Active Directory WorkFlow for Compliance

ADManager Plus, with its workflow capabilities, can function both as an Active Directory ticketing software and as a mini-IT-compliance toolkit!!

As a ticketing software...

Workflow can function as a basic, yet precise Active Directory ticketing software. This comes handy in executing tasks like creating and disabling users, which are simple but crucial to the security of the Active Directory. Workflow presents Active Directory ticketing with three important aspects:

Requests Specific to Active Directory: Workflow supports a set of requests that are very specific to the Active Directory, in a fashion that is easily comprehendible to the administrator and the helpdesk technicians...and even to technically naive personnel from human resources as well, who are constantly in a need for creating and disabling users!

Secure and Transparent Processing: The order of the tasks being executed ensures security of the active directory - each privilege is configured in the software and there is no way that one can bypass the linear flow defined there. This also ensures a transparent flow of the task approval process, which is made mandatory for compliance with certain regulatory acts.

Accountability: Workflow also facilitates viewing all the requests raised so far, provided they have not been deleted! Though small it may seem, this gives an edge for the administrator in compliance, as this feature gives a 'single-window view' of all the tickets that have been resolved through the product so far!

These features make ADManager Plus Workflow, an ideal tool to manage basic Active Directory tickets in the most secure and efficient way! But the native AD tools, PowerShell, etc. do not offer much when it comes to defining a workflow in your Active Directory.

As a compliance software...

In today's world of corporate entities, 'compliance' has become a bare minimal requirement to avoid massive financial liabilities and threats of those dubiously distinguishing 'CNN moments!'. Non-compliance is...and never will be an option! Adding to all this, there are compliance rules periodically getting appended to the pre-existing chain.

HIPAA (164-308)

Implement security measures sufficient to reduce risks and vulnerabilities to a reasonable and appropriate level.

Implement policies and procedures that, based upon the entity's access authorization policies, establish, document, review, and modify a user's right of access to a workstation, transaction, program, or process.

SOX (404)

Formally document all existing processes and controls for financial reporting - and who owns the controls.

Evaluate the design and effectiveness of internal controls using the defacto standard, the COSO Internal Controls - Integrated Framework.

USA PATRIOT

Requires companies involved in banking, export and import, insurance, securities, and tourism to ensure (and be able to prove!) that they are not dealing with certain foreign countries, nor any drug dealers, suspected terrorists, or other criminals.

It is clearly seen that all these laws converge at a single point: Information Security and Workflow! It is, from the aforementioned excerpts from HIPAA, SOX and USA PATRIOT, evident that compliance is one of the foremost requirements for any organization...and the task of ensuring this is largely in the hands of IT Management.

ADManager Plus kicks in, to ease the task of using Active Directory for compliance! As a central repository of all information in the organization to start with, Active Directory is 'the' point to start with when it comes to compliance. ADManager Plus, with its workflow feature, makes these compliance tasks a child's play! There are several laws for which compliance can be established using ADManager Plus:

How ADManager Plus's Workflow Assists in Compliance...

Now that's one more feather added to ADManager Plus's cap - a mini-compliance management system!! With an inventory that works for the requirements of almost all acts, this comes as a cost-effective tool too! Your expenses are cut down, not just from paying millions for violating the acts, but even from the moment you start using ADManager Plus - the complete Active Directory management solution, now with Workflow monitoring for Active Directory ticketing and compliance!!!

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