![\"AD](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cloud-gear-on-paper.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThat\u2019s why <\/em>38% of organizations<\/em><\/a> have made shifting to the cloud their top priority in 2018.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it isn\u2019t as easy as snapping your fingers and migrating to the cloud. There are some IT resources that organizations are still going to have on-prem for the immediate future, like network switches, printers, file servers, and laptops or desktop computers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also no longer a guarantee that employees will even work in an office. So organizations are finding ways to manage on-prem, remote, and cloud environments at the same time. Not surprisingly, it\u2019s difficult to achieve this with traditional IT management tools, but using a never-ending variety of siloed cloud tools is no better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the root of the problem is a fractured state of identity. In order to benefit fully from the cloud, IT must centralize their user management, so that each user has one, singular identity for all their critical resources \u2013 whether cloud or on-prem. As a result, many IT admins are starting to realize why a cloud identity provider<\/a> (IdP) should be a top priority if they hope to achieve control over their hybrid environment. After all, no organization is going to leverage the cloud if they can\u2019t feel secure doing so and if they think it will hurt productivity in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n With identities being the number one attack vector<\/a>, an effective identity management solution is central to protect company data. An IdP helps IT organizations gain widespread visibility and control over their environment, and an IdP like JumpCloud\u00ae<\/sup> offers standard identity security features like Password Complexity Management, MFA, and SSH key management. JumpCloud in particular can also help you fortify Mac, Linux, and Windows systems with features like Policy Management<\/a>, system MFA, and Event APIs. These tools allow IT admins to ensure users are accessing resources in a secure manner. As Jon Abbott from Priority One<\/a> explained, \u201cIf you don\u2019t manage the platforms properly, either they\u2019re going to get hacked, or it\u2019s going to be remarkably inefficient. It\u2019s just not going to work if you don\u2019t piece together the right applications and make them actually seamless.\u201d A cloud IdP equips IT admins to bring all of their users, systems, apps, file servers, and networks under one roof, so that they can can achieve the secure, seamless IT environment Abbott describes.<\/p>\n\n\n While modern IT resources like SaaS applications have been shown to reduce meetings and increase customer satisfaction, a cloud identity provider enables end users to efficiently access those resources everyday. This streamlines workflows for users and IT admins alike<\/p>\n\n\n\n A cloud IdP provides users with one set of credentials to access everything they need. This makes it easy for them to remember their password, so they won\u2019t have to waste time regularly resetting it. Not convinced? The\u00a0LastPass Password Expose report<\/a>\u00a0found that the average LastPass user has about 191 passwords. Not only did users waste time typing in all their credentials, but 76% reported regularly experiencing password usage problems. In other words, employees can end up wasting a lot of time just trying to get access to the tools they need to get their work done. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n Sadly, access delays can even occur on a new hire\u2019s first day of employment when an organization lacks effective identity management. Nick Laferriere at Tamr reported it used to \u201ctake us almost a week to get the developers up and running with accounts and access to developer resources.\u201d After implementing a comprehensive, cloud directory, Nick was able to automate the onboarding process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow, they come on, they fill out the paperwork, and by lunchtime on their first day they have access to everything they need to do their job permanently.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can imagine, passwords and onboarding not only impacts user productivity, but they also affect how IT admins are able to allocate their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When IT admins can\u2019t give their end users one single, consolidated identity, about 20-50% of support tickets<\/a> end up being password resets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A cloud identity provider significantly reduces this, giving IT admins 20-50% more time to work on higher value tasks that help improve the business.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n IT admins also don\u2019t have to use so much time provisioning new hires to resources with a cloud identity provider. Features like User and System Groups, the\u00a0PowerShell module<\/a>, APIs, and HR integrations have helped organizations reduce the typical hours spent on user management to minutes each week. For example, Paul McKeehan from\u00a0Saint Thomas Academy<\/a>\u00a0found that in the past \u201cSetting up a new faculty user account and provisioning access to all of their resources used to take me an hour or more. With JumpCloud, I can reach the same result in twenty minutes or less.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n For the modern office, there are thousands of web-based applications, a wide variety of cloud service providers, a mix of systems, and several methods for file storage to choose from. There are so many options available for IT resources, and the list is only going to continue to grow. It really doesn\u2019t make sense these days to impose one set of tools. A cloud identity provider ideally supports this with the ability to connect to IT resources regardless of location, protocol, platform, and provider. So, you will be able to adapt your identity management solution to whatever IT resources make the most business sense. If you need to change your IT resources a year later, no problem. A cloud open directory service<\/a> will help you securely connect users to those too.<\/p>\n\n\n As Juergen Klaassen from <\/em>Grab<\/em><\/a> said, \u201cWe always have to be one step ahead. What\u2019s around the next corner? How can I solve tomorrow\u2019s issue before it becomes a problem? JumpCloud enables us to take on the future with confidence.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you plan to harness the full potential the cloud has to offer, don\u2019t waste time trying to make your legacy IT management tools play nice in a hybrid environment. Instead, join the 50,000+ organizations that have shifted to JumpCloud\u2019s open directory service and start experiencing competitive advantages with increased agility, security, and productivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you still have some questions about why a cloud identity provider should be a priority? Drop us a note<\/a>, and we\u2019ll gladly answer them. If you\u2019re ready to see JumpCloud Directory-as-a-Service\u00ae in action, sign up for a free demo<\/a> or test it out yourself by signing up for a free account<\/a>. Your first ten users are free forever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"management](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/airplane-box-cloud.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow a Cloud IdP Fosters Prosperity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tightens Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/shield-1.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMaximizes Productivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Benefits for the End User<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/stopwatch-2.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nBenefits for IT Admins<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Microsoft](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/hour-glass.-time-is-money.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nInstills Agility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/rocket-ship-1.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nNext Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n