Multicard Provides Secure
Identity Management Platform
to The University of Arizona
New open architecture
platform reduces costs and
facilitates addition of new
applications to campus-wide
ID card
DENVER, Colorado, June 16,
2011
– Multicard, a leading
supplier of credential
solutions, identity
management and system
integration services and a
business unit of Identive
Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: INVE:
Frankfurt: INV), announced
today it is implementing a
new identity management
platform for the The
University of Arizona. The
platform leverages
contactless smart card
technology and utilizes an
open, standards-based
architecture to manage and
administer the institution’s
“CatCard” identity
management program, which
includes 51,000 students,
faculty and staff on the
university’s campus in
Tucson as well as other
campus sites in Arizona.
Multicard is providing
ongoing consulting,
integration and project
management services for the
program.
The new solution replaces
the university’s previous
identity and access cards
based on traditional
proprietary technology with
highly secure contactless
smart cards that will enable
multiple applications on one
ID credential.
The new card will
allow holders to enter
dormitories and other campus
buildings, securely log on
to PCs or campus IT
networks, check out
materials from the library,
validate meal plan
participation, and pay for
on-campus print and copy
services, bookstore
purchases, vending items and
parking, as well as serving
as an ID card. Multicard’s
open architecture approach
provides The University of
Arizona with the flexibility
to add or change
applications on the “CatCard”
at a far lower cost than its
previous proprietary
keycard. In addition,
optional biometric
authentication will
be added for
high-value research
facilities on campus, thus
ensuring the enhanced
security required for
research funding.
“We have had some ambitious
goals for our identity
management program, and
Multicard helped us not only
to achieve, but surpass
them,” said Diane
Tatterfield, Assistant
Director of
CatCard Services for The
University of Arizona. “It
was critical that we move to
an open platform that we
could control, so that we
have the ability to make
modifications over time to
address changing needs.
Multicard has given us this
flexibility, which we plan
to exercise in the future by
adding a city bus transit
application to the CatCard
and offering ticketless
purchases for events at our
stadium. It was also
important that we bring down
the ongoing cost of
administering the CatCard
program, and with an open
platform we now have many
more competitive options
when selecting card and
equipment vendors.”
“To address the desire of
The University of Arizona to
stay ahead of the game with
cutting-edge technology,
resources and services, we
provided a future-ready
migration path while
ensuring backwards
compatibility with the
university’s existing
infrastructure,” explained
David Callaghan, Director of
Professional Services for
Multicard. “Many of the
4,400 colleges and
universities in the U.S. are
only beginning to think
about implementing one-card,
multi-application
contactless ID solutions for
their campus environments.
We appreciate the
opportunity to work with The
University of Arizona, which
has long been a trail blazer
in the area of campus
cards.”
About Multicard
Multicard is a worldwide
supplier of card solutions
for secure identification
programs, with in-house
capabilities for credential
issuance, personalization
and fulfillment for the
consumer, government,
education, healthcare, smart
community and corporate
markets. Multicard offers a
complete open payment
platform, ID systems
management and engineering
services as well as full
implementation and program
management. Multicard also
is a provider of enrollment,
emergency management and
accreditation solutions
using government or
corporate IDs. For
additional information,
visit www.multicard.com.
Multicard is a business unit
of Identive Group, Inc.
(NASDAQ: INVE; Frankfurt:
INV), a leading provider of
products, services and
solutions for the security,
identification and RFID
industries. For more
information, please visit
www.identive-group.com.
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