About ActivID Credential Management System

HID^® ActivID^® Credential Management System (CMS) enables organizations to issue an authentication credential that goes beyond perimeter security. A smart card, smart token or virtual smart card can be used to secure access to individual workstations and servers within the firewall, as well as securing access to the VPN and applications. The high assurance credential can also be used to encrypt data, hard drives, documents and emails, and for digital signatures.

ActivID CMS is a solution for issuing and managing high-assurance credentials. The solution manages authentication devices (for example, smart cards, smart USB keys, virtual smart cards, mobile devices) and credentials they contain throughout their entire lifecycle.

Providing a full-featured Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) registration authority and credential manager for most leading PKI products, ActivID CMS enables the secure deployment and management of authentication devices that contain the following credentials:

PKI certificates,
One-time passwords (OTPs),
Static passwords,
Biometric data, and
Demographic data.

ActivID CMS is a Web-based management system that can be integrated with existing provisioning systems and their components, including:

Network access control systems,
Physical access control systems,
Enterprise database and directory infrastructures, and
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).

Important:

ActivID CMS supports multiple active devices for the same user. Enabling this feature and using multiple devices may impact your licensing:

If you are using HID Credential Management System under HID's subscription model, the license grants access to multiple devices per user.
If you are using HID Credential Management System under HID's perpetual license model, you need the "Additional Devices" license in addition to the "Classic" or "Advanced" license.

The following sections provide essential information needed in order to familiarize yourself with the Operator Portal and configure it for use:

Overview of Operator Portal provides an overview of the Operator Portal interface.
Initial Steps After Installation details the steps to get ActivID CMS up and running.
Configuring Repositories lists the initial procedures that are required to configure ActivID CMS to communicate with its external servers.

Note: It is highly recommended that you read Initial Steps After Installation carefully before you start using the ActivID CMS Operator Portal.

After you have read these sections, proceed to the sections of the documentation that are applicable to your role and your environment.

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