As the network gets larger, you may find that users must authenticate multiple times to gain access to multiple resources. Single sign-on allows users to overcome this issue and permits them to access the entire resources they need using a single set of credentials to authenticate a single time.
Single sign-on can be accomplished using multiple methods:
- Kerberos (integrated in Microsoft platforms): Windows domain login provides access to all resources
- Third-party solutions
Single sign-on is particularly useful when working with cloud applications that are located on the Internet because it is very easy for the user to login once and then access all the applications in the cloud. This solution is also referred to as software as a service (SaaS). A straightforward example of single sign-on in the cloud is Google. When signing into a Google account, the user can access mail service, a calendar, Google documents, and every other service on the Google platform.