Microsoft is featuring Geneva as part of the new in announced Thursday, which also includes Active Directory and Forefront security products.

Geneva's foundation is the claims-based access model and Security Token Service (STS) technology that Microsoft has been developing over the past few years as part of its industry effort to create a single identity system based on standard protocols. (Compare )

Geneva is made up of the Geneva Server, formerly called Active Directory Federation Services 2.0; Geneva CardSpace Client, a smaller and faster version of the identity client now available with Vista; and the Geneva Framework, which was formerly code-named Zermatt.

Also part of the platform is the Microsoft Service Connector, the Microsoft Federation Gateway and the .Net Access Control Service, which are designed to create a sort of identity backbone and connection to the cloud.

"There is no pressure to use Microsoft components," Kim Cameron, Microsoft's identity architect told Network World in October. "All aspects of Geneva are standard across the industry. This helps you build an identity backbone and get into the identity era."