RSA is the most well-known two-factor authentication system today. The current RSA offering is appliance-based and was the only appliance tested. Surprisingly, the appliance was easier to install and configure than the software-based options, and was set up for use far faster than other products in this Group Test. The only real trouble was attaching the device and getting it to recognize the network.
The appliance is configured and administered through a web-based interface that provided most functionality. This is a well laid out interface that required no special knowledge or user management. The product enabled a desktop logon feature that allows for two-factor authentication to the desktop.
The installation of SecurID was simple and the product installed on the network with the only hang-up being the license CDs that replaced
floppy disks. The primary configuration is performed through a web interface and the front panel was basically a read-only device status. The device would integrate into most environments easier with the front panel able to assign the IP address and subnet mask for the device.
Documentation is included electronically in the form of PDF files. The documentation is easy to follow and the layout is logical and necessary for most administrators. The documentation is indexed and searchable in the documents that we looked at, and this made for an easier time finding what was necessary to implement the product.
RSA offers two levels of support: SecurCare and SecurCare Extended. SecurCare Extended support contracts offer response times down to a guaranteed two hours along with several other useful services.
The pricing for the SecurID offering was at the high end of the price spectrum, starting at $4,600 for 10 users. However, pricing is scaled for different numbers of user populations from 10 to over 250 per appliance. This made the appliance one of the few offerings that gave enterprise features at a reasonable cost to small, medium and large enterprises.
