Support for identity providers such as Google, Facebook, LiveID and OpenID is being added to Windows Azure AppFabric. The Access Control Service (ACS) allows you to integrate Single Sign On and centralized authorization into your web application. It works with most modern platforms, and integrates with both web and enterprise identity providers. The August Azure AppFabric update is available via the AppFabric LABS environment where the AppFabric team showcases some of its early bits.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s in this release:

• Integrates with Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) and tooling
• Out-of-the-box support for popular web identity providers including: Windows Live ID, Google, Yahoo, and Facebook
• Out-of-the-box support for Active Directory Federation Server v2.0
• Support for OAuth WRAP, WS-Trust, and WS-Federation protocols
• Support for the SAML 1.1, SAML 2.0, and Simple Web Token (SWT) token formats
• Integrated and customizable Home Realm Discovery that allows users to choose their identity provider
• An OData-based Management Service that provides programmatic access to ACS configuration
• A Web Portal that allows administrative access to ACS configuration

For links and more information about the release, links to bits, training materials and a Channel 9 video, see the Azure AppFabric team blog posting Major update to ACS now available.

About AppFabric Access Control Service

The Windows Azure AppFabric Access Control service simplifies access control for Web service providers by reducing the cost and complexity of integrating with various customer identity technologies. Instead of having to address different customer identity technologies, Web services can easily integrate with AppFabric Access Control. Web services can also integrate with all identity models and technologies that AppFabric Access Control supports through a simple provisioning process and through a REST-based management API. Subsequently, Web services can allow AppFabric Access Control to serve as the point of integration for service consumers.

For an overview, see Windows Azure AppFabric Programming Guide.

Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation