Access Management 2022

Access Management encompasses authentication, authorization, single sign-on, and identity federation, providing necessary capabilities traditionally found in Web Access Management (WAM) and Identity Federation solutions. Web Access Management integrates APIs for authorization, while Identity Federation enables splitting authentication and authorization between an Identity Provider (IdP) and a Service Provider (SP). Emerging business requirements such as partner integration and customer access boost the significance of these technologies. Vendors are adapting their products for cloud-ready environments to support both on-premises and cloud applications. With increased interoperability, centralized user management and advanced security features, Access Management solutions cater to varied deployment models—on-premises, cloud, or hybrid—and offer managed services. The convergence of traditional WAM and IDaaS (Identity-as-a-Service) is shaping the future of this market, with an emphasis on flexibility, API-based approaches, and fraud detection capabilities.

Access Management vendors are evaluated on overall functionality, scale, licensing models, deployment options, strategic focus, partner ecosystem, and specific unique features. The market trends indicate a shift towards cloud solutions, consideration of hybrid models, and strategic partnerships for delivering advanced capabilities. Vendors must balance comprehensive access management features, including mobile support, API security, orchestration, analytics intelligence, fraud detection, and integration with IT service management tools.

Recent developments highlight various vendors offering distinct strengths—like IBM and Microsoft's robust market leadership across product innovations, ForgeRock's extensive integration and security features, or Okta's streamlined cloud-native architecture. However, challenges such as limited biometric support, reporting and compliance integration, or regional partner ecosystems can affect the vendor's comprehensive capability offerings. Assessing these solutions involves examining features like user authentication methods, session management, federated identity protocols, API security, fraud detection, and verifiable credentials. The final selection often requires alignment with the organization's specific needs, current IT landscapes, top security requirements, and future projections.