Parallels RAS Supports Multiple Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Providers
Parallels® RAS 19 is coming soon! The new release builds on the features and innovation that have earned it a reputation as a top-rated pick for delivering secure access to virtual desktops and applications on any device, from anywhere.
A primary goal of this release is to enable enterprises, independent software vendors (ISVs), and managed service providers (MSPs) to be more agile and extend their service offerings all from a single management console. The flexibility to employ multiple multi-factor authentication (MFA) is part of the story.
In this article, we’ll give you a sneak peek into an upgraded security feature that allows Parallels RAS administrators to use multiple MFA providers in the same environment.
What Is MFA?
MFA is an electronic authentication method in which a user is granted access to a website or application only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence to an authentication mechanism.
It sounds complicated, but most of us are very familiar with MFA in practice. If you’ve ever entered a password and then been sent a verification code or email before you’re able to log in to an application, then you have used a multi-factor authentication system.
How Does MFA Work in Parallels RAS?
Parallels RAS provides the flexibility for administrators to use multiple MFA providers without the requirement to deploy them in different Parallels RAS environments.
Being able to use multiple MFA providers in the same Parallels RAS site means that resources can be reused, therefore streamlining management of the process for IT administrators. The result is increased flexibility while reducing IT management time, effort, and costs.
Different themes can also be configured for different MFA providers; for example, theme one can be configured to use RADIUS as an MFA provider while theme two can be configured to use Google Administrator as an MFA provider.
Building on previous iterations, in Parallels RAS 19, multiple MFA providers can now be configured in the same Parallels RAS site per theme, with additional flexibility created by employing expression-based rules.
Here’s how it works:
- An administrator sets up multiple MFA providers in the same Parallels RAS site.
- An administrator creates multiple themes in the same Parallels RAS site.
- The administrator configures different themes to use different MFA providers, all in the same environment.
What Are Some Common Use Cases for Multiple MFA Providers?
There are many reasons that organizations or enterprises employ multiple MFA providers. Some examples are:
- Different departments, groups, or business units within the same Parallels RAS site might have a requirement to use different MFA providers.
- ISVs and MSPs with different customers might need to specify different MFA providers per customer within the same Parallels RAS site.
- Organizations who want to upgrade or migrate from one MFA provider to another using a staggered approach need the ability to support more than one MFA provider.
Parallels RAS is the secure, flexible solution for deployments that use one or more MFA providers.
Parallels RAS 19 Technical Preview: Give It a Try!
The Parallels RAS 19 Technical Preview is here—so check it out!
You can access it by logging in to your existing Parallels My Account and downloading and installing the Parallels RAS 19 Technical Preview.
If you do not already have an account, please visit my.parallels.com/register.
