what is OAM, very good explanation

In today’s world with increase in number of applications (Business apps, mobile apps, Enterprise apps)

It is a challenge to provide seamless Single Sign On (SSO) experience across any application from any device. We cannot integrate every new application to the existing security solution. It leads to managing multiple identities.

OAM helps us to achieve seamless and secure access across all the channels, be it web, mobile etc.

Through OAM we set up the policies on application access at one place and that carries through no matter what channels or the way we access that application. In this way, it assures all polices are consistent across the system.

It helps the developer of the application to concentrate only on the function implementation and not worry about security implementation. Also for the security Administrators, it is easy to manage and troubleshoot as OAM provides a single console to administer and configure the policies.

OAM also provides auditing capabilities which is useful for compliance.

FEATURES OF OAM:

•       Authentication: Validating a user against an identity store.

•       Authorization: Once the user is authenticated, validating the authorization policies. Is the user authorized to access the resource?

•   Managing sessions and SSO for Web Tier: Maintaining session for users, like idle time out, session timeout, how many concurrent user sessions can be created?

1.1 About Oracle Access Manager

Oracle Access Manager (formerly known as Oblix NetPoint and Oracle COREid) provides a full range of identity administration and security functions, that include Web single sign-on; user self-service and self-registration; sophisticated workflow functionality; auditing and access reporting; policy management; dynamic group management; and delegated administration.

Oracle Access Manager offers a DMZ-type three-tier architecture to provide a highly secure deployment with maximum protection of data and applications that includes the following:

• Identity System: The industry's first and most mature enterprise identity management system. The Identity System (formerly known as NetPoint COREid) provides user management and self service, dynamic group management and organization management, privacy enforcement, delegated administration, and powerful workflow to secure additions and changes to any of these. The Identity System is used to manage hundreds of thousands to millions of users in some of the world's largest extranets and portals.
• Access System: The access-control system (formerly known as the NetPoint Access System). The Access System, Network Computing's 2003 Product of the Year, provides single sign-on across any Web application. It supports a variety of access policies, and is fully integrated with the Identity System so that changes in user profiles are instantly reflected in the Access System's policy enforcement.
• Integration Services: Extends Oracle Access Manager capabilities to all your applications. By providing integration points with systems and applications from other vendors, Oracle Access Manager enables out-of-the box integrations with most leading application servers, Web servers, directories, portal servers, system management products, and packaged applications.