Top IAM Tools for IT Managers in 2025

Take a minute and think about all the moving parts that are a part of your IT infrastructure. Servers are humming quietly in the background, laptops are whirring, software licenses are ticking, and there’s a growing array of cloud services. 

Also, you are likely to have all the systems in place to track your physical assets – the hardware. But, wait a second. What about the most crucial part that touches every single one of your assets? We’re talking about “identity.”

If you think about it, you would realize that every login, every permission, and every single piece of data accessed is associated with a user’s identity. This indicates who gets access to what, for how long, and under what conditions. 

A user’s identity is like the invisible thread weaving through your entire IT ecosystem. Failing to carefully manage these digital identities can leave huge gaps in your security system, create administrative issues, and potentially waste significant resources. 

More importantly, it can lead to data breaches. New research from IBM and Ponemon Institute provides insights from the experiences of 604 organizations and 3,556 cybersecurity and business leaders hit by a breach. 

This is where Identity and Access Management (IAM) comes into play. IAM is the backbone of modern IT – the framework that allows you to control all the digital assets in your organization. Gone are the days when it was only about usernames and passwords. 

In today’s times, a robust IAM strategy includes everything from automated user onboarding and offboarding to ensuring only the right people have the right access at the right time—all while maintaining a clear audit trail for compliance. 

In this blog post, we will discuss what things need to be considered in a good IAM tool and the top IAM tools that IT managers in mid-market to enterprise organizations can leverage to scale their identity governance, strengthen their security system, and streamline their operations. 

What makes a great IAM tool for IT Managers?

Put yourself in the shoes of an IT manager. You’re likely to juggle a million tasks at one time. From tracking assets to assigning them to different employees in your organization, you’ve got to do everything. Hence, you need solutions that not only improve security but also make your life easier, allowing your team to focus on their strategic tasks along with handling tedious manual tasks. 

There are a few things that you need to consider before opting for an IAM tool. As an IT manager, you need to keep a few things in mind while evaluating your IAM options. Let’s go through the key criteria: 

• Identity lifecycle automation: As per a global threat report by Crowdstrike, 80% of cyberattacks use identity-based attack methods. Consider identity as the holy grail of IAM. A good IAM tool should be able to automate the entire user journey. From initial provisioning when a new employee joins the organization, through managing their access rights as they are promote, to seamless deprovisioning when they are leaving. 
• Integration power: It’s important to bear in mind that your IAM platform does not exist in a vacuum. It needs to be well synchronized with your existing tech stack, including your IT Asset Management (ITAM) system, Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools, and Human Resources Information System (HRIS). Smooth integrations with these tools is crucial for automation and data consistency. 
• Seamless and secure access: In today’s threat IT landscape, Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication(MFA) are completely non-negotiables. It is important that whichever IAM tool you choose, it should be able to provide robust and user-friendly options for both. This will ensure secure access without impacting your team’s productivity. 
• Granular control with RBAC: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) allows you to assign assess permissions based on job roles of the employees. This simplified management and ensures users only have access to those they need to perform their duties. 
• Smart policies and conditional access: When you’re able to define and enforce policies based on various conditions like device health, location, or time of the day, you can add an extra layer of security and control. 
• Auditability and clear reporting: As an IT manager, you need to know who accessed what and when. This is important for both security investigations and SaaS compliance requirements. A good IAM tool can help you provide detailed audit logs and easy-to-generate reports. 
• Hybrid harmony: When you work in most mid-market and enterprise business environments, you will notice having a mix of cloud-based and on-premises applications and infrastructure. Therefore, you need an IAM solution that can seamlessly manage identities across this hybrid IT landscape.  
• Ease of use and collaboration: Let’s be honest: deployment shouldn’t be an arduous task for you. The platform should be intuitive enough for your IT staff to manage deployment easily. We always give brownie points to IAM tools that can easily facilitate collaboration with HR and other departments involved in user lifecycle management. 

Top IAM tools for mid-market to enterprise IT teams in 2025

According to a whitepaper published by OneIdentity, 80% say that better identity and access management would have prevented some or all attacks on their organization.

Based on the points we’ve discussed above and the latest trends we’re seeing in the IAM space, let’s explore some top IAM platforms that IT managers can consider in 2025: 

1. Azure Active Directory (Microsoft Entra ID)

Azure Active Directory is an IAM solution that seamlessly manages hybrid identities with deep Microsoft ecosystem integration and robust security. 

• Best for: This IAM solution is best suited for organizations that are deeply invested in the Microsoft ecosystem and those with significant hybrid identity management needs. 
• Why IT teams love it: It offers solid integration with Microsoft 365, Windows operating systems, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. The integration with all these tools provides a cohesive security and management experience. Top ITAM tools like AssetSonar can successfully integrate with Azure AD.
• Strengths: Some key strengths of Azure AD include robust conditional access policies, granular device-state-based access controls, and comprehensive identity lifecycle automation capabilities.
• Bonus for IT managers: Azure AD often works seamlessly with ITAM solutions like AssetSonar, automatically linking user identities to the IT assets they use, providing a comprehensive view of who has what.

2. Okta

Okta is an IAM solution that provides vendor-neutral identity with comprehensive integrations and robust automation for diverse SaaS environments. 

• Best for: It is best suited for organizations that have a diverse portfolio of SaaS management, SaaS applications and cloud tools. Especially, if they are looking for a vendor-neutral identity management solution, then Okta is the one for them. 
• Why IT teams love it: There’s a reason why Okta is popular among IT teams. It offers an extensive library of integrations, powerful APIs, and flexible automation workflows (via Okta Workflows). All of this make it highly adaptable to various environments. AssetSonar integrates with Okta cloud software to streamline identity management and enhance security across your IT assets.
• Strengths: Secure Single Sign-On (SSO) across various applications, robust user provisioning and deprovisioning automation, strong Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) options, and a rich ecosystem of integrations.
• Bonus for IT managers: There are some ITAM tools that require precise user-to-device mapping, irrespestive of the underlying operating system or application. Okta’s flexibility is considered ideal for those ITAM tools. 

3. JumpCloud

JumpCloud is an IAM tool that provides a unified, cloud-native directory. It is ideal for hybrid IT environments and growing organizations. 

• Best for: This IAM tool is ideal for those organizations that are seeking a cloud-native identity management solution, especially one that can handle hybrid environments and can cater well to the SMB-to-mid-market segment with a streamlined approach. 
• Why IT teams love it: Since JumpCloud offers a unique “Directory-as-a-Service” model, combining directory services, IAM functionalities, and MDM capabilities into a single, lightweight platform, it is quite popular with the IT community. AssetSonar integrates with JumpCloud to enable organizations to centrally manage endpoints, ensuring seamless synchronization for device configuration. 
• Strengths: Some key strengths of this IAM tool is that it offers an excellent cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux), a straightforward and intuitive user interface, and flexible policy enforcement options.
• Bonus for IT managers: JumpCloud comes across as a strong choice for IT teams that have moved past the limitations of local Active Directory but aren’t necessarily a Microsoft-first organization, offering a modern approach to identity management.

4. Google Workspace (Admin Console)

As the name suggests, Googlw Workspace is an IAM solution that is best for Google-centric organizations. It offers seamless user access management and integration with Google apps. However, one thing must be kept in mind that it may lack advanced IAM features for larger enterprises. 

• Best for: Google Workspace is best suited for organizations deeply invested in the Google Workspace ecosystem and relying on SaaS applications. 
• Why IT teams love it: The Admin Console provides built-in IAM features that are tightly integrated with Google’s suite of productivity tools, offering a lightweight approach for managing user access. AssetSonar integrates with Google Workspace Cloud Software to bring in the data on all cloud software used across your organization.
• Strengths: Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) for Google apps and integrated third-party applications, basic device visibility and management, and extensions into Google Cloud Platform (GCP) IAM for cloud infrastructure access are some of the key strengths of this IAM solution. 
• Caveat for IT managers: However, there’s a threat! While this IAM solution is super convenient for Google-centric organizations, it may lack the advanced IAM features like role-based access control and policy enforcement, which are otherwise found in dedicated IAM tools like Azure AD and Okta, especially in more complex enterprise environments. 

5. Ping Identity

Ping Identity is an IAM tool that is made for large enterprises, especially those with complex identity federation needs. It usually focuses on Zero Trust security and adaptive access controls for scalable, secure environments. 

• Best for: This IAM tool is best suited for larger enterprises with complex identity federation requirements and a strong focus on Zero Trust security architectures.
• Why IT teams love it: IT teams prefer Ping Identity because it offers advanced governance capabilities, highly customizable workflows, and enterprise-grade features designed for scalability and security in complex environments.
• Strengths: Comprehensive Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) capabilities, sophisticated token orchestration for secure API access, and adaptive access controls based on real-time risk assessment are some of the key benefits of using this IAM tool. 
• Best for IT managers: Organizations in heavily regulated industries and those with multi-cloud architectures that require robust identity federation and granular control.

6. CyberArk Identity (formerly Idaptive)

This IAM platform is a strong contender for being security-first and is ideal for organizations that need advanced Privileged Access Management (PAM) and stringent access controls, especially in regulated industries. 

• Best for: This IAM solution is best for organizations that heavily rely on Privileged Access Management (PAM) and operate in compliance-heavy industries.
• Why IT teams love it: CyberArk Identity offers a unified platform that combines robust IAM features with industry-leading Privileged Access Management (PAM) capabilities, providing a security-first approach to identity. This is the reason why it is preferred by the IT teams. 
• Strengths: Core strengths for this IAM solution include deep visibility into user access and privileged activities, secure Single Sign-On (SSO), and passwordless authentication workflows.
• Use case for IT managers: CyberArk Identity is particularly more suitable for organizations in critical infrastructure, finance, and healthcare, where stringent access controls and auditability are paramount.

7. OneLogin

Last but not least, OneLogin is a user-friendly IAM solution that is perfectly suited for mid-sized teams, offering fast deployment, strong access control, and comprehensive MFA features for growing organizations.

• Best for: This IAM solution is best suited for mid-sized IT teams that prioritize ease of deployment, intuitive user experience, and strong access control features.
• Why IT teams love it: OneLogin is known for its user-friendly interface, quick integration capabilities with a wide range of applications, and competitive pricing. AssetSonar integrates with OneLogin to bring in the data on all cloud softwares being used across your organization. 
• Strengths: Some of the key strengths of this IAM solution include cloud-based IAM platform, policy-driven access controls, and comprehensive Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) options.
• Best for IT managers: For IT managers with smaller teams, this IAM tool is easy to handle and will still work well as your organization expands.

How IAM ties into ITAM? And why it matters

As an IT manager, it is important to understand the connection between IAM and ITAM. Consider it like a critical piece of the puzzle. IAM is defined as something that tells who has access to your digital resources, whereas ITAM is something that tracks what those resources are. For instance, you can track what each person is using, including their computers, software, and online tools. When both IAM and ITAM work together in harmony, you can explore major benefits. Let’s find out what those significant benefits are: 

• Connecting users to their assets: Your IAM solution (the one that knows who your users are) gives your ITAM system (the one that knows what tech you have) the information it needs to link each person to the specific computers, software, and cloud services they use. 
• Effortless onboarding and offboarding: Imagine a new employee joins your company. Instead of manually setting up their access to everything and figuring out which laptop to give them, your IAM system can automatically grant the permissions to the necessary applications. Since it is linked to an ITAM solution, the correct device is assigned to them, without you doing the extra work. Similarly, when an employee leaves, their access is automatically revoked, and you know exactly which laptop needs to be taken back. 
• Say goodbye to “ghost” tech and wasted licenses: It may sometimes bother you when you’re unable to find an old laptop or when you’re paying for software without knowing that no one in your team is using it. When IAM and ITAM tools are linked, you can know who is using what. This brings the “ghost assets” and unused software licenses into light, letting you know you can still use them and stop wasting budget. 
• Simplified audits and staying compliant: When it comes to getting a security audit done or when you need to prove you’re fully compliant with software licensing rules, it is important to have a clear view of who has access to what assets in your company. This could make your life so much easier because then you can quickly create reports and show that everything is working properly. 

Pro Tip for IT managers: Here’s a pro tip for IT managers!

You’re recommended to keep a close eye on ITAM solutions like AssetSonar that offer direct integrations with other leading IAM tools. The direct line between your user information and your asset information automates a lot of the redundant manual tasks and provide you with a single, clear view of your entire IT infrastructure. At the end of the day, all you need to do is make your job easier and your IT environment more secure and efficient. 

Conclusion: Choose the IAM that supports your growth

We cannot stress this enough, but you need to pick the IAM that helps you grow! 

Currently, there are several good IAM tools available out there, each offering its own distinct features. As an IT manager of a mid-sized or enterprise organization, the best one for you will depend on the technology ecosystem that you are currently using (especially if you’re a big Microsoft shop or use other key vendors), your specific needs for automation, how well it integrates with your other important systems, and how complex your hybrid environment (on-site and cloud tech) is. 

Keep in mind that an IAM tool isn’t just about keeping your organization secure; it is also about making your IT operations run smoothly and handling growth without making things messier. 

When you combine a good IAM tool with a strong ITAM solution, you can create a powerful synergy that strengthens your security, saves you bucks, makes your job easier, and gives you a clear view of everything as your IT landscape evolves. 

Want to see how AssetSonar brings identity and assets together for a truly unified IT management experience? Get in touch with us today!