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Originally published at Internet.comFox ServerControl is targeted to shops with multiple UNIX or Linux servers; each with potentially differing operating system flavors and/or from differing vendors. The product provides the ability to centrally manage and enforce identification and user access rights across all such servers in the environment, managing both the users who are able to access the systems and their credentials, as well as the rights those users have to access what services on which hosts and when. The vendor notes the product is capable of managing thousands of hosts. Fox Technologies was formerly known as TFS Technology, and this product was formerly known as TFS Server Control.
Key components of the Fox ServerControl platform include the BoKS Manager, which is the central security server that holds the user database of policies, credentials, and access rights; the Replication Servers (backup, scaling, and failover); and the Client Packages, which are installed directly on each of the individual UNIX hosts. Multiple UNIX/Linux systems are supported, including Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, Suse, and RedHat. According to the vendor, the BoKS Manager and the client package installations do not affect the kernel or the native administration of the host; and the server can be configured to work with NIS/NIS+, an LDAP user database and other third-party systems.
Primary features of the Fox ServerControl offering are focused on the ability to control-from a single, central location-user access, both their individual credentials and the rights they have to access various services and/or hosts within the environment. "Access Routes" can be defined and enforced specifying who can access the system, from which host, to what points, and when. User accounts can be created, edited, blocked, or removed across the system, with import features allowing for the loading of existing users and synchronization with LDAP DBs. And events in all hosts across the network are stored in a central log for audit putposes.
Other features include:
- Support for enforcement of password characteristic policies
- Support for user account "lifetimes," accounts are automatically disabled when their lifetime expires
- Support for two-factor authentication (tokens, authentication servers, certificates, SSH)
- Choices allowing for the enforcement of encrypted channels to and between network hosts (including SSH and encrypted telnet)
Newer features are focused on the implementation of OpenSSH features within the product. The Security Server now automatically registers and centrally stores host public keys, so new keys needn't be distributed to existing hosts when new hosts are added to the network. Access can be granted to specific OpenSSH services on an individual user basis; allowing for example, one user to utilize SFTP between two hosts but denying another.
Fox ServerControl is available now. Contact Fox Technologies for further information.Author: EITPlanet Staff
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