1 Introduction to Best Practices for the Oracle Identity and Access Management Suite

This book provides a collection of best practices for Oracle Application Server 10g (10.1.4.0.1), focusing on the Oracle Identity and Access Management Suite. These best practices cover configuration, deployment, and development. A best practice provides a recommendation or a common practice on how to perform certain tasks and actions. This recommendation may involve a combination of tools and manual processes to achieve a desired result. This collection covers the following technology areas:

• Oracle Access Manager

• Oracle Internet Directory

• Security

• Oracle Virtual Directory

• High availability

1.1 Key Best Practices for Oracle Identity and Access Management Suite Deployments

By following a few key best practices, you can significantly increase the success of any given deployment. These best practices are:

• Think strategically, act tactically: Any infrastructure project is long-term by definition. It is important to plan and design the solution from a strategic perspective, defining a long-term roadmap that is not necessarily tied to or limited by tactical deadlines. The plan should be broken into measurable and attainable phases that each contribute to the strategic goal, while showing return on investment (ROI) with every milestone.

• Seek the advice of the experts: This is particularly important during the initial stages of the deployment (planning, requirements gathering and design). There is tremendous value in engaging experts with years of industry experience who have completed projects in various industry verticals. The time and cost involved in engaging these experts will be quickly realized in mitigating risks, adopting industry best practices, and defining a validated strategy that will achieve success. Industry expertise is typically twofold:

  • Industry expertise: Knowledge of established policies, procedures, and standards; familiarity with compliance with governmental regulations and guidelines; information security best practices; security management and operations; technical infrastructure.

  • Technical expertise: Best use of the technology in addressing business requirements; technical infrastructure; Oracle technology and application security; identity management; access management, Web services security, information assurance, and privacy management.

• Invest in knowledge: Prior to the start of the design phase, ensure that your staff has the right knowledge of the technology and products involved. Starting the process of the knowledge transfer and familiarity with the environment at the beginning of the project will be more effective than starting this process later on. Oracle strongly recommends that you train your staff in the specific products involved in the deployment, and strive to capture and transfer knowledge throughout the deployment, so you are capable of independently supporting, maintaining and evolving the infrastructure. This investment is key to a successful deployment.