Lauri Reunamäki, Appmore’s ServiceNow IAM expert with 24 years of experience in various roles ranging from production management to projects and development, with a deep focus on access management, shares his key tips for choosing the right IAM solution based on your company’s needs and the possibilities of technological development.
When your company is selecting the right Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution, many options are available, and choosing the right one can feel challenging. This decision directly impacts your company’s security, efficiency, and growth opportunities. It’s important to understand the key factors that come into play when selecting the right IAM solution for your business. With the growing complexity of digital ecosystems and the increased need for secure access management, choosing the right IAM solution isn’t just about finding a system that works today; it’s about ensuring long-term scalability, security, and adaptability.
How to choose the right IAM solution for your company?
To answer this question, we turn to Lauri Reunamäki, Appmore’s ServiceNow IAM expert. Lauri shares valuable insights on selecting the ideal IAM solution for your business. According to Lauri, “When selecting an IAM solution, it’s important to consider factors such as scalability, cost-effectiveness, ease of integration, and accessibility. Additionally, the solution should ensure compliance, foster innovation, and enable your organization to focus on core business operations without the complexities of managing IAM infrastructure.” With these considerations in mind, this blog will guide you through the decision-making process, helping you choose the IAM solution that best aligns with your company’s needs and long-term goals.
Lauri Reunamäki, Appmore’s COO, emphasizes the key criteria for selecting an IAM solution: “A solution should offer fast deployment, regular maintenance and upgrades, robust disaster recovery, and top-notch security.”
What’s best for your business?
On-premise, SaaS, or PaaS? The company needs to decide whether to manage the infrastructure itself (On-premise) or utilize cloud-based services such as SaaS (Software as a Service) or PaaS (Platform as a Service). Security, availability, and support are crucial factors that determine how reliable and secure the IAM system will be. Cloud-based identity management is a flexible and scalable solution that meets the needs of the modern work environment, such as remote work. Automation and AI in IAM solutions enable greater efficiency in managing users and access rights.
Different types of IAM solutions
On-premise IAM
allows the company to maintain its own infrastructure, either physically or via cloud-based solutions like AWS or Azure.
Standalone IAM SaaS
offers a fully cloud-based solution that is externally managed and easily scalable.
IAM SaaS build on top of PaaS
refers to a solution where the IAM system is built on an existing PaaS platform, such as ServiceNow. This enables companies to leverage existing PaaS capabilities.
Comparing on-premise and cloud IAM
When comparing on-premise and cloud-based IAM solutions, cloud options offer significant advantages in scalability, cost-effectiveness, and ease of integration. Cloud-based IAM can quickly scale to accommodate growing user numbers without heavy upfront investments, and organizations typically pay for what they use, making it a more budget-friendly option. These solutions are also easier to integrate with other cloud services, providing greater accessibility for remote workforces.
Cloud providers handle maintenance, upgrades, and robust disaster recovery protocols, ensuring your system is always up-to-date and protected. While security concerns often arise with cloud services, most providers offer superior security measures compared to on-premise systems, particularly for organizations lacking a dedicated IT security team. Additionally, cloud IAM providers comply with regulatory standards, simplifying compliance processes.
Cloud-based IAM also offers quicker deployment, access to cutting-edge innovations like machine learning security features, and allows businesses to focus on core activities instead of managing complex IAM infrastructure.
Is IAM SaaS built on top of PaaS better?
Important factors to consider are
Infrastructure
These solutions offer scalability, security, and high availability.
User experience
Portals and task management make the system user-friendly, enhancing employee efficiency.
Features
Cloud-based solutions provide integration opportunities with systems like ITSM (IT Service Management), GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance), and SecOps.
Lauri’s best practices for choosing the correct IAM solution
Security and compliance
The solution should meet all security requirements and provide reliable security features.
Scalability and reliability
It’s important to ensure that the system can scale to meet business needs.
Avoid vendor lock-in
Choose a solution that allows flexibility and avoids locking the company into one vendor.
Essential features
The IAM system should include all the features the company needs, and the vendor should be open to developing more as necessary.
User experience
Ease of use is key to enabling employees to manage access tasks efficiently.
Support and evolution
Choose a vendor that provides support and regularly updates the system.
Ultimately, the right IAM solution must be tailored to the specific needs of the company, its users, and its future growth trajectory. By considering both current demands and future-proofing the solution, companies can ensure they remain competitive in an increasingly digital world. Lauri Reunamäki’s insights guide businesses through this process, helping them make informed, strategic decisions that maximize security and efficiency while minimizing costs.