Centrify, which made its bones making Microsoft’s popular Active Directory accessible to Redmond’s enemies list, is spreading its wings and snuggling up closer to Microsoft at the same time by throwing it something of a lifeline.
See, Microsoft expects Office 365 to be one of the fastest-growing businesses in its history. It’s already claimed it’s got a billion-dollar run rate. There’s only one little problem.
The widgetry Microsoft supplies for Active Directory integration – ADFS or Active Directory Federation Services – is a pain in the proverbial tail for both Microsoft’s field personnel and the channel, which is paid to sell Office 365 and hardly needs to spend hours wrestling with the slippery stuff since it actually takes pricey dedicated hardware and specialized knowledge of the operating system to get it up and running.