--- title: Server overview description: AM is a centralized access management server, securing protected resources across the network and providing authentication, authorization, Web security, and federation services in a single, integrated solution. AM manages access to the protected resources by controlling who has access, when, how long, and under what conditions. It centralizes disparate hardware and software services for cloud, enterprise, mobile, and business-to-business (B2B) systems. component: pingam version: 7.2 page_id: pingam:deployment-planning-guide:am-server-overview canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/8.1/deployment-planning/am-server-overview.html llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/llms.txt docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/8.1/deployment-planning/am-server-overview.html --- # Server overview AM is a centralized access management server, securing protected resources across the network and providing authentication, authorization, Web security, and federation services in a single, integrated solution. AM manages access to the protected resources by controlling who has access, when, how long, and under what conditions. It centralizes disparate hardware and software services for cloud, enterprise, mobile, and business-to-business (B2B) systems. ![AM has a highly modular and flexible architecture.](_images/openam-architecture-dpg.svg)Figure 1. Architecture AM features a highly modular and flexible architecture with multiple plugin points to meet any customer deployment. It leverages industry standard protocols, such as HTTP, XML, SOAP, REST, SAML v2.0, OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect 1.0, and so forth to deliver a high performance, highly scalable, and highly available access management solution over the network. AM services are 100% Java-based, proven across multiple platforms and containers in many production deployments. AM core server can be deployed and integrated within existing network infrastructures. AM provides the following distribution files: **Distribution Files** | File | Description | | -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `AM-7.2.2.war` | The distribution `.war` file includes the core server code with an embedded DS server. The distribution includes an administrative graphical user interface (GUI) Web console.During installation, the `.war` file accesses properties to obtain the fully qualified domain name, port, context path, and the location of the configuration folder. These properties can be obtained from the `boot.json` file in the AM installation directory, from environment variables, or from a combination of the two. This file is also available to download individually. | | `AM-crypto-tool-7.2.2.war` | AM provides a utility with some cryptographic functionality used for creating Docker images.This utility is strictly for future use, and is not currently supported. | | `AM-Soap-STS-Server-7.2.2.war` | AM provides a SOAP-based security token service (STS) server that issues tokens based on the WS-Security protocol.(1) | | `AM-SSOAdminTools-5.1.3.27.zip` | AM provides an `ssoadm` command-line tool that allows administrators to configure and maintain AM as well as create their own configuration scripts.The `zip` distribution file contains binaries, properties file, script templates, and setup scripts for UNIX and Windows servers. | | `AM-SSOConfiguratorTools-5.1.3.27.zip` | AM provides configuration and upgrade tools for installing and maintaining your server.The `zip` distribution file contains libraries, legal notices, and supported binaries for these configuration tools. Also, you can view example configuration and upgrade properties files that can be used as a template for your deployments. | | `Config-Upgrader-7.2.2.zip` | AM provides a configuration file upgrade tool.For more information on converting configuration files for import into AM, see the `README.md` file in the `Config-Upgrader-7.2.2.zip` file. | | `Fedlet-7.2.2.zip` | AM provides an AM Fedlet, a light-weight SAML v2.0 service provider.The Fedlet lets you set up a federated deployment without the need of a fully-featured service provider. | | `IDPDiscovery-7.2.2.war` | AM provides an IDP Discovery Profile (SAMLv2 binding profile) for its IDP Discovery service. The profile keeps track of the identity providers for each user. | | `sample-trees-7.2.2.zip` | Clean installs of AM with an embedded data store provide ready-made sample authentication trees to demonstrate how they can be put together.These sample trees are not installed by default on installs of AM with an external configuration store, or if you are upgrading an existing instance of AM. The `sample-trees-7.2.2.zip` file contains the sample trees in JSON files,\ ready for import by *Amster* command-line interface. Find information on importing files by using Amster in [Import configuration data](../amster/import-config.html). | | `Truststore-Utility-7.2.2.zip` | AM provides a utility to help with creating a trust store for use with web authentication.See the `readme.md` in the ZIP file for instructions, and [MFA: Web authentication (WebAuthn)](../authentication-guide/authn-mfa-webauthn.html) for more information. | (1) AM also provides REST-based STS service endpoints, which you can directly utilize on the AM server. The [Ping Identity Download Center](https://backstage.pingidentity.com/downloads) hosts downloadable versions of AM, including a `.zip` file with all of the AM components, the `.war` file, AM tools, the configurator, web and Java agents, and documentation. Verify that you review the Software License and Subscription Agreement presented before you download AM files. ForgeRock offers the services you need to deploy AM commercial builds into production, including training, consulting, and support.