Six Stages of IAM
Understanding the Six Stages of IAM Programs
Key, to the understanding of Identity and Access Management (IAM / IdM) programs, is the concept of the “Six Stages.” These stages, as defined by Links Business Group LLC, are the core process levels through which any properly-designed program will pass. Each volume in the “IAM Success Tips” books series, are designed around one or more of these stages, each of which is published in order to correspond to a real-world implementation. In order, the stages are:
- Concepting & Strategizing
- Planning & Organizing
- Designing & Architecting
- Implementing & Integrating
- Maintaining & Supporting
- Rinsing & Repeating
Understanding where your organization is at any point in time is truly crucial if you are to enjoy unbridled IAM Success. Here are a few examples of the stages, in the context of an organization’s IAM Program:
IAM is not implemented at all –> Concepting
The board or a C-level exec has just begun an IAM initiative –> Concepting and planning
IAM has a program charter, some sponsors, maybe even looking at some software –>Planning
Tool A needs to integrate with IAM Suite –> Designing
Developers need a common framework to add security to their applications –> Designing
Software, systems, workflows, requirements are vetted and ratified –> Implementing
Your IAM implementation is broken. Nothing integrates, vendor is unresponsive, promises are unfulfilled – Implementing
Some degree of IAM has already been implemented –> Maintaining
You have already spent hundreds of thousands or millions on IAM and are unsatisfied –> Rinsing & Repeating / back to Concepting
At the end of the day, the IAM Stage Model all comes down to a modified Software Development Life Cycle, or SDLC. Not to get on the subject of various development models, which could consume vast volumes, but the point is that gaining an understanding of the basic components will help you gain the most value from Links Business Group LLC’s IAM Success Series. For instance, this Volume 2 guide is squarely targeted at Planning and Organizing, or Stage 2 of the IAM Stage Model. Other volumes in the series focus on stages 3 – 5, and will be presented as a comprehensive IAM Success package.
One stage generally not found in other publications is what we call the “Rinse and Repeat” stage, also referred to as Stage Six. Stage Six is so crucial to Program Success because IAM can never be “done.” After all, do you make a sale to a valued client and say “we’re done now – see you later?” No! You have to continually review, evaluate, tune, improve, tweak, configure, modify, plan, support, and concept your IAM Program. Like anything else in today’s 24 by 7 by 365 by Global by Nonstop business world, IAM is always growing, changing and improving. Tools and methodologies improve continually. As the IAM industry begins to mature, more talented people are available to help organizations plan and execute successful IAM strategies. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to implement a successful program, because rest assured, your competitors will not.
SIX STAGES OF IDENTITY ACCESS MANAGEMENT (IAM) PROGRAMS – INTRODUCTORY VIDEO
