Best Identity Management (IM) Tools

In identity management, roles refer to a set of predefined parameters that help manage and control which access is granted to users. Role-based access control (RBAC) identifies when a user joins or changes a role in an enterprise or if a job role has been updated, alerting IT teams to adjust access rights if a role change warrants it.

Identity management is made up of several different components:

• Protection of data: Sensitive data is protected within a system and also secured by the system itself.
• Identification: IAM determines how users are identified in a system through the use of identity management as well as authentication.
• Roles: Another component of identity management is how the system identifies roles and assigns them to individuals
• Groups vs. individuals: Different levels of access are granted to individuals vs. groups.
• Adding, removing, and updating: It is typical for roles in a system to frequently change. In some cases, roles are added or removed and in other instances, roles change and access rights and permissions need to be updated.

IAM (identity and access management) refers to the access management controls such as the decision to block or allow users from having access rights to a specific database, sensitive information, other resources, etc. It does this via portals connected to login pages or protocols while also validating whether the individual who is requesting access actually deserves the rights to access in the first place. This differs from authentication because while authentication can identify a user, it can not determine whether they should or should not have access. In other words, IAM handles authorization rather than authentication.

On the other hand, Identity management, or IDM, manages digital identities. IDM works by creating unique designations for users by combining digital attributes and entries in a database. IDM systems create, maintain, monitor, and also delete identities within an enterprise network. They manage authentication and help businesses ensure that users have the correct permissions they need to perform their job responsibilities.

Identity management products are systems or technologies that are designed to simplify user provisioning and also an account setup process. These products focus on decreasing the amount of time it takes to complete such processes by using a controlled workflow that reduces errors while simultaneously allowing automated account fulfillment. A good identity management product should provide administrators with the ability to instantly view, modify, and monitor roles and access rights for all users. To efficiently manage access rights, an IAM system should have a solid central directory that automatically matches job titles and other business unit identifiers, along with their locations with their relevant privilege levels.

According to IT Central Station (soon to be Peerspot) users, key aspects of I&A solutions to consider include: multi-platform support, robustness, integration options, stability, automation options, and SDK availability.

Benefits of identity management tools include:

• Secure access: By having role-based access control, organizations can ensure the protection and transparency of all access rights, both within a corporate network and in the cloud.
• Efficiency: IAM systems are composed of integral components that boost efficiencies, such as fully automated management of a user’s lifecycle, complete role-based access control, user data imports, application integration, workflows, and self-service.
• Centralized system: As your enterprise scales, it can be challenging to keep track of what’s going on with multiple users, databases, portals, applications, etc. Having an IAM system allows you to have a complete 360-degree view all from a single, centralized location with increased visibility. This way, you can easily see all users in the organization along with which user identities have which user permissions and access rights.
• Onboarding and offboarding automation: With an IAM solution, your IT team no longer needs to manually assess which permissions or privileges to grant users based on their unique user roles. Your IAM system can quickly automate this process, eliminating the margin of error associated with manual provisioning, saving your IT department time and money, and helping them deprovision users quickly if they migrate or leave to another department within the company.
• Compliance: Regulations are constantly changing. An IAM tool will help your organization centrally manage onboarding, offboarding, access certifications, separation of duties violations, and much more so that you are prepared when and if new regulations arise.
• Multi-factor authentication: By implementing an access management solution, you gain an extra layer of security. Poor or weak passwords can often be the reason hackers can successfully generate data attacks or breaches. With multi-factor authentication, accounts and customers are dually secured when passwords are required to be paired with an additional security step like facial recognition software, a fingerprint, a verification code sent to your mobile device, or a push notification.
• Seamless user experience: With an identity management system in place, you can enable access to applications and/or resources - whether on-premise, in the cloud, or in a hybrid cloud - providing administrators, consumers, and enterprise users with the seamless experience they expect.

Some of the main features included with identity management tools are:

• Access control
• Single sign-on
• Workflow automation
• Cloud computing
• Password manager
• Digital identity management
• Provisioning