What is Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS)? 

Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) is a Microsoft product designed to function on Windows Servers. ADFS allows users in your network to verify their identity and access multiple services with a single sign-on process, and works both within your network and outside of it. 

How Active Directory Federation Services Helps Businesses 

ADFS allows company employees to work across multiple platforms without repeatedly needing to re-verify their identity and security credentials.  As dedicated SaaS tools and reliance on third-party applications broaden, the single sign-on experience is becoming a vital foundation for productivity. 

Benefits of Active Directory Federation Services

The benefits you’ll gain from ADFS fall into two broad categories: those supporting improved convenience and productivity, and benefits relating to strengthened business-wide security. 

Convenience and productivity:

• Fewer passwords to remember: By definition, a single sign-on experience means your employees have fewer account logins to manage, and spend less time negotiating access to services.  
  
• Smoother workflows: Fewer disruptive login pages across applications mean your employees can perform cross-platform processes more efficiently. 
  
• Streamlined worker onboarding: Ultimately, ADFS simplifies your work environment, making employee onboarding a less disruptive process. 

Security 

Simplified account management: One process can instantly add or remove a user from all your systems — both within your network and across third-party applications. Fewer redundant active logins strengthen your company’s security posture. 
Improved password compliance: Convincing your employees to use a long list of strong passwords is a hard ask. It’s far easier to make a case for good password practice when your team need only use one set of login credentials. 

Using Active Directory Federation Services in Your Company 

If your business relies on multiple internally managed and third-party platforms, implementing ADFS can significantly enhance your company’s security posture. ADFS brings the additional productivity benefits of streamlined worker onboarding, and simpler workflows, both for your IT team and across your company as a whole.