At the end of the past week, Microsoft made available for download the Release Candidate bits for Identity Lifecycle Manager “2”. Designed to integrate seamlessly with Windows Vista SP1, Windows Server 2008 and Windows XP SP3, Identity Lifecycle Manager “2” is an integrated identity management solution. According to the Redmond giant, starting with the Release Candidate of Identity Lifecycle Manager “2” end users gain a great deal of flexibility when it comes down to tasks designed to manage their identities.

“ILM '2' changes the current state of identity management by providing powerful end user self-service capabilities. IT professionals are also given more tools to solve day-to-day tasks such as delegating administration and creating workflows for common identity management tasks. In addition, ILM '2' is built on a .NET and WS-* based foundation for developers to build more customized and extensible solutions,” Microsoft revealed.

As of November 2, 2008, Identity Lifecycle Manager "2" RC Release is up for grabs via the Microsoft Download Center. At the same time, the Redmond company is also offering a VHD designed for Hyper-V Server 2008. Identity Lifecycle Manager "2" RC Demo Virtual Hard Disk Image is time-bombed, and set to expire on January 30, 2009. But it represents an ideal solution for streamlining the testing process, offering a Hyper-V based virtual hard disk image complete with a demonstration installation of ILM “2” which has already been pre-installed.

“ILM '2' aligns the management environment to the systems and processes most appropriate to the IT professional’s or business user’s role within an organization. ILM '2' provides IT organizations with a policy and business process framework to manage user access, user accounts and credentials such as passwords, OTP devices and smart cards for both Windows and heterogeneous environments. ILM '2' also provides powerful self-service capabilities for end users that increase productivity by integrating common self-service tasks such as group and credential management via Microsoft Office and Windows,” Microsoft added.

Identity Lifecycle Manager "2" RC Release is available for download here.

Identity Lifecycle Manager "2" RC Demo Virtual Hard Disk Image can be downloaded from here.