What is our primary use case?
I am an independent training provider. I'm teaching this application. It was originally made by a company named Novell. I have used the Novell XML, which is the origin of Identity Manager. I think they did that in '96 or '97. I was a certified Novell trainer, and I was training those applications myself. I started the first testing center for Novell products in Europe in '92. I have a long history because I started with those basic products in '83 and did 10 years of training for those products. I've also been using them for my employers or for the customers as a consultant. Now, I'm doing training again but in schools. I am teaching adults so that they can change their careers or start a career in cybersecurity or IAM. I always try to use the latest versions. In terms of deployment, you can call it cloud, but it's a VMware environment.
What is most valuable?
I like the eDirectory feature.
What needs improvement?
It needs some modern features. They should improve and modernize their management interface. It has been created over years and by different persons. You can see different applications, different management consoles for different things. There should be an integrated interface. It should also be easier to install. There should be an easier testing system for applications for students or consultants to try it themselves. The system to download or get your applications for testing is not so easy. They can clarify how to install it for different Linux versions as well as how to use it for local private cloud use and public cloud use. It seems that you have to install many incarnations of basically the same product. They should make it free for schools for teaching purposes. Their competitors are giving it for free. By not doing that, they are losing market to competitors.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using it since '83. I've been working for companies that have been using this application. I've been in consultancy implementing this application to customers, and now, I am teaching this application.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable, but its implementation is hard. After that, it runs.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't dealt with it, but I would like to have a channel.
How was the initial setup?
Its implementation is hard. It should also be easier to install. There should be an easier testing system for applications for students or consultants to try it themselves. If we are doing just testing, it's complicated because they are basically supporting SuSE and Red Hat. If we are doing testing, we don't want to pay for the server systems. There is no documentation and information about how to install it with some other Linux versions. There is no documentation for implementing it on other systems. The deployment duration depends on what we are doing. We are not doing production systems. We are doing production-like teaching environments. We are basically running systems that can be production but the use is just for training purposes. Later this year, we are doing production environments. We are doing the whole process of how to create implementation, how to implement it with some applications for IDM, some applications with access management and SSO, and so on.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It would easily help them in getting more market and more customers if more consultants knew about their software. If they could keep it free for schools for teaching purposes, it would be good. I had to pay myself to get it and use it for training. Their competitors are giving it for free. I had to pay for it myself. They are losing market to their competitors.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise others to read the manuals carefully and do the testing systems first. That's because it has all the bells and whistles when it comes to features, but they are not so easy. It is a full package for everything, but it is not so easy to implement. You should basically clarify things because there are different kinds of doors for different kinds of things. I would rate this solution an eight of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.