to make deals with Nokia or Ericsson to develop products that are likely to be attractive to the European market.

"Tivoli is well placed to provide the software infrastructure for applications such as doing expenses over a mobile phone," said Governor.