Microsoft will enter the testing, which has been sponsored by the Liberty Alliance since 2003, with the version of Geneva released last month.

At that time, Microsoft said it would add certification for the Liberty Alliance implementation of SAML 2.0 when the final code of Geneva is released at the end of 2009. Microsoft has had support for the SAML token format as part of its Identity MetaSystem, which is the foundation of the Geneva project, but not SAML's transport protocol.

The company for many years ignored the SAML protocol, but clearly it no longer holds that position.

"We welcome Microsoft's participation in the upcoming SAML 2.0 testing event," says Roger Sullivan, president of the Liberty Alliance and vice president of Oracle identity management. "The Liberty Interoperable program is trusted by businesses and governments worldwide for proving products from multiple vendors can interoperate in rigorous real-world deployment scenarios. Microsoft joins a continuously growing list of vendors participating in the Liberty Interoperable program with the goal of testing products and solutions for true SAML 2.0 interoperability."

The Liberty Alliance testing, conducted by the Drummond Group, will take place July 14 to Sept. 4. Participants pay $15,000 per product to take part.