Somerford Associates Limited

Okta - Identity Access (IAM) Single Sign-On, Multi-factor Authentication, Lifecycle Management

Okta is a leading identity and access management solution providing single-sign on, multi-factor authentication and provisioning capabilities for all applications.

Okta is the foundation for secure connections between people & technology. Using identity information to grant access to applications on any device at any time, enforcing strong security protection.

Features

• Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Universal Directory
• Lifecycle Management (Provisioning and De-Provisioning)
• Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Integration to Active Directory
• Application Programming Interface (API) Access Management
• Advanced Server Access Management
• Device Trust and Trusted Devices
• Reporting and System Event Logging
• Access Gateway Management

Benefits

• Zero Downtime (Platform always available)
• Quick provisioning and deprovisioning (lifecycle management)
• Seamless access from any device or location
• Reduced IT costs
• User policy enforcement
• No Hardware
• Reduced audit time and risk
• Reduced password resets
• Reduced IT friction
• Vendor Agnostic

£1.65 a user a month

• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at penny.harrison@somerfordassociates.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

438588359047707

Contact

Penny Harrison
07897075103
penny.harrison@somerfordassociates.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
• What software services is the service an extension to: Okta has extensive list of integrations with can be viewed at https://www.okta.com/integrations/ however via various different types of connectors (SWA, SAML, WS-Fed) we can integrate most applications subject to scope.
• Cloud deployment model: Private cloud
• Service constraints: Users of the Okta platform should be aware of the supported browsers, applications and operating systems. This information is publicly available at help.okta.com.
• System requirements: Appropriate Licensing and access for application integrations/integration entities.

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm excl bank holidays customers receive an initial response within one business hour
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: No
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: We provide support from priority 1 to priority 4 cases on any existing configuration or part of the platform that is in total or partial failure as well as not working as expected. We also provide configuration guidance and recommendations for use cases. Each customer receives their own Account Manager who works closely with Support and ensures that cases can be followed up. Somerfords Support desk is available as a value added service in addition to the maintenance and support purchased alongside the license.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Okta offers three support tiers to match your organization's needs; Basic, Premier and Premier Plus. Basic Support - The Okta Basic Success Package gives you access to training, the helpdesk forum, FAQs, on-line user guides and tutorials, and briefings of upcoming releases. Premier Support - The Okta Premier Success Package gives you access to live and pre-recorded training, 24x7 support with 1 hour response times, FAQs, on-line user guides, and tutorials so you get the most value from Okta. Premier Plus Support - The Okta Premier Plus Success package offers the most exclusive level of support. In addition to your own support number and priority routing to support engineers, you’ll work with a named Customer Success Manager (CSM), who is dedicated to understanding where your business is today, where you’d like to be tomorrow, and how Okta can help you get there. For more info on Okta support options please visit support.okta.com
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Currently, the only way to bulk extract data from Okta is using the Okta API (freely documented). Alternatively, limited data could be gathered through the downloading of reports/system log events. Optional Services can be purchased in order to provide assistance in the data extraction process.
• End-of-contract process: Okta is a subscription based software so customers will have the opportunity to renew their licences before their contract comes to an end. Customers do have the option to sign a multi-year agreement. If the contract subscription does end, user profiles created by Okta will remain with the end service provider, however will no longer be able to be provisioned, accessed, or managed via the Okta platform. Customers keep hold of their directory stores, and would have to manually manage each individually from their respective sources - or change to a different identity management provider.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The Okta web portal is browser-based for both types of devices so the only differences will be between the device display properties. The Okta mobile application is also available at no extra cost to provide a seamless mobile-friendly portal for Okta.
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: Okta’s mission is to connect any user to any technology. We design, develop, and test our products with accessibility in mind so that all users can use our products, including users with disabilities, such as visual impairment, color deficiency, and hearing impairment. ; ; To help meet our goal of inclusive and accessible design, Okta follows the internationally recognised best practices in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA to the extent possible. Okta is also aware of the newer WCAG 2.1 Level AA standard, and we are working towards meeting the requirements.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Accessibility testing: To deliver on this commitment, we partner with a third-party accessibility testing service, train our teams to build accessible products, and continually listen to customer feedback to build products that fit your needs.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Okta's API is a REST API based upon CRUD principles (Create, Read, Update and Delete). The CRUD principles using via the API can be used to set up, manage and make changes to the service, including interactions against Users, Applications, Groups, Administration (Managing Admins and Event Information). The API can also be used for authentication and session management. Full Documentation, Developer Instances and Postman templates are also availably publicly via the developer.okta.com website.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Modular licensing allows for specific solution creation per user demand. Dashboard and branding can be altered to meet user needs. API allows for further customisation, such as integration to existing applications or websites.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Being able to scale is only one part of the equation. Today’s users expect a seamless experience while IT adapts to an increasing demand. Interruptions and downtime can severely hurt organization’s productivity. Okta is built to handle this challenge with a guaranteed 99.9% uptime, and zero planned downtime. Furthermore, Okta has maintained a 100% global uptime in the last 2 years, with no major service disruption, as it scaled 640% in the amount of authentications per month it needed to handle. Okta is never taken offline for updates or maintenance.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: While usage data and service metrics can be discovered within our system log. High level reports can be provided by the Okta team as required on request.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: Okta

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Developed Vetting (DV)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
• Data sanitisation process: No
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Currently, the only way to bulk extract data from Okta is using the Okta API (freely documented). Optional Services can be purchased in order to provide assistance in the data extraction process.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: Via the Okta API
• Data import formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data import formats:
  • Through various formats using API
  • Directory Services (such as Active Directory)

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Identity is Always On, and so are we. We built the Okta service for high availability and a guaranteed uptime. https://support.okta.com/help/Documentation/Knowledge_Article/Okta-Support-Service-Level-Agreements-by-Customer-Success-Package
• Approach to resilience: Since we are aiming for billions of users and authentications, in 2014 we rolled out a new platform architecture that will get us to extreme scale. We call this architecture “cells”. A cell is a self-contained instance of the entire Okta service. Any fault in infrastructure is contained within a cell using a High Availability (HA) architecture, and even in case of an entire datacenter going down, another cell in a different geography takes ownership of the affected accounts within an hour.
• Outage reporting: You can see an updated status of Okta’s availability at all times by going to trust.okta.com. All users will also receive email alerts informing them of the problem, estimated outage time and a further email once fully restored.

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Other user authentication: API token and oauth 2.0
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Access to support channels is only granted to administrative users and security check is carried out when a user raises a support ticket. Management interfaces is also locked down to administrative users.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least once a year
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: API token and oauth 2.0

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: The Certification Body of Schellman & Company, Inc.
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 07/09/2020
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: The scope of the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certificate is limited to the information security management system (ISMS) supporting Okta’s cloud-based Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platform and aligned with ISO/IEC 27018:2014 in accordance with the Statement of Applicability version 3.2, dated March 28, 2016.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: Yes
• CSA STAR accreditation date: 01/05/2016
• CSA STAR certification level: Level 2: CSA STAR Attestation
• What the CSA STAR doesn’t cover: Schellman & Company, LLC examined the description of Okta, Inc.’s (“Okta” or the “service organization”) OnDemand Identity-as-a-Service (“IDaaS”) system for the period May 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016, (the “description”) based on the criteria set forth in paragraph 1.26 of the AICPA Guide Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization Relevant to Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, or Privacy (SOC 2®) (“description criteria”) and the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of controls described therein to meet the criteria for the security, availability, and confidentiality principles set forth in TSP section 100, Trust Services Principles and Criteria for Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy (AICPA, Trust Services Principles and Criteria) (“applicable trust services criteria”), throughout the period May 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016. We have also examined the suitability of design and operating effectiveness of controls to meet the requirements set forth in the Cloud Security Alliance's Cloud Controls Matrix Version 3.0.1 control specifications.
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications:
  • HIPAA
  • FedRamp
  • SOC2

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: SOC2 certified HIPAA CSA Star
• Information security policies and processes: The Okta team understands the need for its service to be both highly available and secure, and every aspect of the organization reflects this. From its hiring practices to the software it develops and the operational environment in which it runs, Okta understands that it is Always On. Okta enables enterprise administrators to increase security above what is available through traditional on-premises technologies. By offering strong password management capabilities, account management capabilities, easy-to-deploy multifactor authentication, and encrypted attributes, the enterprise is now able to put strong controls on high-value data while balancing the ease-of-access users demand. Okta is a leader in third-party certifications, physical and network security architecture, and reliability, so customers need not worry about putting authentication data in the cloud. Okta is trusted by organizations of all sizes and in all industries.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: Okta’s change control process is audited and attested to SOC 2 Type II. A weekly meeting is held to determine which enhancements, and/or fixes will be released. The final build is promoted to QA, which is responsible for all security, and regression testing on the build. Once the build passes testing, it is finalized and released to technical operations who perform deployment testing of the final build. After successful deployment testing, the build is deployed to staging where it will bake in for a week, afterwards it is tested once more before going live.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Okta conducts continuous internal vulnerability assessment, as well as annual external penetration testing. If a potential vulnerability is identified, it is triaged among the security, engineering, and technical operations teams. Okta's security team employs a risk ranking system for all technical vulnerabilities. The ranking system also accounts for all published risk rankings within the Okta environment. Critical- and high-risk issues are addressed as quickly as possible within the next release cycle or hot patch within the context of business feasibility. Medium-risk issues are addressed within the next four release cycles. Low-risk issues are addressed when possible with feature updates.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Okta utilizes a number of monitoring tools with centralized logging and SIEM using our own correlation rules for security monitoring, analysis, and alerting.
• Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Okta has formally documented incident response & disaster recovery standard operating procedures (SOPs) that describe discovery, investigation, escalation, containment, notification, and documentation processes. Customers are provided this SOP document upon request and under NDA.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  As an organisation that works closely with the public sector, Somerford is keen to demonstrate our commitment to supporting the achievement of the Net Zero target of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.; ; Management and staff at Somerford have been conscious of our impact upon the environment even before the Climate Change Act was introduced, and we’ve adopted environmentally friendly practices as the business has grown. Consequently, Somerford ‘s business already has a reasonably low carbon footprint, and will continue to strive for further reductions wherever possible because this is beneficial for our business, our stakeholders and the environment.; ; We will use our influence as a value added reseller of leading edge software products and supporting professional services to select supplier-partners whose own carbon reduction philosophy and plans are aligned with ours, and who can show commitment to the Net Zero target. In practical terms, this means we participate in a carbon-net-zero supply chain in the delivery of the solutions from our supplier-partners to our customers.; ; For further details, please see our Carbon Reduction Plan online at https://www.somerfordassociates.com/carbon-reduction-policy-and-plan/ As an organisation that works closely with the public sector.

  Covid-19 recovery

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, our robust business continuity measures, prudent fiscal policy, and the benefits of a highly flexible team, meant we were well prepared for the difficulties ahead. ; ; Staff wellbeing has been at the forefront of our Covid-19 recovery plans, taking care of their physical and mental health, including;; ; * home working to avoid unnecessary exposure to the virus; * providing safe office space where staff personal circumstances dictated; * regular contact, albeit remotely, to prevent isolation; * organised e-based social events to maintain interaction; ; ; As a result we have been able to:; ; * give uninterrupted service to our customers; * move our staff to home working; * avoid compulsory redundancies and minimised furlough; * in 2020, gain an 11% increase in revenues; * continue to grow the workforce by over 10% in the same year; * take on new partners to enhance our solutions portfolio; * invest in staff education to meet future customer needs. ; ; Changes in business practices due to Covid-19 have shown that flexible work patterns can be very effective, and we’re unlikely to fully return to our previous style of working. ; ; Our solutions have also helped customers to cope with their changing work patterns too - supporting their Covid recovery by providing the infrastructure, tooling and monitoring to support their own remote, flexible and sustainable ways of working.

  Tackling economic inequality

  Somerford is a healthily growing business, and actively strives to create employment opportunities that are inclusive of all socio-economic groups. For example:; ; * 47% of our staff joined us as junior.; * 17 of our team have joined us as apprentices or graduated from our in house technical academy; * We actively participate in the Armed Forces Covenant Scheme and help to redeploy and re-skill leavers from the Armed Forces. So far, 18 staff have joined us in this way;; ; Strong technical skills are key to the delivery of services to our customers, so we’ve invested heavily in staff training, as is demonstrated by 47% of our staff starting with us as juniors.

  Equal opportunity

  Somerford is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or age.; ; We do not discriminate on the grounds of disability. We take particular care to respect the rights of those with disabilities, throughout all stages of recruitment and employment. We make reasonable adjustments to ensure those with disabilities are not disadvantaged in the workplace, eg. adjusting working hours or providing special equipment to help to do their job.

  Wellbeing

  Somerford is committed to promoting and supporting the wellbeing of all of its staff. We aim to create a culture which focuses on prevention of issues in the workplace that can adversely affect staff health and wellbeing, and where issues are identified, they are managed promptly before they can have a detrimental impact.; ; This includes:; * providing staff with clarity and purpose regarding their job role;; * ensuring staff have the capability, training, support and encouragement to conduct their role confidently and effectively;; * providing a physical working environment that is suitable for the work to be carried out effectively;; * encouraging staff to maintain a sensible work-life balance;; * minimising the stressful impacts of work;; * ensuring bullying and harassment have no place in the working environment;; * managing sickness and absence effectively;; * considering requests for career breaks and sabbaticals;; * providing medical assistance to staff;; * encouraging employee fitness;; * promoting dignity at work

Pricing

• Price: £1.65 a user a month
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: 30 Day trial period in which you have full suite access for 10 users limited to 5 applications.
• Link to free trial: https://www.okta.com/free-trial/

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at penny.harrison@somerfordassociates.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.