Thanks to its flexibility and upgradeability, the Meibo Identity Management solution from Ilex International’s IAM platform is contributing to the satisfaction of the French Digital Health Agency (ANS) directory’s users.
The challenges
- Open-up the IT system to new services
- Modernise the directory access front-end
Meet the requirement of identification, security and independence linked to the development of information technologies in the social and healthcare domain
Created in 1993, the Groupement d’Intérêt Public “Carte de Professionnel de Santé” – The Public Interest Group “Health professionals Card” – provides an personal smartcard to each healthcare professional who requests one. The card, protected by a confidential PIN code, contains information about their identity, qualifications, field of practise in addition to billing data for the electronic treatment record.
This card contains cryptographic keys and electronic certificates – published online in a public directory – to provide three functions: authentication of healthcare professionals, data signing and message encryption (guaranteeing confidentiality of information exchanged online). This system of strong authentication is used in various national applications such as the DMP (Shared Medical Files) or the CNAM repayments history with the objective of improving healthcare services (better treatment and expense management).
The most visible and well known use of the CPS card is the SESAM-Vitale application which enables healthcare professionals to electronically transmit the patient’s electronic treatment record, in addition to sending the electronic repayment request to the obligatory and complementary healthcare insurance organisations. In 2006, over 1 billion electronic treatment records were transmitted.
A directory with over a million entries and 650,000 user identities
The ANS directory serves to support the publication of valid certificates and revocation lists. It contains approximately 1.3 million entries corresponding to 650,000 users as each of them has 2 certificates dedicated to authentication and digital signature. The number of entries will double during the course of the next 3 years due to the promulgation of the 15th May 2007 “confidentiality” decree which mandates the use of the CPS card.
The directory, built on X.500 technology, is secured in order to protect its data from any commercial use. Authorisation to put the data online was given by CNIL on condition that an access charter is used.
At the end of 2004, the ANS programmed an upgrade of their directory access front-end, which at that time relied on turnkey developments of which certain components were no longer maintained.
« The ANS launched the CEduSAA – Consolidation et Evolution du Service d’Accès à l’Annuaire (Directory Access Service Consolidation and Upgrade) in order to upgrade the solution. The front-end had a certain number of shortcomings notably in terms of the user interface, and didn’t permit retrieval of the CRLs (Certificate Revocation List) in HTTP mode. We looked for a solution that would enable us to open our IT system to new services such as bulk extraction destined for local or regional organisations. »
Meibo Identity Management: flexibility, openness, functional richness and ease of identities administration
After analysing different solutions, the ANS decided to select a market solution rather than a turnkey development for reasons of longevity, evolution, quality and performance. From this strategic choice, in 2005 the ANS published a Request for Proposals for the replacement of its Directory front-end.
« In the end we selected Meibo from Ilex International based on several criteria. Overall, this offer fulfilled our requirements best and proposed the most cost effective solution. We were seduced by its flexibility and openness, notably in terms of Web Services. In addition, its wide range of functionality was a plus in terms of the user interface. For example, the solution offered the ability to search successive branches of the directory allowing the user to save time. Its ease of use and configuration equally figured as a factor in our final decision, along with the ability to easily develop new functionality which guarantees a superior upgrade path. »
The implementation was carried out by the integration teams from Ilex International who, amongst other things, committed to ensuring backward functional compatibility and correct operation of the new functionality. Thanks to Meibo, new profiles were created for the establishment’s directors and a retrieval function was implemented along with Web services used for machine to machine data extraction (automated requests via the LDAP protocol).
Satisfied users, increased reliability and stability with Meibo Identity Management (IAM)
After one year using Ilex International‘s Meibo Identity Management solution, the ANS declared its satisfaction with the results of the project.
« The users of our site made us aware of their satisfaction, both in terms of the new ergonomy (ease of use) and its performance (faster searches). In addition they now benefit from a larger range of information, accessible via a more convivial search engine offering both fast and improved searches along with a higher number of search criteria. Amongst the most popular functionalities are the options for down. »
« We have equally gained in terms of reliability and have the assurance of being able to handle the traffic in years to come. Today, the site is very stable and the current administration is sufficient to warn of all major incidents. The site receives between 6000 and 7000 HTTP requests per day and approximately 6000 over LDAP with peaks of 10000 for both protocols. Last but not least, we had the benefit of training and migration support services from the Ilex International teams, which enabled us to rapidly master the tool, to configure it and to administer it with ease. »
Certain enhancements have already been implemented and others are planned, for example, the implementation of new services and new parameters. Certain additional occupational attributes will be offered for display and some ergonomic improvements are equally in the process of being analysed.
« Meibo’s strong point lies in its ergonomics and rich functionality. Its flexibility allows it to adapt to an external corporate style and hence further enrich its functionality. Multi- platform (Windows, Solaris, HP-UX, Linux…), multi-directory (LDAP v2&3, Microsoft, OpenLDAP, Critical Path…) and multi-server (Tomcat, WebLogic, WebSphere…), it respects market standards, therefore guaranteeing its upgradeability. It is this which enables us to confidently envisage the future whilst concentrating on our new developments. »
The benefits
- Flexibility and openness, notably in terms of Web Services
- Ergonomic user interface
- Ability to download CRLs and certificate chains over HTTP
- Viewing of server certificates
- Increased reliability guaranteeing an increased loading capacity
- Excellent cost effectiveness
Who we are
Ilex IAM Platform is Nexpublica’s complete identity and access management offering.
Nexpublica has a long history of publishing in software for the public, semi-public, and private sectors. The company supports more than 4,000 public organizations and 1,200 private companies.
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