That\u2019s where Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) comes in. IDaaS provides IT teams with a cloud-based, centralized system for managing and authenticating user access to various resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this way, IDaaS improves employee productivity and<\/em> the organization\u2019s security posture, providing users with one authoritative identity to use across apps, documents, and servers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this article, you\u2019ll learn more about IDaaS \u2014 how it works, its benefits, and what to look for in an IDaaS provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IDaaS platforms are cloud-based identity providers that securely manage and connect user identities to operating systems, applications, and networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While other forms of identity management exist, they cause IT sprawl<\/a>, which, in turn, increases security and compliance risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Microsoft Active Directory (AD), for instance, can\u2019t manage Linux systems. To plug that gap, IT admins need to use a free identity provider<\/a> like OpenLDAP. And because AD and LDAP are on-prem, admins must also<\/em> layer SSO on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without it, employees can\u2019t securely access cloud-based apps and devices<\/a>. That means IT is responsible for managing three different solutions: Active Directory, OpenLDAP, and web application SSO \u2014 just for identity management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IDaaS platforms, by contrast, manage all that and more. Unlike AD, they support Windows, Mac, and <\/em>Linux, LDAP, and even cloud RADIUS. The best IDaaS platforms also include device management, multi-factor authentication (MFA)<\/a>, and True Single Sign-On<\/a>\u2122 \u2014 all managed from a single view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most identity and access management (IAM) solutions<\/a> use APIs to ping identity providers (IdPs)<\/a> like Active Directory and then extend user identities to web applications, cloud servers, and other back-end systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But IDaaS platforms act as IdPs themselves<\/em><\/a>, saving, managing, and confirming user identities through built-in authentication, authorization, and access control:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many benefits to using an IDaaS platform<\/a> over traditional identity management. Just a few include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Modern IDaaS lets you tightly control access, maintain compliance<\/a>, and centrally increase security through features such as password complexity management, MFA\/2FA, SSH keys, and single sign-on (SSO).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n IDaaS also makes compliance logs much simpler to track and procure. Since every instance is vetted and recorded by the cloud system, it\u2019s easy to retrieve event data in case of a security breach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike traditional user management platforms, true IDaaS solutions don\u2019t need to link to an on-prem directory like Microsoft AD. Instead, user management<\/a> is seamlessly integrated into identity management, referencing employees\u2019 digital identities and provisioning, changing, monitoring, and revoking access to anything they use to do their jobs, like apps, documents, networks, and devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best IDaaS platforms have built-in workflow capabilities, eliminating the manual work that can come from company growth and expansion. That means IT can set up specific user profiles once and automatically deploy the correct device and app permissions automatically \u2014 as soon as a new hire onboards or offboards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, it\u2019s all done in the cloud. No more installing and upgrading software, backing up data, and taking other security measures that would be necessary for on-prem solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With IDaaS, organizations no longer have to pay for three or more tools \u2014 identity, access, and device management are all rolled into one. With more wiggle room in their budget and more time and energy, IT can take on more interesting, strategic projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Robust IDaaS solutions come with five main features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the AD\/LDAP paradigm, IT admins had to find web-based SSO to support identity management for cloud-based apps. As discussed, this meant they had to manage three different applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Comprehensive IDaaS solutions have True Single Sign-On\u2122 (True SSO) built in. Because it’s already cloud-native, True SSO<\/a> grants access to virtually all<\/em> modern systems, applications, networks, and files, whether cloud-based or on-prem. All a user has to do is sign in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n IDaaS increases security beyond SSO by requiring multi-factor authentication at each login. This extra layer of protection makes it harder to launch internal and external cyberattacks, keeping cloud-hosted applications, networks, and other resources safe. From the IDaaS console, IT admins can lock down systems further, requiring SSH keys to access on-prem and cloud-based server access. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since true IDaaS platforms incorporate user management, they allow IT to create new group memberships, assign users to those groups, and adjust them over time. When a company adopts a new platform, IDaaS solutions make it easy to onboard users with the right permissions. And they also make it easy to revoke those permissions once an employee leaves the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RBAC goes right along with user provisioning and deprovisioning. The best IDaaS platforms simplify role-based access control with customizable workflows that automatically deploy appropriate permissions when:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or any other similar use case. They also have adaptive authentication capabilities, meaning IT and MSP teams can give folks conditional access<\/a> to systems or documentation to complete a specific task for a given period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These days, nearly every company has specific compliance guidelines they need to follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026the list goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Modern IDaaS solutions build these audits into your identity and user management, enabling your IT admin or MSP to pull proof that all systems are performing within the necessary guidelines at any point in time. They also have backend reporting modules to reveal system insights<\/a> that might present opportunities for boosting efficiency or security.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a lot riding on your IDaaS solution \u2014 employee productivity, IT team productivity, and, most importantly, the security of company and customer data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making the wrong decision can impact all three, wasting valuable time and resources and putting your organization at risk. Make sure your IDaaS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n By definition, all IDaaS solutions are delivered from the cloud. But there\u2019s a big difference between platforms adapted to the cloud and platforms created specifically for<\/em> the cloud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Adapting legacy, on-prem solutions to work with the cloud is called \u201ccloud washing,\u201d and it almost always involves a clunkier, or more limited management experience compared to on-prem and cloud-native solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), Microsoft\u2019s cloud-based directory, for example. Azure AD was designed as a cloud-option extension of on-prem legacy AD. It incorporates more cloud functionality than legacy AD, but traditional on-prem functions, such as group policy management, organizational unit management, and legacy authentication functions, are taken away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n IDaaS products have no limitations to their cloud capabilities. They\u2019re designed with remote work in mind \u2014 not adjusted to accommodate it after the fact \u2014 shifting installation and maintenance to the third-party provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this day and age, the key to cybersecurity is managing and maintaining just one core identity for each user. And that\u2019s just not possible with on-prem identity management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When IT admins provision user access through Active Directory, core credentials only give employees access to their workstations and Microsoft-based, on-prem networks, servers, and applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But today\u2019s average user must access a wide array of non-Microsoft and cloud-based resources to do their job effectively. Without that access, users tend to circumvent traditional IT processes \u2013 and the resulting shadow IT<\/a> opens the door to data breaches and noncompliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With native, cloud-based SSO, IDaaS platforms guarantee people are who they say they are, and that they have permission to use applications, networks, and systems \u2014 whether they\u2019re accessed in the cloud or on-prem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Windows was the dominant platform 15 years ago, but Linux is now the de facto platform of choice for technical users, and Mac has grown significantly in popularity \u2014 not just among creatives but among executives and average users, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to that mixed OS environment, IT admins must manage on-prem and cloud-based applications. As we\u2019ve explained before, the two often have different authentication protocols and methods. Cloud applications typically use SAML as the protocol, while many on-prem applications use LDAP. Balancing all these requirements is near-impossible for older identity management approaches to support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Look for an agnostic IDaaS solution that offers complete, end-to-end management for any applications or resources you need to secure, no matter the protocol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identities are the number one attack vector, so choosing a platform with top security features is instrumental in protecting your environment. Make sure the platforms you\u2019re considering have the following security features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Choosing a next-generation IDaaS solution with these features allows organizations to authenticate a singular identity to their assets, regardless if those are stored on-prem or in the cloud. This ultimately creates a more centralized, secure foundation for IT teams to build their infrastructure on, and through True SSO, users can gain access to everything they need to Make Work Happen\u00ae<\/sup>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A one-size-fits-all IDaaS platform is tough to find. But there are some standalone identity and user management solutions on the market that you can use to support IAM, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Azure AD works on top of Microsoft Active Directory. It provides SSO access to Salesforce, Dropbox, Slack, Workday, ServiceNow, Office 365, and Slack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Azure AD makes sense for companies who still use legacy Active Directory but also use Azure and other cloud-based tools. For identity management, you must sync Active Directory with Azure AD, which means IT staff must use traditional on-prem devices and need to be familiar with maintaining them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okta is one of the first cloud-based SSO web apps. While web app SSO solutions like Okta are referred to as \u201cfirst-generation Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) platforms,\u201d they are just one part of the identity and user management package. Admins must still pair apps like Okta with a core on-prem identity provider, like Active Directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A multi-pronged approach like this can<\/em> work. However, you have to be willing to accept the inherent security, error, and integration risks and eat the extra costs associated with implementing and maintaining multiple systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OneLogin is another SSO web app that integrates with commonly used directories like AD. The platform also includes user management features and MFA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, it has the same downfall as Okta \u2014 you must combine it with an on-prem core identity provider, which increases IT complexity and introduces risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your company is moving in the cloud-first direction, switching your entire identity provider to a true cloud IDaaS platform is far more logical than doubling up on Active Directory-focused solutions like OneLogin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Cloud Identity is Google\u2019s competitor to Microsoft AD. It comes with Google Workspace or Google Cloud Platform services and works across all Google apps, like Drive, Gmail, Docs, Sheets, etc. There\u2019s a free version with limited features, or you can opt for the premium Google Cloud Identity plan that charges per-user per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Google Cloud Identity enables authentication to Google Cloud resources and web applications via SSO, it\u2019s not designed to authenticate systems, servers, networks, or other IT resources not housed within Google. Ideally, you need to combine Google with a cloud identity provider that can securely and seamlessly enable authentication to all resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n <\/p>\n \n Securely connect to any resource using Google Workspace and JumpCloud. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n As IT infrastructure continues to shift in favor of cloud-based software, it\u2019s vital that all<\/em> applications, systems, and networks be secured with the help of next-gen IDaaS tools that deliver full-spectrum usability, visibility, and management. Your IT environment is heterogeneous, and your IDaaS platform should be, too. That\u2019s where JumpCloud comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Built from the cloud for the cloud, JumpCloud\u2019s open directory<\/a> infrastructure follows open protocols like SAML, LDAP, RADIUS, and SCIM, allowing any heterogeneous resources to be connected and managed from a single source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the latest and greatest SSO, MFA, provisioning and deprovisioning, auditing, and reporting capabilities weaved in, IT admins can manage identity, access, and devices from a single pane of glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No more suffering through inefficient, piecemeal processes prone to human error \u2014 any unusual sign-on attempts or locations are immediately flagged and reviewed. Should a breach occur, an admin can revoke a device\u2019s privileges without ever leaving their IDaaS platform, minimizing risk and disruption and enabling IT to tackle more pressing projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JumpCloud\u2019s secure, frictionless, fully integrated system also provides a more streamlined login process for employees. End users get a single set of credentials that gives them access to all the applications and platforms they need, creating fewer points of vulnerability and decreasing password reset requests \u2014 users only have to remember one password instead of many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At worst, patchwork AD + LDAP + SSO solutions can lead to a major cyberattack. At best, they take valuable time away from your IT team \u2014 with no added ROI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why keep spinning your wheels?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consolidate your tech stack<\/a> and empower your IT team with JumpCloud, an IDaaS platform that can securely connect users to all of their IT resources \u2014 regardless of protocol, platform, provider, or location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Request a demo<\/a>, check out our pricing<\/a>, or sign up for a free trial<\/a> to give it a try yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Is IDaaS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Does IDaaS Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Benefits of IDaaS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Improved Security and Compliance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Simplified User Management and Access Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Scalability and Flexibility for Growing Organizations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cost Savings and Operational Efficiency<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5 Key Features of IDaaS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Single Sign-On (SSO) Functionality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. User Provisioning and Deprovisioning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. Audit and Reporting Capabilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Choosing the Right IDaaS Solution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Is Cloud-Native, Not Cloud Compatible <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Provides Core Identity Storage Through SSO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Supports Mixed Platforms, On-Prem, and Cloud Applications <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Improves Existing Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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IDaaS offerings in the market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Azure AD<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Okta<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
OneLogin<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Google Cloud Identity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"JumpCloud\"](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Promos_GooglePartnership_290x175-SiteDisplay_GooglePartnershipPage-aspect-ratio-160-110.png\")
\n <\/div>\n A New Approach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Identity Management With JumpCloud<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Next-Level Identity-as-a-Service with JumpCloud<\/h2>\n\n\n\n