Review: Digipass Go 7 and Identikey Authentication Server

Initial deployment is done in two parts: the first is installing and deploying the Identikey Authentication Server itself. This can be done on either Windows or Linux and takes just a few minutes. We installed the Windows version in our test environment and found it to be easy and straightforward. The installer for the server is guided by a wizard that collects all information necessary to install the server. The second part of the deployment is plugging the server into the environment through configuring user authentication stores, as well as any other necessary plug-ins. All configuration and management is completed through an intuitive web-based management console.

As for integration, this product is built for customisation. While Identikey has quite a few plug-ins ready to go out-of-the-box, it also features a solid SDK that can be used to integrate Digipass two-factor authentication into an endless number of application types.

The other side of this product is the Digipass Go 7 token, which is small and easy to use via a single button push. Once given a token, users can easily enrol themselves using a self-service portal.

Documentation included several PDF guides that included one on installation and a full administrator manual. The installation guide provided an excellent amount of detail on the initial deployment procedure, as well as clear step-by-step instructions for initial configuration of the Identikey Server. We found all guides to include good detail and to be in an organised format. Furthermore, all guides included many screenshots and configuration examples.

Vasco offers several support options to customers ranging from per incident, all the way through full support and maintenance agreements. Customers have access to both business hours standard support and 24/7 support options based on their maintenance plan. Vasco also offers installation assistance and emergency help if needed outside of the support plan a customer has purchased. If customers require installation assistance they can purchase the remote assistance package and an engineer will work remotely with an administrator to configure the product. Customers can access a help area via the website that includes resources such as a knowledgebase and account management.

Vasco's Digipass Go 7 and Identikey Authentication Server are based on per user pricing that can vary greatly. For 100 users the cost before maintenance is about £40.25 per user. Based on 100 users, Digipass Go 7 would be approximately £1,044, and the Identikey Authentication Server would be approximately £2,980 and the maintenance agreement (per year, per licence) would be £745; therefore the total price for 100 users would be around £4,770. With this in mind, we find these products to be really good value for money. While they can work out to be expensive, we find that they offer a tremendous amount of integration options that are easy to deploy and use.