What are the key components of Single-Sign-On System?

Key components in the Single-Sign-On System:

1. Single Sign On Server
2. Partner Applications
3. External Applications
4. mod_osso
5. Oracle Internet Directory

1. Single Sign On Server

The single sign on server consists of program logic in the Oracle AS database, Oracle HTTP Server & OC4J that enables you to login to the applications securely.

2. Partner Applications

Oracle AS applications delegate the authentication function to the single sign on server. So, they are called partner applications. An authentication module called "mod_osso" enables these applications to accept autheticated information rather than username and password once you have logged into SSO server successfully.

A partner application is responsible for authorizing the user who is authenticated by the SSO server.

Examples of Partner Applications are Oracle AS portal, Oracle Discoverer, etc

3. External Applications

External Applications do not delegate the authentication to the SSO server. Instead they display HTML forms that ask for username & passwords. Each External application may require a unique  username & password. 

You can configure SSO server to provide username and password to external applications on user's behalf once the user has logged into the SSO server.

Users have the option of storing external credentials in the SSO database.

4. mod_osso

mod_osso is an Oracle HTTP Server module that provides authentication to Oracle AS applications.

After authenticating the user, the module transmits the following values which the Oracle AS applications may use to authorize the user.

• Username
  
• User GUID
• Language and Territory

5. Oracle Internet Directory

Oracle Internet Directory is the repository for all the SSO user accounts and passwords. The SSO server authenticates users against the entries in the directory.