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Okta Project - FAQ

  • Williams is now using Okta to manage your Williams identity and credentials. Initially, Okta will be used to manage password changes and assist with a forgotten password. Over the coming months we will continue to add applications to your Okta dashboard. The dashboard will give you easy access to Williams Apps, cloud services and websites that use your Williams credentials, becoming a one stop shop for access to the tools you need to do your job.

  • An IAM system allows us to create new users and provision access to systems or applications. It ensures we know who you are and provides you access to the right tools necessary to do your job when you need them. Modern cloud-based IAM systems allow us to be more agile and efficient in how we manage identities and access to systems.

    Benefits include:

    • Access to applications using one set of credentials through single sign-on
    • Additional security for critical apps using multi factor authentication (MFA)

  • Okta will provide improved self service functionality around password management and streamlined access to your applications. Once fully implemented, you can continue to access your applications directly or through your Okta dashboard. Both access methods will use Okta’s single sign on and multi factor authentication.

  • Phase Details
    Phase 1 - Identity and Password Management (January 2023) User IDs are created and passwords are managed in Okta for all students and employees.

    Phase 2 - Targeted Apps for MFA

    (February 2023)

    		 A small pool of targeted applications with small user groups will begin using Okta for authentication.

    Phase 3 - First Year Accounts and G-Suite

    (Spring-Summer 2023)

    		 User accounts for incoming first years will be created in Okta including access to critical applications.  G-Suite will progress through a phased roll out to transition all employees and students to Okta authentication for Google applications.

    Phase 4 - Complete Okta Transition 

    (Fall 2023-Fall 2024)

    		 Remaining Willliams applications will transition to Okta authentication.  As this happens applications will become available on your Okta dashboard.

  • If you do not have a smartphone or the ability to add apps to a smart phone you have please contact Client Services at OIT (x4090 or [email protected]).

  • No, you must sign out of individual applications separately. Logging out of Okta itself does not log you out of your applications even if you used Okta to authenticate to them.

    For example: When you use Okta to authenticate and sign into Google email you will still be signed into Google email on that device if you sign out of the Okta dashboard.

  • Okta Verify can generate codes even if your device is not m connected to Wi-Fi or has no cell signal.

  • The app you will need to download to log into Okta is titled 'Okta Verify'. You may see other Okta apps when you search the App/Play store you can ignore these as Williams does not use them.

For the Okta onboarding and help guide see: https://oit.williams.edu/help-guides/accounts/williamsokta/