VMware is widely known for virtualization, but the 2014 acquisition of AirWatch pushed it into secure application delivery by combining device security with identity, SSO, and contextual access. VMware Identity Manager positions VMware as a meaningful player in the emerging Cloud IAM and Cloud User and Access Management markets, even though it can also be deployed on‑premises. The product aligns with the shift away from perimeter-based security as unmanaged and mobile devices proliferate, requiring Mobile Security, dynamic app enrollment/management, and Identity Management to work together.
The offering is built around five core capabilities: an application catalog with device enrollment; SSO through federation with back-end directories (notably Microsoft Active Directory); “one-touch” authentication tied to verified device ownership; policies that adapt access based on factors like device management status and authentication strength; and on-device data security using AirWatch Mobility Management. The app catalog is available across browser, iOS, Android, and Windows 10, with a notable emphasis on supporting a broad range of application types—including on‑premises, non‑web apps—unlike many competitors that focus mainly on web apps.
VMware Identity Manager supports web apps (including SAML-based SSO and Azure integration for Office 365), ThinApps (with Kerberos SSO), Horizon Desktop/Hosted Apps, and Citrix XenApps. Users access apps directly or through a WorkspaceOne portal that can dynamically tailor what appears based on identity and context. Administration includes default and per‑app access policies plus branding, auditing, and API access to audit data. Key gaps include coarse-grained policy capabilities, lack of app policy grouping, missing advanced functions like federated provisioning and detailed SAML assertion control, limited out-of-the-box directory support beyond Active Directory, and absent FIDO support—yet the overall integrated approach is strongly recommended for evaluation.
