In the PingAccess object model, the "Application" is the primary container for all related configurations. Before defining specific paths (Resources) or applying rules, an administrator must first create the Application object. This object defines the application's main entry point, including its virtual host and context root. All subsequent configurations, such as resources, identity mappings, and policy rules, are nested within this parent Application. Therefore, creating the Application is the foundational first step for onboarding.

A. Identity mapping: Identity mappings are configured within an Application or a Resource to pass user attributes to the backend; they cannot be created before the Application itself exists.

B. Web session: A Web Session is a required component that an Application is associated with, but the first step in onboarding the specific application is to define it, not the session it will use.

D. Resource: Resources represent specific URL paths under an Application. A Resource cannot be defined without first creating the parent Application to which it belongs.

1. PingAccess 7.3 Administrator's Guide, "Applications" section: "Applications are the top-level objects in the PingAccess policy model. An application represents a web application that you want to protect... You must define an application before you can define resources, rules, or other policy elements for it." (This establishes the hierarchy and confirms Application is the first step).

2. PingAccess 7.3 Administrator's Guide, "Add an application" section: This section details the procedure for creating a new application, which is presented as the initial step before configuring its components. It states, "To protect a web application, you first add it to PingAccess." The steps then proceed to define the application's name, context root, and virtual host.

3. PingAccess 7.3 Administrator's Guide, "Resources" section: "A resource is a specific path within an application that you want to protect. Resources are defined as children of an application." (This explicitly states that Resources are subordinate to Applications, making Application creation a prerequisite).