--- title: Comparison of ADFS to EmpowerID SSO Manager description: This ability to perform multiple methods of single sign-on from federation to WAM to password vaulting gives an ability to get users authenticated to almost ANY application. image: https://blog.empowerid.com/hs-fs/file-223746447-jpg/images/empowerid_comparison_to_adfs.jpg --- [![empowerID-logo](https://blog.empowerid.com/hubfs/empowerID-logo.svg "empowerID-logo")](http://www.empowerid.com) **![phone](https://blog.empowerid.com/hubfs/images/phone.svg)   1-877-996-4276   **or**  +1 (614) 652-6825** [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/220903377569) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png) ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/85780) [![Share on twitter](https://7528304.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528304/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/twitter-color.png?width=24&name=twitter-color.png) ](https://twitter.com/EmpowerID) [![Share on pinterest](https://7528311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528311/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/pinterest-color.png?width=24&name=pinterest-color.png) ](http://www.youtube.com/user/empowerID) # All-In-One Identity Management and Cloud Security Emerging technologies are challenging old paradigms and unveiling new ways of approaching the security discipline that enables the right individuals to access the right resources at the right times for the right reasons. EmpowerID has embedded innovative technologies in every aspect, providing flexible and mature IAM capabilities in the cloud, on premise and in hybrid environments, addressing the mission-critical need across increasingly heterogeneous technology environments, and meeting increasingly rigorous compliance requirements. # Comparison of ADFS to EmpowerID SSO Manager Posted by [Edward Killeen](https://blog.empowerid.com/blog-1/author/edward-killeen) on Thu, Jul 11, 2013 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![EmpowerID comparison to ADFS](https://blog.empowerid.com/hs-fs/file-223746447-jpg/images/empowerid_comparison_to_adfs.jpg)Single sign-on does not have a magic bullet; instead, it requires a swiss army knife.  Meaning many different ways to get users authenticated into an application using only one set of credentials.  A German partner of ours calls this [eierlegende Wollmilchsau](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/eierlegende_Wollmilchsau) based on one of our customers describing everything that EmpowerID can do. This ability to perform multiple methods of single sign-on from federation to Web Access Management to password vaulting gives an extraordinary ability to get users authenticated to almost ANY web application using either corporate or social credentials.  EmpowerID lets you authenticate external or internal users, apply a role to them, giving them appropriate access to any resource (on premise or cloud) and, just as importantly, not force you to have AD credentials for the user. This is where the comparison to Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) comes in.  Not all of your users should be in AD and they are not always accessing WS* or SAML applications.  In addition, you need to have role based access control (RBAC) determining the level of access for the user.  And you need two factor authentication (TFA) for either highly privileged users or highly secure applications.  ADFS is just too limited. The below list illustrates some of the advantages of a true SSO/Federation/WAM application like EmpowerID has over ADFS: 1. Directory neutral federation (AD, LDAP, SQL, CUSTOM, etc. etc.) 2. Multifactor authentication (including Smartcard, OATH and identity proofing) 3. Extensive list of out-of-box authentication providers (including AD, Username/Pwd, social credentials like Salesforce, Twitter etc. etc.) 4. Powerful claims generation, transformation and issuing (leverage full power of C#, Web Services) 5. Leverage RBAC and powerful Metadirectory to issue advanced claims (Business Role and Location, Management Roles, Set Groups etc. etc.) 6. Enhanced security for sensitive data with advanced claims level encryption 7. SSO for non-Microsoft applications 8. Complete support for OAuth 2.0 9. Complete support for SAML 2.0 SSO Web Profiles 10. SSO Application Dashboard + powerful features like Persona etc. etc. There is really no comparison to having a complete *eierlegende wollmilchsau* swiss army knife SSO platform that can authenticate any of your users, using any credential, performing full RBAC, and connecting to any application on any network.  ADFS just cannot compare. [![Click me](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/174819/5495b1cf-a66b-4a6a-ab00-a3c540c8a811.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/174819/5495b1cf-a66b-4a6a-ab00-a3c540c8a811) Tags: [Single Sign-on (SSO)](https://blog.empowerid.com/blog-1/topic/single-sign-on-sso) ### About EmpowerID EmpowerID is the all-in-one Identity Management and Cloud Security platform designed for people.  Globally managing millions of identities in diverse enterprises, EmpowerID offers comprehensive provisioning, single sign-on and access governance coupled with an industry leading user experience.  Built on a single codebase for manageability and scalability, EmpowerID ships with a powerful API, a visual workflow designer and over 400 ready-to-use workflows for rapid deployment.   [![Free Evaluation of EmpowerID](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/174819/daebe087-5275-487d-bf53-bb1d39fb9dc4.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/174819/daebe087-5275-487d-bf53-bb1d39fb9dc4) ### Latest Posts ### Posts by category - 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EmpowerID © 2021 EmpowerID ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Edward Killeen", "url" : "https://blog.empowerid.com/blog-1/author/edward-killeen" }, "datePublished" : "2013-07-11T20:43:00.000Z", "headline" : "Comparison of ADFS to EmpowerID SSO Manager", "image" : [ "https://blog.empowerid.com/hs-fs/file-223746447-jpg/images/empowerid_comparison_to_adfs.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.empowerid.com/blog-1/bid/303806/Comparison-of-ADFS-to-EmpowerID-SSO-Manager", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.empowerid.com/hubfs/Asset%201.svg" }, "name" : "EmpowerID" } } ```