Platform category · 2 min read
Identity management systems
Neutral overview. Twobo Technologies is not affiliated with, sponsored by or a reseller for any identity governance or directory vendor or any other vendor. Product names belong to their owners; check the vendor's own documentation for current editions and licensing.
Short answer
Identity management systems maintain the record of who exists and what they may access: identity governance and administration (IGA) platforms automate joiner, mover and leaver processes, access requests and reviews, while directories store identities and attributes that other systems read.
Key takeaways
- IGA connects authoritative sources (HR) to target applications through connectors and SCIM.
- Directories (Active Directory, LDAP servers, cloud directories) hold the identities access systems read.
- Evaluate by connector coverage, workflow flexibility and the quality of reviews and reports.
Access management products decide who gets in today. Identity management systems decide who should exist in the first place, what they should be able to do, and when that should end.
What does IGA cover?
Lifecycle automation, access requests, approvals, reviews, separation of duties and reporting.
| Capability | What it does |
|---|---|
| Authoritative sources | Read people from HR and contractor systems |
| Lifecycle | Joiner, mover, leaver rules |
| Connectors / SCIM | Create, change and remove accounts in targets |
| Access requests | Self-service with approvals |
| Reviews | Periodic certification by managers and owners |
| Separation of duties | Detect and block toxic combinations |
| Reporting | Evidence for audit |
The provisioning guide and audit guide explain the underlying processes.
Where do directories fit?
Directories store identities, credentials and attributes; access management and applications read from them.
Active Directory remains central in many enterprises, alongside cloud directories and LDAP servers for specific workloads. High-scale LDAP directories are common in telecom and consumer services. UnboundID's directory, for example, continued as PingDirectory after Ping Identity's 2016 acquisition.
How do I evaluate a system?
Test it with your own sources and applications.
- Connect your real HR source in a pilot and model your actual mover scenarios.
- Count connectors you need versus those available out of the box or via SCIM.
- Run a sample access review with real managers and watch where they get stuck.
- Check how rules and workflows are versioned and tested.
- Ask how deprovisioning failures are reported.
Questions
What happened to UnboundID?
UnboundID, which made directory and identity data products, was acquired by Ping Identity in 2016. Its directory server became the basis of PingDirectory.
Do small organizations need IGA?
Often not a full platform. Many start with HR-driven provisioning from their identity provider via SCIM, plus scheduled access reviews, and adopt IGA when application count and audit requirements grow.