SingleStore Helios cloud has launched its public preview for an advanced self-service authentication service, providing support for OpenID Connect (OIDC) and Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication protocols. This authentication proxy adds a layer of security and flexibility for users accessing the SingleStore database, allowing customers to configure identity provider connections themselves and test before going live. The platform serves as an authentication gateway for users accessing various SingleStore database services, facilitating authentication with external Identity Providers using either OIDC or SAML. While both protocols have their advantages, OIDC offers enhanced security and ease of setup, whereas SAML provides fine-grain control over information exchange. Configuration and fine-tuning involve exchanging XML configuration blobs and configuring attributes on both the IdP and SP sides. The platform ties authentication sessions to access tokens granted by customer's IdPs, with session duration determined by the lifespan of these tokens or their ability to be refreshed.