Integration

Integration with Microsoft Active Directory

Practicality and speed in managing user accounts. These are the main highlights of SoftExpert application integration with Microsoft Active Directory (AD). A direct reflection of this integration is the speed with which application access and user convenience is granted, making it unnecessary to memorize an additional user name and password (among many others).

Integration with Active Directory eliminates the need for manually recording and maintaining administrative information, i.e., that linked to users, departments and functions (organizational structure). Processes linked to updates, deactivation and inclusion of this information are all set to occur automatically and in sync with changes made in Active Directory.

Through configuration and specific routines, data related to users, departments and positions are imported into the administration and configuration modules of SoftExpert applications.

An additional benefit obtained by integrating with Active Directory is the possibility of performing a single sign-on, that is, once connected to the network, the user does not need to enter the username and password to access SoftExpert applications. Authentication to the network enables access to applications as well. Single sign-on enabling should be linked to consistent security and authentication corporate policies.

Modalities

Integration with AD comprises the following implementation modalities: Standard and Advanced. Each one has its own characteristics, advantages, disadvantages and implementation effort. Below you can see detailed information about each one.

“Standard” modality

Scope

• AD authentication.
• Synchronization of user ID, login, name and e-mail in AD with the SoftExpert application. Synchronization can be scheduled to run at specified intervals of time (general synchronization of all users) or the system can be configured to perform synchronization whenever the user logs into the system (individual synchronization, only for the user who logs into the system).

Advantages

• Single repository for user authentication.
• Quick implementation.
• Enables single sign-on (SSO) (check item 8. Restrictions).
• New users registered in AD are imported into the SoftExpert application during synchronization, with minimum information required for access (user ID, login, name, e-mail).
• If there are changes to information such as the AD User Name or E-mail, these are changed in the SoftExpert application upon synchronization.
• Users deleted in AD are automatically disabled in the SoftExpert application upon synchronization.

Disadvantages

• After the synchronization, new users registered in AD only have access to the SoftExpert application after manual change of the access group, department and position.
• If you do not use a filter to identify AD users to be considered for synchronization, all registered users are automatically imported into the AD SoftExpert application after the synchronization.

Implementation effort

• Minimum: only the field chosen for storage of the user ID in AD should be the same as the user ID in SE Suite.
• Data such as user ID, login, name and e-mail should be all completed in the AD.

“Advanced” modality

Scope

• AD authentication.
• Synchronization of user ID, login, name, e-mail, department and position in AD with the SoftExpert application. Synchronization can be scheduled to run at specified intervals of time (general synchronization of all users) or the system can be configured to perform synchronization whenever the user logs into the system (individual synchronization, only for the user who logs into the system).
• Department and position control via AD.

Advantages

• Single repository for user authentication.
• Enables single sign-on (SSO) (check item 8. Restrictions).
• New users registered in AD are imported into the SoftExpert application during synchronization with the necessary access information (user ID, login, name, e-mail, department and position).
• If there are changes to AD user information such as Name, E-mail, Department or Position, they are changed in the SoftExpert application upon synchronization.
• Users deleted in AD are automatically disabled in the SoftExpert application upon synchronization.
• New users can now access the system automatically if a default access group for new users is set.

Disadvantages

• The descriptions of department and position that are defined for users within the AD should always be equal for the same department and position, otherwise, the system creates separate records for the same department/position within the SoftExpert application. Example:
• • User “A” -> Department: Technology -> Position: Analyst
  • User “B” -> Department: Tech. -> Position: Technology Analyst
• In practice, users “A” and “B” work in the same department (technology) and have the same position (Technology Analyst). However, because they are written differently, the synchronization operation will create two departments (Technology and Tech) and two positions (Analyst and Technology Analyst) in the SoftExpert application. Likewise, if departments and positions have already been registered manually within the SoftExpert application, a description of these must match exactly the descriptions entered in the AD. Otherwise duplicates can occur, as explained in the example above.

• There should be extreme care over the manipulation of department and position information in AD and SoftExpert applications, so that this information does not get duplicated in SoftExpert applications.
• If you do not use a filter to identify AD users to be considered for synchronization, all registered users are automatically imported into the AD SoftExpert application after the synchronization.

Implementation effort

• Medium.
• The content of the user ID, department and position field in AD should be exactly the same as those adopted in the SoftExpert application.
• All AD users that have access to the system should have the user ID, login, name, and e-mail, department and position fields properly completed and verified in AD.

Customer Benefits

• Elimination of the need to manually re-register user, department and position data.
• Maintenance of a single data repository for system administration purposes.
• Changes in access rules due to admissions, dismissals, leaves and transfers of users are managed in just one place.
• Information integrity between the two repositories.
• Fast release of applications to users in implementation processes.
• Possibility of relocating IT human resources to activities that add greater value.

Main Activities

• Based on the customer scenario and its requirements, set the modality (Light, Standard or Advanced) to be implemented.
• Make sure that data from AD and the SoftExpert application are within the conditions set by the chosen modality.
• Evaluate with the customer the option to enable or disable the single sign-on feature.
• Approve the integration with SSO in the selected modality, if needed.
• Integration and systemic transfer using the customer’s IT team.

Integrations with Other Applications

The saying that no system can be considered an island is truer today than ever before. Just as the processes of an organization are interconnected, the same is true concerning the support of these processes. Current technology enables applications from different suppliers to be integrated intelligently and productively, raising the benefits of Information Technology to differentiated levels for the organizations.

The integration architecture of SoftExpert applications complies with the main interface needs that the market demands during the integration implementation process. In addition to the support for using this architecture, specific import and export needs or direct integration with systems or external environments can be worked as a customization.

Through the use of technologies as tools of ETL (Extract-Transform-Load), Web Services, API’s and the SoftExpert native integration mechanism, specific integration needs can be worked case by case in the customer’s environment.

Integration between applications is one of the best options for avoiding data input redundancy and guaranteeing its integrity, since there is only one input port for the information. Furthermore, significant gains are obtained in terms of saving time and the smooth flowing of processes.

Customer Benefits

• Better data integrity.
• Increased flow of processes.
• Enhanced benefits of the application involved in the integration.
• Savings in time and effort for the users.

Main Activities

• Analyze the scenario exposed by customer and assess feasibility of the integration demanded.
• Suggest integration options, specifying effort, impact, the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative.
• Implement the integration modality chosen in the customer’s environment.
• Together with the customer, evaluate the results obtained with the integration.

Main Deliverables

• Technical specification of the integration to be performed.
• Developed integration routines (when applicable).
• Integration connectors configured and installed in customer’s environment (when applicable).