1. Rationalize Your Stack
Start by listing every IAM and related access tool in use (authentication, authorization, privileged access management, audit, etc.). For each tool, document the current owner, usage rate, cost and overlapping features. Then, score each tool by asking three questions: Does it reduce an access risk we currently face? Could another tool already in our stack cover this? Can we justify its cost and complexity? Establish a retire-by date for any tool that earns a low score. Assign owners to decommission or merge redundant tools, and track savings and decreased tool count as metrics for this rationalization.
2. Take a Platform Approach
Define a target architecture where one platform supports unified identity, role-based access, privileged access, consistent policy enforcement and audit logging. Every new tool acquired must integrate with that platform or be phased out. Set a consolidation goal (for example, no more than three major identity and access vendors within 12 months). Track progress by using a simple dashboard that monitors the number of platforms, percentage of access events flowing through the core platform and the number of stand-alone access tools remaining. Enforce platform-first evaluation in vendor selection.
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3. Automate Where Appropriate
Identify high-volume manual workflows tied to your identity and access stack (such as user onboarding and offboarding, role change approvals, access reviews and privileged session recording). Choose one workflow to automate: For example, when HR marks an employee as terminated, that should trigger deprovisioning of all access within a set time frame. Document current steps, build automation tasks, test these end-to-end, and measure the time saved and reduction in errors. Use these results to build a business case for further automation across the stack.
4. Improve Governance
Create a governance mechanism that convenes a monthly architecture review board bringing together security, IT operations, business units and procurement. Use a tool acquisition checklist that asks: Does this new tool duplicate an existing capability? Can it integrate with our identity platform and feed logs into our centralized security information and event management system? Also, implement reporting on key performance indicators for tool effectiveness, covering the number of tools retired, cost savings by tool, number of orphaned licenses, access review completion rate and number of manual access tasks remaining. Review this report quarterly and use it to enforce policy: No new tool are purchased without board approval.
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