Patent ID: 7523486

Claim:
A tool for administering users of a security system, the tool comprising: a storage component, stored on a computer readable storage medium, that maintains roles data that includes an authorization component and an application component, wherein the application component includes at least one role defined by a third party application; a centrally located graphical user interface, stored on a computer readable storage medium, that manages the application component and the authorization component; and a centrally located engine, stored on a computer readable storage medium, that communicates with the storage component via a security system application programming interface, uses the authorization component in determining whether to grant access to the third party application, and communicates the application component to the third party application, wherein the third party application uses the at least one role defined by the third party application and included in the application component in determining a level of access within the third party application itself, wherein the roles data further includes a resource component associated with a system resource such that the centrally located graphical user interface associates a role with the system resource to limit access to the system resource except by a user having the role.