What can federated single sign-on do that IP authentication with VPN can't?

Answer...

Federated SSO provides secure, user-friendly access to digital resources that work better for remote users, offering enhanced personalization and reporting functionality.

Here’s what federated SSO enables

  • Seamless user experience: Recognisable institutional login flows (like those enabled by SeamlessAccess) make it easy to sign in once across multiple resources.
  • Granular access controls: Restrict content to specific departments or groups based on licensing.
  • Integrated personalization: Federated offers single sign-on not only to the content but also any personalization services offered by the website e.g. CPD/CME credits (continual professional development/ Continuing Medical Education), bookshelves, etc. without requiring users to register separately or share more personal data.

By contrast, IP authentication can limit both flexibility and insight.

Helpful resources

We have some resources on this topic you might find helpful:

We have a range of case studies where the OpenAthens community share their experiences, including promotion with their user communities. You can view them in our YouTube playlist.

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