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.
Smart cards in the online Buyer's Guide chart include ActivCard's ActivCard's ActivPack, GemPlus' GemSAFE tokens and V-ONE's SmartGate. Biometric devices use personal characteristics to verify a user's identity. These characteristics can include face recognition, fingerprint or eye scans, and voice identification. Face recognition requires a digital or video camera. Products such as Miros' TrueFace Network and Visionic's FaceIt identify users by having them mug for the camera.