20 modern solutions for identity and access management

The world that we live in changes constantly.

Needs, risks, tools, threats – they are evolving around us all the time, and keeping up with them, and keeping your business physically safe and secure, is no easy feat.

The workplace is also changing as more workers move from physical offices to working from home. As this hybrid working model becomes more popular, managing access for various users is more crucial than ever.

The best enterprise access management systems address these modern issues to future-proof businesses for the working models that are now commonplace.

What can you do to secure your business? What modern tools are available when it comes to managing identity and access? Let’s find out…

The evolution of identity management

The technology involved in identity and access management has been on a path of development since it first emerged at the start of the millennium.

Although many businesses and users can’t see it, its role becomes ever more urgent as poor identity and access management inevitably lead to serious problems for all involved.

Back in the day, the framework for the software we know today was in the form of the lightweight directory access protocol. From this small seed, the technologies we know today have grown.

In early 2012, there was a flood of technology designed to handle issues of access and identity.

The formation of the FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance in February 2013 changed things again, as its mission was to promote higher authentication standards and reduce the world’s reliance on passwords.

Moreover, security has only grown from there onwards. Despite the advancements and higher regulatory standards, weak password security continues to be a problem. 

With more understanding of these risks, technology developers are endeavoring to improve security measures to ensure that identity and access stay secure. 

The future of identity management is one that requires further development. There are still chips in the technological armor that require solutions.

Organizations can stay ahead of the game and keep their businesses safe by understanding how this software has developed in the past and the needs it must fill in the future. 

Benefits of identity and access management

Besides the numerous and obvious security benefits that a complex software solution provides, there are some other great advantages too:

1. An improved and simplified user experience that requires fewer passwords. In some cases, no passwords are needed at all!
2. Stronger protection for users in various environments, whether physical or virtual. It can even provide protection for users across multi-cloud platforms.
3. You have control over the methods used for authentication, and these multi-factor methods are highly flexible. Passwords are better managed too. 
4. Mobile devices can benefit from the protection, too, as a good software solution will allow for integration across multiple devices. 
5. If faults are found within the solution, they will be handled swiftly. The software is also scalable, to expand and decrease along with the business as needs change.
6. The focus is on the user experience and the branding. The software is committed to improving security and privacy across the board. 

Improving access control with modern software solutions

A centralized management system will allow you to monitor various aspects of your control solution from one platform.

You can integrate with other software so that their security credentials will automatically adjust when any user is added to or removed from the system. This means all your systems and security is kept up to date.

Furthermore, add physical elements such as key cards or mobile apps to give employees access to the facilities they are permitted to access.

To ensure that these access systems are being used correctly, you can also run audit trail reports to keep track of your employees.

Their credentials can be assigned according to their role, and a modern technological solution will make this process much quicker without risking security.

Therefore, if your organization can be described as an enterprise with various buildings filled with many staff, you can monitor each building, even each room, from one dashboard. 

How to choose a software solution for you

Suppose you want to up your security game and implement a sophisticated identity and access management system.

What should you look for when you’re choosing the right software solution for you?

Here are a few things you should consider:

1. Have your goals clearly in mind. Decide exactly what you want from a system and look for a solution that ticks those boxes. If you have an organization or enterprise you want to expand, make sure to find a scalable option that will grow with you.
2. Decide on your budget. Be firm about how much you want to spend, and then look for a system that will give you the most value for your money.
3. Find one that will integrate with what you already use. You likely have various other software solutions and programs your employees currently use, and you may want the two systems to work together. If so, make sure that’s going to be the case for the new system you invest in. 
4. Find a user-friendly solution. To keep training time to a minimum, look for a system that’s easy for everyone in the company to use.
5. Do your research. Don’t go for the first option you find, do your research and shop around. Test drive a few systems and get a feel for what you want. Read reviews of other similar companies and how they have got on with different systems. You’ll find the best option for your business when you invest time and effort.

As threats to security rise and the workplace continue to change, now is the time to start investing in an identity and access management system. Even with the little inconvenience involved in the set-up, you’ll be glad you did.

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