It is difficult to choose your identity and access management solution. There are many points to take into account that are specific to each person according to their priorities but also their budget.
So, what if there are also pitfalls to avoid?! Yes, unfortunately, I have identified 7 points that could cause difficulties in the implementation and daily use of your Identity & Access Management solution.
1. The tool is too technical
IAM solutions on the market are often very cumbersome, with access management not being their core business, and are intended for international companies. They are platforms with building blocks to add, but it is easy to get lost. The interface is not UX-optimized (or, to put it nicely, it's indigestible), the configurations are extremely technical and require a significant investment from several people who become essential to the proper functioning of the project. The disadvantage is that a loss of motivation, a lack of knowledge, or the departure of a person can compromise the entire project. When the implementation of an identity and access management project takes several months, the enthusiasm of the early days fades.
2. The solution is on-premise
The solution does not exist in SaaS mode and must therefore be installed on the clients' servers. This implies several things: the implementation is lengthy, the costs are high, the hosting must be managed by the clients, and so must the server maintenance. This will also lead to other consequences such as a more complex update of the solution. An on-premise system is accessible remotely, but it requires assistance to connect to it. The risk of failure, security breaches, and communication issues is thus increased.
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3. A tailor-made solution
When we want a tailor-made solution, what we really want is a solution that sticks as closely as possible to our needs.
Sometimes a custom solution is not the right solution to meet this requirement and it can even be counterproductive.
I'll explain to you why a custom solution entails several constraints:
- start in project mode
- go for on premise
- Having an on-site consultant who monopolizes the teams each time. The consultant will not be there every day, and therefore the project is spread out over time. In addition, the cost of a consulting day is generally €1500 per day.
- Having a project that does not meet your expectations.
- Having a final product that is cumbersome and difficult to use
Let's elaborate on a few points. When you embark on a project, you define your needs at a specific moment. The provider you've chosen will work according to your specific requirements (the more you have, the longer it takes and the more you pay). Therefore, the project extends over time.
You receive your project 6 months, 8 months later, but your need has evolved!
You did try to raise a few requests during the development time, but they were not taken into account because the service provider relies on your initial request.
Your project has already cost you dearly even before you've started working on it, and you have no guarantee that your teams will adopt the IAM solution.
On the contrary, when you go for a flexible SaaS solution like Youzer, you immediately test the application before you even pay, it changes everything!
Many of our customers appreciate co-building the identity and access management solution with us. So stop with the preconceived ideas: a SaaS solution is flexible!
SaaS allows you to receive updates without any action on your part and without any impact on your data. This allows the solution to evolve constantly and continuously meet the current needs of customers.
At Youzer, we take into account the needs of one or more clients to develop the solution, so that these developments benefit all of our clients! Smart 😉
4. Limited number of connectors
The solution you are considering is very interesting, but it has few connectors. You are told about future development or even connecting only your main connectors, but this will not work in the long term.
Check their connector catalog in the application. Ask questions about the feasibility of developing connectors specific to your business.
Dedicated connectors are always more efficient; however, other connectors can support applications without APIs.
Inquire about the creation time of a connector.
At Youzer, we have 3 types of connectors:
- Dedicated connectors
- the universal connector
- the self-service connector
This allows us to support all of our clients' applications, and we develop connectors when a need arises. Depending on the architecture of the application to be connected, this can take from 1/2 day to a few months depending on the availability of information from the application contact.
5. The solution only manages SaaS or on-premise connectors
Your solution cannot integrate SaaS and on-premise formats. Ensure that all your applications and solutions can be managed by the identity and access management platform.
You'll find yourself blocked if only half of your software can be configured through automation. This is not how you will easily carry out your audits or even fight against shadow IT.
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6. Few evolutions in the solution
Every year, your identity and access management platform becomes outdated in terms of technological advances. Your technical environment is evolving a lot, so it is crucial that your Identity and Access Management solution follows this evolution with regular new features. It is also very important that these new features are in line with your needs and those of its other customers ^^
Above all, it is important that you can accommodate these new developments. If each update takes you several days of work and creates bugs everywhere, it is very likely that you will not want to do them regularly.
If your provider charges you for product evolutions, you are reduced to using only a version that will quickly become obsolete.
Verify with your future provider the frequency of updates and the feasibility of their implementation. Of course, SaaS avoids this kind of inconvenience since version upgrades happen naturally without any intervention from the users.
7. IAM as infrastructure management
Consider IAM as a solution to assist in managing your infrastructure. IAM helps you manage your end-users and their accounts. Of course, it helps you clean up your Active Directory, but it should not be seen as a tool for managing accounts.
- This is a crucial aid to onboarding and offboarding.
- Identity and Access Management also serves to simplify the lives of end-users with improved satisfaction due to good responsiveness for account creation and self-reset of passwords.
- Audits are greatly facilitated, and compliance is easily achieved.
- IAM ensures the security of your IS by updating ghost accounts, orphan accounts, and other account anomalies.
An IAM solution represents a major challenge in terms of security but also in terms of simplifying internal processes.
It would be a real shame to choose a product that isn't a good fit, as it would disrupt the positive momentum (the implementation of processes and security improvements).
For these reasons, we strongly encourage you to conduct solution demos and take advantage of free trials whenever possible.
