Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a critical part of modern cybersecurity, yet many organizations still struggle with fragmented and inefficient solutions. This blog explores how IAM on top of ServiceNow offers a powerful, secure, and scalable approach that supports the entire business, not just IT. Business Development Manager Onni Puhalainen also shares his perspective on the broader value of IAM across the enterprise.
Why identity management needs a smarter approach?
Managing user identities and access rights is a constant challenge for IT teams. As organizations expand their digital footprint, the number of applications and user accounts increases, making access control more complex. At the same time, cybersecurity threats are growing, and regulatory requirements such as GDPR, NIS2, and SOC2 demand stricter identity governance.
For many businesses, identity management is still fragmented across multiple systems, leading to inefficiencies, security risks, and high operational costs. Instead of relying on separate IAM solutions, organizations can integrate IAM into ServiceNow, a platform already widely used for IT service management, security operations, and automation. This approach allows businesses to streamline access management, enhance security, reduce costs, and improve compliance, all within a trusted, enterprise-grade environment.
Trust plays a critical role when selecting IT solutions, especially for security-sensitive areas like identity management. Forbes recently ranked ServiceNow as the second most trusted company in America in 2025, reinforcing its reputation as a secure and reliable enterprise platform. By running IAM on top of ServiceNow, businesses can leverage a solution that is both proven and future-proof.
Source: Forbes, Meet The Most Trusted Companies In America 2025, published November 21, 2024.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hnewman/2024/11/21/meet-the-most-trusted-companies-in-america-2025/
Seamless integration into IT service management
A major advantage of running IAM on ServiceNow is its ability to integrate seamlessly with existing IT service workflows. Since many organizations already use ServiceNow for IT service management and security operations, adding IAM to the same ecosystem eliminates the need for multiple standalone identity management systems and simplifies operations.
By managing identity and access requests directly within ServiceNow, businesses can automate user provisioning, approvals, and compliance reporting without relying on additional third-party tools. This consolidation improves efficiency and ensures that IAM aligns fully with broader IT operations. Instead of maintaining separate IAM processes that require extensive integrations, businesses can handle everything from user onboarding to access reviews within a single, unified platform.
Automating the identity lifecycle
Keeping access rights up to date is one of the most significant challenges in identity management. Employees frequently change roles, new hires need immediate access, and departing staff must be promptly deprovisioned to avoid security risks.
With ServiceNow IAM, these processes are fully automated. New employees receive the correct access rights immediately upon onboarding, and role-based access updates dynamically as users change positions within the company. When an employee leaves, access is revoked automatically, reducing the risk of orphaned accounts and unauthorized access.
This automation significantly reduces the workload on IT teams while ensuring compliance with security policies and regulatory requirements. Instead of IT staff manually handling requests and approvals, ServiceNow IAM enables real-time identity lifecycle management without delays or human errors.
Stronger security and compliance
Security breaches often occur due to poor access control. Employees may retain unnecessary permissions, or unauthorized users may gain access to critical systems. ServiceNow IAM strengthens security by enforcing least privilege access, automating access reviews, and providing real-time visibility into user rights.
With identity management directly integrated into the ServiceNow ecosystem, businesses gain a clear overview of who has access to what. Automated audits and compliance reports make it easier to demonstrate regulatory compliance, helping organizations meet the requirements of frameworks such as GDPR, NIS2, and SOC2.
By shifting from manual, error-prone IAM processes to an automated, policy-driven approach, organizations can significantly reduce security risks while maintaining full control over user access.
Cost savings and business efficiency
IAM on ServiceNow is not only a security investment but also a cost-saving strategy. Eliminating separate IAM tools reduces licensing fees and lowers integration costs, while automation minimizes IT workload, allowing teams to focus on higher-value tasks.
Organizations also experience productivity gains since employees no longer face delays in gaining access to the tools they need. Instead of submitting requests manually and waiting for approvals, they can use self-service IAM functions through ServiceNow’s portal, mobile app, or chat interfaces. These efficiency improvements lead to faster business processes, improved employee satisfaction, and reduced operational expenses.
Future-proof identity management with AI and automation
In addition to its current capabilities, ServiceNow IAM continues to evolve with AI-driven automation and advanced analytics. ServiceNow’s strong development ecosystem ensures that identity management keeps pace with emerging security threats and compliance demands.
Identity management is no longer just an IT concern, it is a strategic enabler across the entire organization.
Onni Puhalainen, Business Development Manager at Appmore, shares his perspective on the broader impact of IAM on ServiceNow:
“The benefits of our IAM Application on ServiceNow are immense. While many recognize how it enhances ITSM workflows, its impact extends far beyond that. Customer Service Management (CSM), Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM), HR, and the entire business ecosystem can all gain significant advantages from a well-integrated IAM strategy.
Within our IAM Application, companies can seamlessly connect their knowledge base, catalog items, and even CMDB to automatically read and manage systems. This is especially helpful for enterprise-level organizations handling a vast number of systems.
Placing IAM on top of ServiceNow is a logical, strategic decision, one that aligns IAM processes with a powerful digital workflow platform. Let automation handle repetitive tasks, freeing up human decision-making for where it truly matters. Avoid wasting valuable cognitive energy on mundane processes and instead focus on what drives business success.”
Placing IAM on top of ServiceNow is a logical, strategic decision, one that aligns IAM processes with a powerful digital workflow platform. Let automation handle repetitive tasks, freeing up human decision-making for where it truly matters.
– Onni Puhalainen, Business Development Manager, Appmore
Key benefits of IAM on top of ServiceNow at a glance
Unified platform
Combines IAM with ITSM, security operations, and workflows in one place. No need for separate tools or complex integrations.
Automated identity lifecycle
Automates user provisioning, role changes, and offboarding. Reduces manual work and security risks.
Stronger security and compliance
Enforces least privilege access and simplifies audits. Supports GDPR, NIS2, SOC2, and other frameworks.
Cost efficiency
Cuts licensing and integration costs. Boosts productivity with self-service access and automation.
Scalable and future-proof
Built on a trusted enterprise-grade platform with continuous AI-driven development.
Enterprise-wide value
Benefits extend beyond IT to HR, CSM, and CIAM. Supports smarter workflows across the business.
IAM and ServiceNow create a smarter, more secure future
By integrating IAM with ServiceNow, businesses gain a streamlined, automated, and secure identity management solution that aligns perfectly with their IT service workflows. This approach not only reduces complexity and IT workload but also enhances security, compliance, and overall efficiency.
In today’s fast-evolving digital landscape, organizations that embed IAM into their IT service management strategy will stay ahead, ensuring secure, compliant, and cost-effective identity management for the future.
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.