SAML Authentication

Service Providers around the world have started focusing on specialized web-based services that will cut costs, focus on user specific applications, and reduce complexity of maintaining and supporting the applications of an organization. Most organizations have started adopting a centralized authentication system for all their internal applications as well as web-based portals. This centralized authentication process enables strong security by preventing users from storing passwords for different systems on a sticky note.

But, as most of the services are from External Service Providers, it would give rise to the sticky note problem and create problems for the external service providers.  Users must remember passwords for different services like CRM, Payroll, Travel Agency Software leading to complexity of managing and maintaining user or programmer defined hardcoded SSO code of each of the external service provider in use.

Furthermore, as every user is mandated to set up the applications, a duplicate set of data gets created. Instead, if the organization controls the user data, it will save the service provider time to set up and terminate sessions on a regular basis while having an accurate source of user identity.

Given the set of problems for both organizations and service providers, a standard was needed for exchanging user authentication information to be exchanged over the internet between an Identity Provider and a Service Provider. That is how SAML, an XML based open standard came into picture allowing transmission of custom data to external service provider.