Identity and access management (IAM) is the security discipline that enables the right individuals to access the right resources at the right times for the right reasons.
IAM addresses the mission-critical need to ensure appropriate access to resources across increasingly heterogeneous technology environments, and to meet increasingly rigorous compliance requirements. This security practice is a crucial undertaking for any enterprise. It is increasingly business-aligned, and it requires business skills, not just technical expertise.
Enterprises that develop mature IAM capabilities can reduce their identity management costs and, more importantly, become significantly more agile in supporting new business initiatives.
IAM Products
One Identity Manager from Dell combines easy installation, configuration and use. The system is compatible with Microsoft SQL and Oracle database systems. According to Dell, the self-service product is so user-friendly that employees can manage all stages in the IAM life cycle without requiring help from the IT department. The product suite also includes Cloud Access Manager, which enables single sign-on capabilities for a variety of Web application access scenarios.
F5 Networks’ BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has highly-reviewed service and support. The software is part of the BIG-IP multilayer switch system, which is available in appliance and virtualized systems. The Policy Manager allows HTTPS access through all major web browsers, saving workstation configuration time.
Tools4ever’s Self-Service Reset Password Management is ranked highly for ease of installation, configuration, management and service. The tool allows admins to create their own “forgot password” link for users and specify numbers of security questions. This self -service password tool has been demonstrated to reduce the need for password reset calls by as much as 90 percent.
IBM’s Security Identity Manager is designed to be quick and simple to deploy and to be compatible with other products. The software supports Microsoft Windows Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and IBM’s own AIX, as well as most common operating systems, email systems, ERP systems and cloud applications such as Salesforce.com. The included toolkit simplifies the integration of custom applications. Creation and modification of user privileges are automated through a rules-based system and access rights can be automatically added or removed for individual users based on changes in business roles. Permissions can also be applied for groups.