Great experience is a journey, not a destination. Here is a question – If Identity and Access Management (IAM) technology Integration is a Journey, how far have you reached?

The same applies to availing benefits from the IAM technology. IAM tech integration is a journey. You cannot stop at one point hoping you have it all in place. There are newer capabilities that might catch your attention and fit as per your business needs.

Here is a run-down on what set of capabilities you need to tread towards an agile, robust IT security ecosystem. Above the vanilla model of IAM that talks about – provisioning, de-provisioning, access management, federation, password management, Single Sign On, there are additional capabilities than help in bringing efficiency into the IT systems.

Listed below are newer (and not so newer) aspects of IAM that are over and above the vanilla IAM technology:

1. Robust Automation:

   Notification, accesses, audits, approvals, et al. Do we need to add more? Perhaps yes, read on!

2. Application Integrators or Connectors:

   Cloud is making inroads into business like never before. Enterprises that have stuck with On-premise IAM are encouraged to make use of various cloud based applications. However one big issue that crops up is integration of applications with ‘n’ number of cloud based applications. The good news is that many connectors are available in the market to allow cloud based applications to interact with on-premise IAM.

3. Adding Cloud Based IAM to on premise IAM:

   Under all doubts, cloud based IAM and On Premise IAM will coexist and evolve in times to come. In addition as cloud based IAM acts as a business facilitator, the benefit cannot be overlooked in terms of remote usage. Allowing cloud IAM to make inroads into your IT Ecosystem is important for corporations as cloud come with capabilities such as ease in usage, lesser maintenance. But that does not mean that companies will scrap the good old on premise IAM. Some companies maintain cloud based touchpoint in order to integrate cloud based apps with cloud based IAM.

4. Monitoring Privileged Accounts:

   Managing, organizing and monitoring the super users or Privilege Users – the users who are the custodian of IT systems. No, it is not to propagate that you end up distrusting your privileged account holders, but it is better to keep a check on any IAM security related loopholes in the system and fix them than to pay them back later.

5. Enabling mobile access:

   Going ahead in the business-space, no business can do without mobile access. The dynamism of business has started to change already with 24×7 connectivity and global footprints. Keep an eye on BYOD/CYOD policies, enablement of mobile access and governance is the way ahead.

6. MFA talks substance:

   Adopting Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) that includes OTP, Biometrics as a way of identifying the just right user and ensuring the right access.

7. Bring together information through API integration:

   Given the magnitude, duplicity and scattered nature of information poured into various channels, API integration with IdM infrastructure has become all the more important.

8. Legacy System that needs constant work:

   Now when all elements are in place, the IAM system becomes a legacy system. With this IT department keeps discovering new pain points, issues related to segregation of duties come into play, some halt related to certifications come up. This needs constant work and improvisation.

And if you are still stuck at archaic times, getting your basics right, speed up. There is a whole lot happening beyond the basics. You just read some of them.