5 Signs Your Business is Ready for Identity and Access Management

Posted on 29 September 2019

Identity and Access Management (IAM) seems like a concept out of the reach to some organisations – in reality, that’s far from the truth. Unsure if your organisation is ready? Here’s how to know for sure.

For those organisations aware of identity and access management, but not yet implementing it, there’s a common notion that it’s ‘not quite for them just yet’.

Of course, this only raises the question ‘when is it time for IAM?’

What is Identity and Access Management?

Before divulging in any digital transformation, it’s best to get to grips first with what you’re getting involved with. Identity and access management (IAM) is a means to regulate access to precious data and sensitive information within an organisation. It also forms the basis for many modern methods of securing data, and can even better look after teams and individuals.

Over the last few years, IAM has become a more common term, with Microsoft Gold Partners the world over sharing their thoughts on how IAM can benefit businesses and revolutionise digital transformations; we’ve done our fair share in the past, we admit.

What we’ve found really useful, however, is taking a step back and helping organisations to identify when they’re ready to implement identity and access management solutions. Like reaching for the shiny new toy on the store shelf, some can be bedazzled by the allure of new technology without fully knowing where their business sits in the identity landscape.

Hopefully, these indicators will help to overcome any doubts.

1. Security is a Big Deal

Speaking freely, security should always be a big deal; with the likes of GDPR demanding compliance and a growing number of cyber threats on the horizon, it’s never been more important for businesses to take security seriously.

Where does identity come into this? Simply put, IAM underpins security measures. Identity solutions tackling Single Sign-On (SSO), for example, tackle password fatigue, ensure secure credentials, and help to keep track of who is accessing what data. From here, organisations can build new security policies and consider additional security solutions. If security is high on the agenda, identity should be even higher for an easier journey.

2. Passwords Are Becoming an Issue

With so many applications on offer to employees these days, keeping on top of login credentials can be a chore. Having access to such a cornucopia opens the door to password fatigue, which itself can lead to duplicated, lazy or generally insecure passwords, putting users at risk. If your organisation has started to increase its password load – either through increased application usage, or because tightening passwords is requested as part of a security initiative – then identity is ready to swoop in to relieve some of the pressure.

3. Your Joiner Mover Leaver Process is Still Manual

The Joiner Mover Leaver (JML) process is a key practice within modern business, governing what happens when new employees join the organisation, when promotions see individuals moved through the company, and when the business parts ways with an employee. For many, this process is still manual, heaping pressure onto HR, causing friction with the IT department, and opening the JML process up to unnecessary human error. When an organisation has grown to the point where a JML process is playing a vital role but it’s still manual, the automation identity promises needs to be considered.

4. You Have a Lot of Users

Business growth brings with it many challenges, and with technology playing an integral role in business, growth equates to more users, and more users equals more risk. Sooner rather than later, your IT department might suddenly find themselves somewhat overwhelmed with managing the number of users on the system – and that should act as a warning for disaster.

5.  You’re Ready to Take the Next Step

A true indicator of whether a business is ready for something is when they’ve acknowledged their readiness when it comes to change, a growth mindset and taking the next step. Perhaps  you’ve already introduced a few identity measures and you want to know what’s next, or you’ve simply grown to include many more users than you started with and security has become a priority. The moment you’re ready to do something about it, you’re ready for IAM.

How’s Your Identity Maturity?

If the above resonates with you, then your organisation could very well be ready to introduce identity and access management solutions. If you’ve already laid out the welcome mat and don’t know what to do next, that’s okay too.

Need to know more specifically where you’re up to in your identity journey? Just want a clearer picture on how identity and access management could elevate your business? We’ve got what you need.

Our identity and access management maturity assessment packages are designed to give you a greater overview of your identity journey, so that you can take the next step with confidence.

To find out more, or to book an assessment, please get in touch with our team.

 

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