Microsoft Sharepoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit eBook

Chapter 26
Single Sign-On in
SharePoint Portal
Server 2003
In this chapter:
Single Sign-On Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 694
Configuring Single Sign-On. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 697
Managing Single Sign-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707
Creating a Web Part That Uses Single Sign-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 722
Single sign-on is a new feature in Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 that
provides storage and mapping of credentials such as account names and passwords
so that the portal site–based applications can retrieve information from the thirdparty
applications and back-end systems, for example, Enterprise Resource Planning
(ERP) and Customer Relations Management (CRM) systems. The single sign-on functionality
is implemented by the Microsoft Single Sign-On (SSOSrv) service. SSOSrv is
a credential storage service that allows the saving and retrieval of credentials. The
use of single sign-on functionality stops users from having to authenticate themselves
more than once when the portal site–based applications need to obtain information
from other business applications and systems.
In a single sign-on environment, these back-end applications and systems are
referred to as enterprise applications. To enable customers to interact with an
enterprise application directly from the portal site, SharePoint Portal Server 2003
stores and maps assigned credentials within an enterprise application definition.
By using application definitions, you can automate, and secure the sign-on process
to the corresponding enterprise applications from a portal site–based application.
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