Azure Active Directory vs ForgeRock

August 06, 2023 | Author: Michael Stromann
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Azure Active Directory
Your universal platform to manage and secure identities
12
ForgeRock
Learn why businesses and governments trust ForgeRock identity and access management solutions for everything from CIAM to IoT. Protect, connect, and manage the digital identities of people, devices, and the internet of things (IoT). We help large organizations secure the identity of anything, build trusted, personalized relationships with their customers, and provide a seamless omnichannel experience.

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and ForgeRock are both identity and access management (IAM) platforms, but they have key differences. Azure AD is a cloud-based IAM solution provided by Microsoft, primarily designed to manage user identities and access to Microsoft cloud services and applications. It offers features such as single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and user provisioning. Azure AD integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services and applications, making it suitable for organizations heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. ForgeRock, on the other hand, is an open-source IAM platform that provides more extensive capabilities and supports a wider range of use cases. It offers features such as identity federation, user lifecycle management, customer identity and access management (CIAM), and consent management. ForgeRock is highly customizable and can integrate with various systems and applications, making it suitable for organizations with diverse technology landscapes.

See also: Top 10 Identity Management platforms
Azure Active Directory vs ForgeRock in our news:

2021. Microsoft acquires access management startup CloudKnox



Microsoft has recently completed the acquisition of the IAM (identity and access management) startup, CloudKnox Security. CloudKnox specializes in aiding organizations in implementing the least-privilege principles to mitigate risks and prevent security breaches. By integrating CloudKnox's activity-based authorization service, Azure Active Directory customers will gain comprehensive visibility, continuous monitoring, and automated remediation for managing permissions across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Microsoft has plans to seamlessly integrate CloudKnox with its other cloud security services, such as 365 Defender, Azure Defender, and Azure Sentinel. This acquisition aligns with Microsoft's strategic efforts to bolster its security portfolio, as demonstrated by its recent acquisitions of IoT security startups CyberX and Refirm Labs.


2020. ForgeRock nabs $93.5M for its ID management platform



ForgeRock, a company that has developed a platform focused on ensuring the authenticity of users accessing services and enabling organizations to effectively track and manage service usage, has secured $93.5 million in funding. In a competitive industry landscape, with notable players like Okta, LastPass, Duo Security, and Ping Identity vying for prominence in different aspects of identity management, ForgeRock has achieved remarkable success. It boasts an impressive customer base of 1,100 enterprises, collectively overseeing the management of 2 billion identities through its platform. Additionally, ForgeRock's platform supports the authentication and management of a significant number of devices, further highlighting its reach and impact.


2017. Identity management startup ForgeRock raised $88 million



Enterprise identity startup ForgeRock has recently announced the completion of an $88 million Series D investment round. What sets ForgeRock apart from its alternatives is its ability to authenticate not only users but also machines and sensors that seek access to your systems. According to CEO Mike Ellis, ForgeRock's approach to identity aligns with the ongoing developments in the industry. He emphasizes that security is increasingly driven by the relationships between humans, devices, things, and services. From its inception, ForgeRock has been diligently building a platform that can handle identity from various sources beyond human users. Ellis highlights the importance of existing everywhere, whether it's at the device and gateway level, such as in connected cars, or in on-premises and cloud environments.

Author: Michael Stromann
Michael is an expert in IT Service Management, IT Security and software development. With his extensive experience as a software developer and active involvement in multiple ERP implementation projects, Michael brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his writings. Having previously worked at SAP, he has honed his expertise and gained a deep understanding of software development and implementation processes. Currently, as a freelance developer, Michael continues to contribute to the IT community by sharing his insights through guest articles published on several IT portals. You can contact Michael by email stromann@liventerprise.com