Review: IDMatrixx IDServer v2.0

For: Highly flexible biometrics authentication plus other methods

Against: Quite expensive with administration overhead

Verdict: A feature-rich performer, but you'll need to spend some time getting up to speed on it and the support is a bit light

This product brings biometrics and other authentication methods together in one device. This approach allows for implementation of strong authentication service.

This product was not a simple install. The IDServer requires its own database running in SQL Server, so management is not done through Active Directory, but through a Java-based web interface. Once we created and configured the database, we went on to installing the server.

At the end of the installation, there were still configuration steps via the web interface, and then we had to install the client. Finally, the enrollment process was easy and straightforward, but getting there was a bit tricky.

Even though this product does not integrate with Active Directory, there is no reason to rule it out quite yet. We found it to be powerful with a lot of flexibility, such that it is reasonable that it would require its own database. Administration is fairly simple and the web interface is intuitive. We found overall performance to be quite good.

This product is supplied with two manuals. One illustrates the overall installation of the product. The second provides instructions for initial configuration after installation and the Search Subsystem software. We found this documentation to be well organised and easy to read.

The vendor offers maintenance and upgrades included in a 20 percent annual maintenance cost. We were not provided with any more information than that and there is no support area on the website. This product, while quite flexible, comes with a high cost.

The system costs US$5,000 and the vendor was not clear on what is included in the price [and we were not able to get an answer by deadline]. However, there is also administration overhead as well, and it does require its own SQL database. We find this product to be a slightly less than average value for money.

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