<p>Microsoft is paving the way for the use of alternative identity federation approaches with Office 365 apps and Microsoft Office apps.</p><p>Those alternative approaches are being facilitated by the addition of Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) 2.0 support in Micrsoft's cloud-based Windows Azure Active Directory, according to Microsoft's announcement today. SAML 2.0 is described by Microsoft as a "commonly used federation standard for user sign-in." It's typically used in so-called "passive authentication scenarios," which happens when a Web form is sent to an end user from an "identity provider" requesting a log-in.</p><p>Microsoft's support for SAML 2.0 will help "Office 365 customers who are using an on-premises Identity Provider other than Active Directory," explained Paul Andrew, a technical product manager on Microsoft's Office 365 team, in the announcement.</p><p>The SAML 2.0 support has certain requirements. The identity provider has to support "SAML 2.0 with the SP-Lite Profile." In addition, the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LADP) 3 needs to be used. To assure interoperability, Microsoft offers a program, called "Works with Office 365 -- Identity," that certifies the Office 365 federation.</p><p><a href="http://redmondmag.com/articles/2014/03/06/office-365-and-saml-2-support.aspx">Keep reading...</a></p>