The tall, slim, tuxedo-clad figure moves purposefully. He approaches a console and lays his hand on a flat glass plate that scans the geometry of his hand and checks his fingerprints. He enters an elevator and the thin red line of a laser crosses his right eye, scanning the retina. The elevator door opens in front of an abyss. Never Dies isn't all that far off in terms of depicting the kinds of biometric authentication mechanisms mainstream businesses are now deploying to ensure no unscrupulous types access their systems and networks.
Authentication is the process by which users prove they are who they claim to be.
If you need an authentication system that works with firewalls and dial-in servers, tokens or smart cards are your best bets. If you want products that lock a PC unless its user is physically sitting in front of it, biometric devices are a good choice. If you want to be able to do both plus control access to network and application servers, be prepared to compromise or wait. Proving your presence Tokens have been available for several years. Smart cards are credit card-size devices that work in much the same way as tokens.