Microsoft Identity Manager 2015 Released into Public Preview

Microsoft is making the Public Preview of Microsoft Identity Manager 2015 available today from its Connect Site.

Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM) is a replacement (and rebranding) for its previous Forefront Identity Manager (FIM) product. FIM was designed to manage users' digital identities and credentials and provide a secure layer of protection for business users. FIM was introduced in June of 2012 to run on Windows Server 2008 R2 and integrate with Active Directory and Exchange Server.

But, FIM designed as on-premises product. Microsoft Identity Manager, on the other hand, aligns closer to Microsoft's current, Cloud-heavy roadmap. Now in Public Preview, MIM prepares local Active Directory attributes to synchronize with Azure Active Directory and enable single sign-on for the hybrid connection environment. Additionally, MIM provides multi-factor authentication, allowing end-users to manage their own passwords.

You can evaluable Microsoft Identity Manager by visiting the Connect Site and adding the component to your Microsoft Connect dashboard.

Go here to get started: Identity and Access Management Home

And, then jump straight to the Downloads page to obtain a test lab guide and the product installation.