Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer-usable medium for executing, at an Entitlement Broker Service (EBS), a request from a requesting user for a protected computer resource that is available only to entitled users. Entitlement identifications are located using a Standardized Entitlement Credentials Data Store (SECDS) in the EBS. The SECDS contains entitlement identification in a standardized format that can be used to contact an Entitlement Source (ES) for entitlement information regarding the requesting user and the requested protected computer resource. The located entitlement information, for the requesting user, is then transmitted from the EBS to an External Client Application (ECA) that manages the protected computer resource, thus affording the requesting user access to the protected computer resource.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program-product are provided for managing user access to a converged set of entitlement resources residing within an entitlement resource repository. Each of the entitlement resources is marked with an entitlement identifier. When a requester attempts to access an entitlement resource, an authentication token corresponding to the requester is sent to one or more entitlement authorities associated with the entitlement resource. The entitlement authority creates a set of entitlement identifiers associated with the requestor. This set of entitlement identifiers associated with the requestor is then compared with the entitlement identifiers associated with the entitlement resource to determine if the requestor has authority to access the entitlement resource.