Why do you need CloudEagle.ai In Addition To An IdP Like Okta?

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An identity provider (IdP) like Okta excels at handling user authentication and access management. However, it doesn’t cover all the needs of managing SaaS apps. In such cases, you need a tool like CloudEagle.ai to complement the IdP with additional features.

CloudEagle.ai complements IdPs by offering full visibility into all your SaaS apps. It allows you to manage them from a single platform. The tool also optimizes costs by tracking and reducing unnecessary SaaS spending. Additionally, it enhances security by monitoring applications beyond basic user access controls.

Using CloudEagle.ai with Okta provides a complete solution for managing user access and effectively overseeing your entire SaaS stack.

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TL;DR

• While Okta effectively manages user authentication, it doesn’t cover full SaaS visibility or cost optimization. CloudEagle.ai fills these gaps.
• CloudEagle.ai provides visibility into all SaaS applications, helping organizations track usage and identify redundant licenses to prevent wasted spend.
• With advanced cost management features, CloudEagle.ai uncovers unused licenses and streamlines renewals, optimizing SaaS investments.
• By detecting shadow IT, CloudEagle.ai allows better control over unauthorized apps, reducing security risks that Okta alone may not catch.
• With custom APIs, CloudEagle.ai integrates with a range of apps, extending access control and provisioning beyond Okta’s capabilities, even on non-enterprise plans.

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What is the role of an IdP?

The role of an identity provider (IdP) includes:

1. User authentication and access control: An IdP is responsible for verifying the identity of users trying to access various systems and apps. It ensures that only authorized users gain access by requiring them to log in with credentials such as passwords, biometrics, or security tokens.

2. Integration with applications and services: IdPs facilitate quick integration within an organization's various apps. They provide a unified system for managing user access across multiple platforms. It makes it easier for users to log in to different services without needing separate credentials.

3. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign-on (SSO): IdPs enhance security through MFA and SSO. MFA requires users to provide additional verification factors beyond just a password. It adds an extra layers of security to protect against unauthorized access.

Likewise, SSO allows users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications, improving convenience while maintaining strong security protocols.

4. Compliance with security standards: IdPs ensure compliance with various security standards and regulations. They implement policies and controls that align with industry standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, or ISO 27001. By adhering to these regulations, IdPs help organizations meet legal and industry data protection and privacy requirements.

5. User provisioning and deprovisioning: An IdP handles user provisioning by creating new accounts and assigning access permissions when users join an organization. It manages deprovisioning by revoking access and disabling accounts when users leave or change roles, ensuring secure and efficient user management.

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Challenges of Relying Solely on an Identity Provider (IdP)

Though IdPs are useful for providing quick access to SaaS tools and revoking licenses when needed, they also come with some limitations.

1. Difficulty in managing and tracking all SaaS applications

IdPs are great for handling user access, but they often fall short when keeping track of all the SaaS applications your organization uses. This can make managing these applications difficult, leading to potential overlaps or missing applications. As a result, you might struggle with knowing which applications are in use and how they are being managed.

2. Inability to track and manage SaaS licenses

IdPs usually don't have features to monitor and manage SaaS licenses. This means you may find it challenging to track which licenses you have, which are expiring, or which ones are not being used. Without these insights, it’s easy to end up overspending on unnecessary licenses or missing renewal dates, leading to wasted money.

3. No detailed application usage analytics

IdPs typically don’t offer detailed analytics on how applications are used. You might get basic data, but you won’t have in-depth insights into how often applications are used or how they perform. Optimizing application usage and ensuring resources are being used efficiently is challenging without this information.

4. No cost management

While IdPs handle user access well, they don’t offer tools to manage or optimize SaaS costs. This means you might not have a clear view of your spending or opportunities to cut costs. As a result, it can be hard to keep your SaaS budget in check and avoid overspending.

5. Does not support access control for all SaaS apps

An IdP alone might not fully control access for all SaaS apps, especially those needing custom APIs to integrate and lacking SCIM. Many SaaS applications have unique access control needs or proprietary mechanisms that may not fully supported by the IdP. It potentially leads to gaps in security or administrative overhead.

6. Uses SCIM APIs to integrate with apps

While SCIM (System for cross-domain identity management) APIs are required for IdPs to streamline user provisioning and management across applications, this integration is only available on Enterprise-level plans. However, customers may not need enterprise plans for all apps, making it difficult to integrate with Okta.

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How does CloudEagle.ai enhance IdP functionality?

CloudEagle.ai is more than a standard SaaS management and procurement platform. It provides advanced features that complement IdP functionality.

With CloudEagle.ai, you can control access to apps not only supported by IDP but also those not supported by IDP. You can also take a lot of additional actions automatically in these apps which may not be possible in IDP.

The tool enhances your overall access management with tools for user provisioning and deprovisioning. It ensures that access rights are managed efficiently throughout the user lifecycle.

It offers comprehensive capabilities that significantly benefit your organization. It is easier to manage, secure, and optimize your SaaS environment.

1. Complete visibility into all SaaS applications and usage

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CloudEagle.ai provides a comprehensive view of every SaaS application your organization uses. This includes detailed insights into how employees utilize each application.

By centralizing this information, the tool helps you keep track of all your SaaS tools, ensuring nothing is overlooked. This visibility is crucial for managing your entire SaaS stack and making informed decisions about which applications to keep or retire.

2. Identifying and eliminating unused or redundant licenses

One of CloudEagle.ai’s key features is its ability to identify licenses that are no longer in use or are duplicated. It analyzes usage patterns to highlight which subscriptions are underutilized or redundant. You can set up rules and create workflows to identify and manage these licenses.

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By eliminating these unnecessary licenses, CloudEagle.ai helps reduce costs and avoid paying for services not being actively used. This ensures that you only spend money on what you need.

3. Eliminate shadow IT

CloudEagle.ai effectively eliminates shadow IT by providing comprehensive SaaS discovery. The tool identifies and uncovers all SaaS applications, including those with overlapping functions. Additionally, you can configure alerts to notify you when someone attempts to use unauthorized SaaS tools. It allows you to block these apps from accessing your system proactively.

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This lets you streamline your SaaS stack by removing redundant or duplicate applications, ensuring better organizational control and efficiency.

4. Consolidation of application data for better decision-making

CloudEagle.ai aggregates data from all your SaaS applications into a single platform. This consolidation allows you to see a unified view of how your software is being used, which applications are most valuable, and where there might be inefficiencies.

With all relevant data in one place, you can make better decisions regarding software procurement, usage policies, and overall IT strategy

5. Efficient tracking and managing of SaaS spend

Managing SaaS costs can be challenging, especially with numerous subscriptions and varying billing cycles. The tool helps track your spending by providing detailed reports on subscription costs and usage.

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This tracking lets you monitor spending in real-time and identify cost-saving opportunities. If there are unused applications or underutilized licenses, you can decide to downsize or retire them. This ensures that your SaaS investments align with your budget and financial goals.

6. Alerts and reporting for potential security risks and policy violations

CloudEagle.ai provides proactive alerts and detailed reports on security risks and policy violations. It detects unauthorized access attempts, compliance breaches, and potential security gaps.

These alerts allow you to address problems before they escalate quickly, and the reports provide insights into recurring issues, helping you improve your overall security posture and effectively enforce policy compliance.

7. Uses custom APIs to integrate with apps

CloudEagle.ai offers custom APIs for for provisioning and deprovisioning. This feature is accessible even on lower-tier plans, so it covers access control of apps that are not on enterprise apps.

It allows organizations to connect different software systems efficiently, enhancing overall functionality and streamlining operations. Unlike some IdPs that restrict integration features to higher plans, CloudEagle.ai provides advanced integration capabilities even for lower-tier plans.

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Conclusion

While an IdP like Okta is excellent for managing user access and authentication, it doesn't handle everything needed for complete SaaS access management. Okta uses SCIM APIs for user provisioning and deprovisioning, which are typically available in enterprise plans, while CloudEagle.ai uses custom APIs.

CloudEagle.ai complements Okta by providing full visibility into all your SaaS applications. It helps track and optimize costs and enhance security. This combined approach offers a complete solution for effectively managing and securing your SaaS environment.

Schedule a demo with CloudEagle.ai to learn how combining Okta with CloudEagle.ai can enhance your organization's access management capabilities.

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