by Elizabeth Parsons, IT Services

What’s in a name? What does “affiliation” mean at Miami? Who decides what systems you have access to?

Everyone at the University has an affiliation, each with different access needs and security clearances. For instance, a faculty member needs access to the instructor side of Canvas. Administrators in the Human Resources office need access to the admin parts of Banner (and soon Workday). IT Services staff need access to account information to best support users seeking help. All of these examples encompass “identity and access management (IAM)” activities.

And, as you know, Miami is on an IAM journey.

The teams tasked with implementing updated IAM policies and procedures, as well as the brand-new Identity Governance Administration (IGA) tool, have been working hard these past few months trying to answer the burning questions above. Ever since announcing our partnership with Identity Automation and Moran Technology Consulting for the implementation of the IGA, RapidIdentity, we have been plugging away, building the policies that Miami needs within RapidIdentity.

The official go-live date for RapidIdentity is fast approaching . . . On March 25, 2024, we will have a new, fully functional IAM solution!

But what is that going to look like? Here are some sneak peeks that you can expect to experience as we transition to the new IGA tool:

New password changing experience

Setting and recovering your password at Miami is a straightforward process, and that process has looked the same for several years. With the go-live of RapidIdentity, the password management experience is going to look a little different – and feel a lot better!

After March 25, if you need to change or recover your password, going to MiamiOH.edu/password will take you to the new system. (Hot tip: We will be posting screenshots as we have more information! Don’t forget to check back at MiamiOH.edu/IAM for all the details.)

At the new page, you will be able to do all the things you expect: change your password, set recovery options, etc.

One notable difference in the new system is that with the go-live of RapidIdentity, you will no longer be able to use a “secret question” to recover your password. If you forget your password and need to reset it, you will need to use a different method for resetting your password.

Never fear! There are other ways for self-service password recovery. Those include:

• Providing a phone number
• Providing a non-Miami email address

This way, if you need to reset your Miami MUnet password for any reason, we will use one of these options to verify your identity. After March, if this secret question remains your only option in the old system, you will have to call IT Help to reset your password, because it will not exist as an option in the new system. (Hot tip: You can take the time now to go to MiamiOH.edu/password and add a new password recovery option. It’s quick and easy, and will keep you from having to call IT Help later!)

Coming soon . . . Sync your account

Beginning February 19, 2024, Miami users will be asked to sync their accounts upon logging in for the day. On or after this day, when you log in to a Miami resource, you will be asked to sync your account. This allows us to provide a seamless experience on our March go-live date, as long as you elect to sync your account when prompted.

What do we need you to do? Be on the lookout for the “interrupt” screen on or after Feb. 19. You will simply have to log in a second time after this interrupt screen. Once you log in, your Miami account will be synced. That is all you need to do! Thank you for your help!

What happens if you don’t sync your account before March 25? After March 25, 2024, if you have not synced your account, you will need to recover your account (using a valid password recovery option) to change your password or recovery options in the new system. Please note: Secret questions are no longer a valid password recovery option. Follow the directions above to set a phone number or email address!

For system administrator eyes only: Lots of backend changes

Most of the work going into the March go-live of RapidIdentity is happening behind the scenes. We will have much more for you in the coming months, but suffice it to say that we are excited about these new identity management tools. This is going to make account provisioning and claim, password management, access controls, and more so much easier.

One way we will address key concerns related to the IGA is by incorporating solid governance into the rollout of the tool. We have gathered an IAM Governance Committee, with membership consisting of leaders within each administrative area of the University. In this way, policies and procedures can be discussed and agreed upon before being enacted.

Stay in the loop

We hope you’re as excited as we are about the launch of our new tool. For more information about key vocab words or to stay up to date on the go-live timeline, visit our website at MiamiOH.edu/IAM!

And remember: You can’t spell Miami without IAM!