In today's fast-paced digital landscape, organizations seek to streamline their processes and enhance user experiences. Enter the revolutionary integration of One Identity Manager (IAM) with the cutting-edge IT Service Management (ITSM) solution, 4Me. This powerful collaboration brings forth a unified portal, designed to transform the way access management and governance are handled.

Entrepreneurs Stephen Ley of Joost-IT and Eelco Veltenaar of Aspisid.com go way back. Their professional journey began in 2005. Back then Stephen was working for Eelco. However, as life often does, their paths took them in different directions. Stephen chose to focus on service management, while Eelco delved deeper into the realm of security and identity management. Despite their separate career trajectories, they remained in touch, occasionally crossing paths at industry events and conferences.

During one of their chance encounters, they found themselves discussing the challenges faced by their clients. They realized that many businesses were struggling with the integration of IT Service Management solutions and identity access governance solutions. As they delved into the complexities of the issue, a lightbulb moment occurred – they could leverage their combined expertise to create an integrated IAM and ITSM solution that would revolutionize the industry. So basically, their history of successful collaboration in the past laid the groundwork for this new venture.

Synergy

By integrating their expertise, Stephen and Eelco can offer their clients a comprehensive and streamlined solution for managing access and governance. This synergy between service management and security provides a unique and holistic approach and it sets new standards for efficiency, security, and client satisfaction. Businesses can now access a powerful tool that bridges the gap between IT and business needs, while ensuring robust security measures.

What are the specific functionalities of the One Identity Manager (IAM) that will be integrated with the ITSM solution of 4me?

Stephen: "What we are primarily looking at is the provisioning of rights to different applications through One Identity Manager (IAM). This functionality is what we want to access from 4me. You will request access to applications through 4me."

Eelco: "It mainly revolves around governance – who has access and control over what and which applications. The whole process of approvals or denials for such requests will be handled through the portal. The beauty of it is that customers don't want to deal with two separate entry points. We aim to offer it all from one place through ITSM."

“The first step to more future integrations”

What is the main purpose of integrating IAM and the ITSM solution? Is it mainly for access management, account provisioning, or any other specific goal?

Stephen: "The main goal is to create one entrance for end-users. We shouldn't have to decide whether to go to an ITSM portal to request a laptop or other things or go to an IAM portal to request access." Eelco confirms enthusiastically: "That's exactly what it's about! Customers and users don't see the complexity. To them, everything is IT. The unified portal acts as a central hub, harmonizing HR, security and other data services. This revolutionary approach reduces complexities and optimizes the service delivery process.” It is not a revolution, but an evolution, adds Eelco: “The integration brings about an evolution in how organizations handle requests and approvals. We don't want to burden the customer with the problem of submitting their requests. They simply want it fixed and done, regardless of how. Everyone looks at how to deliver the service to the customer from their own perspective. We integrate it and offer it, leveraging the strengths of the tool. We think it may be the first step to more future integrations.”

The cooperation has realized several USP’s (Unique Selling Points): Eelco: "In practice, you see different portals for different purposes. We offer the power of ITSM tool 4me directly to the customer. This way, the customer knows everything is managed behind the scenes, allowing us to get the best of both worlds." Stephen adds: "The strength of 4me is workflow management, ensuring all work processes are handled. ITSM manages access management. Combining these two is essential."

Empowering organizations

The Seamless Blend of IAM and ITSM offers a host of functionalities that empower organizations to elevate their efficiency and security. From One Identity Manager, the focus lies on provisioning rights to various applications, enabling seamless access control across the system. On the other hand, the ITSM powerhouse, 4me, emphasizes governance, granting precise control over user access and application permissions, while streamlining the approval process through a single portal.

At its core, the integration aims to create a user-friendly, all-encompassing gateway for end-users. No more navigating through multiple portals to request a laptop, application access, or other services. The power lies in simplicity and efficiency, making the end-users' lives easier while ensuring their needs are promptly met.

Who will be the primary users of this integrated portal?

Stephen: "The employees of the organizations, especially in larger organizations; HR, facilities, and IT departments. That's where you want to implement it. Mostly larger companies, but smaller ones also deal with this." Eelco: "Within customer organizations, you have various target groups: end-users, managers who need to handle things for their employees, or secretaries who can use it for entire departments. Different target groups can use it based on their roles. Through portals, we aim to automate as much as possible.” He adds: “We operate from the strengths of the tool. The standard functionality of One Identity in combination with 4me." Addressing security and compliance concerns, the integrated system ensures a transparent process. Audit trails provide insight into authorization, and the workflow ensures a seamless chain of approval, eliminating ambiguity and promoting compliance.

Simplicity

End users want to know, however, what steps are required for users to make a request in the integrated portal. Eelco: "The goal is to make things as simple as possible. It must be straightforward and user-friendly. Security is essential as well. Simplicity is important, but security is even more crucial. And we need to use the data we have from users to simplify the process. Someone who logs into the portal no longer needs to fill in their name. We reuse the information to guide people through the process as quickly as possible." Stephen concludes: "You can use the rights you have and apply the rights that you don't have."

The brains behind this cooperation of one portal with two systems are not only Stephen and Eelco, but also their respective business partners Marco de Zoete and Bart Kollau as well as the teams of expert employees. They make sure that every implementation comes with a smooth transition. During and after implementation, users can expect comprehensive support. The integrated system is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, minimizing the need for extensive training. “The goal is to ensure a smooth transition, empowering users from day one. This is the new standard for organizations to install. The greatest benefit is for the users!”