Google's Cloud Identity

Identity as a Service (IDaaS) is a rapidly growing segment of Identity and Access Management (IAM), delivering traditional IAM capabilities via the cloud to support hybrid environments across on-premises and SaaS applications. Early IDaaS adoption was driven by web-centric use cases, but offerings have expanded to provide broader IAM functionality regardless of application delivery model, largely because organizations seek faster time-to-value than on-premises IAM deployments. Vendors entered the market from different origins—access management, identity governance and administration (IGA), and traditional SSO—resulting in uneven strengths across key use cases. As a category, IDaaS commonly consolidates access management with limited identity administration and often minimal access governance, all delivered as a managed service in multitenant or dedicated hosting models.

Core IDaaS capabilities group into identity administration (lifecycle provisioning/deprovisioning, repositories, entitlement management, self-service, connectors, SCIM/SPML), access management (authentication, authorization, SSO, federation, standards like SAML/OAuth/OIDC, plus emerging differentiators like API security and web gateways), and access governance (typically least mature; sometimes kept on-premises for audit/control, though cloud adoption is increasing). Because access governance integration with legacy systems can be limited, organizations are urged to align governance needs with IAM vision before evaluating vendors.

Google Cloud Identity (launched early 2018) targets organizations already invested in G Suite/Google Cloud. Built on Google’s BeyondCorp zero-trust model, it provides SSO for thousands of apps, supports custom SAML, and offers Secure LDAP plus directory sync with Microsoft Active Directory/LDAP. It includes multiple MFA methods and, in premium editions, enhanced device management. Strengths include usability, strong reporting for its price point, and a generously featured free tier (limited to 50 users and no support). Challenges include weaker access governance/lifecycle depth and less fit for legacy-heavy environments, positioning it primarily for cloud-first small and newer businesses.

• IDaaS delivers IAM services via cloud-based deployment models, including multitenant and dedicated hosting.
• Common IDaaS capabilities fall into identity administration, access management, and access governance.
• Access governance capabilities are the least mature and are often absent from many IDaaS vendor portfolios.
• Many organizations keep access governance on-premises for stronger control and auditing, while others move it to cloud for easier integration and faster time-to-value.
• Google Cloud Identity launched in early 2018.
• Cloud Identity supports SSO for thousands of pre-integrated applications.
• Cloud Identity supports SAML, OAuth, and OpenID Connect (OIDC).
• Cloud Identity offers “Secure LDAP,” enabling use of the same credentials with LDAP-based applications.
• Cloud Identity can synchronize with Microsoft Active Directory or an LDAP server using Google Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS).
• The free version of Cloud Identity is limited to 50 users and includes no direct technical support.

• “IDaaS is one of the fastest growing market segments of IAM characterized by cloud-based delivery of traditional IAM services.”
• “IDaaS solutions offer cloud-ready integrations to extend an organization’s IAM controls to meet the security requirements of their growing SaaS portfolio.”
• “IDaaS market consolidates access management functions with few IGA and Access Governance capabilities thrown in – all delivered and managed as a service.”
• “Access governance represents the group of capabilities that are least mature and largely absent from the portfolio of most IDaaS vendors.”
• “According to Google, this shifts access controls from the organization’s perimeter to users and devices.”
• “Connecting from a particular network must not determine which services you can access”
• “Access to services is granted based on what we know about you and your device”
• “All access to services must be authenticated, authorized, and encrypted”
• “An interesting feature of Cloud Identity is the option to add a device management for iOS, Android, and Windows 10 devices…”
• “It will appeal most to those newer and smaller businesses that operate mostly in the cloud and demand secure access to other cloud-based tools.”