Understanding Public-Key Infrastructure: Concepts, Standards, and Deployment Considerations

Targeted Applications Versus Comprehensive Solution

It is possible to implement many of the security services discussed within this book (in particular, Chapters 4 and 5) without the benefit of a PKI. These are typically point solutions, and the specific security features are usually embedded within each application. While this may be an option in a limited number of environments, most mid- to large-scale domains cannot afford to deploy multiple point solutions—especially when a single security infrastructure can meet the needs of multiple applications, thereby leading to a much more cost-effective solution.

However, in small, closed-enterprise domains, point solutions may still turn out to be the most cost-effective way of meeting specific ...