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The login process, also known as authentication, is crucial as it plays a vital role in ensuring the security of your Faculty Success data. Striking a balance between accessibility and data security is key, making it easy for users to access Faculty Success while safeguarding information. The more integrated the authentication process is for users, the lower the chances of forgetting passwords or resorting to writing them down, which could compromise security. Advanced Authentication allows users to utilize the same username and password they use for other purposes, such as accessing portals or emails.
By default, Faculty Success uses Local Authentication to authenticate users. Each user is assigned a specific username and password for Faculty Success, making it the least convenient authentication method as users need to remember an additional password. Moving beyond the default Local Authentication, Faculty Success supports more advanced alternatives. Delve into the four methods of Advanced Authentication outlined further in this article.
Types of Advanced Authentication:
Faculty Success supports four methods of Advanced Authentication, as listed below and only one may be in place at a time. For an in-depth understanding of these methods, you can watch a video overview following the list that delves into the types of Advanced Authentications Faculty Success supports.
- SAML through Watermark Navigator: Recognized as the most secure and user-friendly option, particularly beneficial for users with multiple Watermark products. This method allows for seamless switches between products without the need for users to re-authenticate. We highly recommend this method.
- Shibboleth Authentication: Users can access Faculty Success through your campus's Shibboleth Identity Provider.
- Portal Authentication: Users can access Faculty Success through a link in your campus portal.
- LDAP Authentication: This method involves users logging into Faculty Success using their campus user credentials.
Depending on the Advanced Authentication method you opt to implement, it's important to ensure that users' Faculty Success usernames and email addresses exactly match their corresponding campus usernames and email addresses. This alignment is essential for a successful authentication when utilizing Advanced Authentication in Faculty Success.
Setting up Advanced Authentication
As mentioned before, by default, users are configured with Local Authentication when initially set up in Faculty Success. If you prefer to implement Advanced Authentication, we have created individual articles for each authentication type. These articles provide additional insights and instructions on setting up advanced authentication for your campus. Click on the authentication name you wish to implement to proceed with the Advanced Authentication setup for your campus.
- SAML through Watermark Navigator
- Shibboleth Authentication
- Portal Authentication
- LDAP Authentication
Managing Advanced Authentication
As a Faculty Success Administrator, you have the ability to change the authentication method for any user account using the Users and Security tool at any given time. However, it's important to highlight that changing the authentication method for users in the University Administrator or College Administrator security roles is restricted. This restriction is in place to prevent inadvertently locking out users in an Administrator role from Faculty Success. To make changes for users in Administrator roles, submit a General Work Request.
When updating the Advanced Authentication for your campus Faculty Success instance, refer to the relevant article for setup requirements found in the "Setting Up Advanced Authentication" section of this article. Follow the provided instructions to meet the necessary criteria for implementing the new Advanced Authentication for your campus Faculty Success instance.