Identity and Access Management (IAM)


An acronym for Identity and Access Management, IAM refers to a framework of policies and technologies for ensuring that the proper people in an enterprise have the appropriate access to technology resources.

Also called identity management (IdM), IAM systems fall under the overarching umbrella of IT security. Identity and access management systems not only identify, authenticate and authorize individuals who will be utilizing IT resources, but also the hardware and applications employees need to access.

Identity and Access Management solutions have become more prevalent and critical in recent years as regulatory compliance requirements have become increasingly more rigorous and complex.

From Traditional IAM to Hybrid IAM and IDaaS

Enterprises have traditionally utilized on-premises IAM software for their identity and access management policies, but in recent years native cloud-based Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) solutions from vendors like Okta and Centrify have gained traction, as have hybrid identity and access management solutions from vendors like Microsoft and Amazon that provide cloud-based directories that link with on-premises IAM systems.

Read Also:

  • Shadow IT

    Shadow IT is a term that refers to Information Technology (IT) applications and infrastructure that are managed and utilized without the knowledge of the enterprise’s IT department. Shadow IT can include hardware, software, web services or cloud applications that employees turn to without IT authorization to accomplish their tasks and projects. Shadow IT has become […]

  • Human Capital Management (HCM)

    Human capital management (HCM) is a business philosophy that emphasizes the enhancement of employees while viewing them as a quantifiable asset whose future value can be increased through investment. Employees are perceived as assets that can be provided with clear performance expectations, against which they can be rated and rewarded based on their progress over […]

  • Infrastructure

    A marketing phrase that serves to group a variety of software-defined computing technologies into one overarching moniker. The umbrella of Software-Defined Everything (SDE) technologies includes, among other terms, software-defined networking (SDN), software-defined computing, software-defined data centers (SDDC), software-defined storage (SDS) and software-defined storage networks. With Software-Defined Everything, the computing infrastructure is virtualized and delivered as […]

  • Snappy Ubuntu

    Snappy Ubuntu is an optimized lightweight version of the Ubuntu Linux operating system developed for mobile, cloud, containers, embedded and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Snappy Ubuntu made its official debut with the April 2015 “Vivid Vervet” Ubuntu 15.04 release. Canonical, the developers of Ubuntu, created the Snappy Ubuntu Core Linux OS so that […]

  • Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) -

    Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) is an IP (Internet Protocol) technology in some network routers that can be configured to allow multiple instances of a routing table on your router to work at the same time. The multiple routing instances are independent, allowing the same or overlapping IP addresses to be used without conflict. You […]


Disclaimer: Identity and Access Management (IAM) definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.