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A cloud identity platform is a cloud service that helps an organization manage digital identities and control access to connected applications. It can authenticate users, apply sign-in policies, provide single sign-on (SSO), support multi-factor authentication (MFA), and coordinate account provisioning and removal. Those are related functions, but they solve different problems: SSO handles access to configured apps, MFA strengthens sign-in proof, and lifecycle management keeps accounts aligned as people join, change roles, or leave.
How a cloud identity platform fits into an organization
A platform typically sits between an organization’s identity source and the applications its people use. The source may be an HR system, a cloud directory, an on-premises directory, or a combination. The platform uses identity information to authenticate people and make access decisions, and it may synchronize account information to connected applications.
Cloud identity does not necessarily mean every identity record or directory is cloud-only. Microsoft documents both cloud-only and hybrid deployment patterns, in which cloud services work with on-premises identity environments: Microsoft Entra hybrid identity deployment topologies.
A useful way to picture the flow is: an authoritative source records who a person is and their status; the identity platform authenticates them and applies policy; an application trusts the platform for sign-in and may separately receive a provisioned account. When the person’s role or status changes, lifecycle automation can update or remove that account.
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What SSO does—and what it does not do
Single sign-on lets a user authenticate through an identity provider (IdP) and then access applications configured to trust that provider. The user signs in once for the relevant session or sign-in context rather than managing a separate sign-in at each configured app. Microsoft describes the capability as signing on once to access SSO-enabled applications: Microsoft Entra single sign-on.
Each application still needs a supported integration and correct configuration. In a federated setup, the app accepts a sign-in assertion or response from the IdP; SAML is one protocol used for this. SSO does not automatically cover every application in an organization, nor does the term identify one universal protocol.
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SSO is also distinct from account provisioning. An app can have a user account without being configured for federated sign-in, and configuring federation does not necessarily create or remove that app account. Google’s guide to integrating Google Cloud Identity or Google Workspace with Microsoft Entra treats user provisioning and SAML sign-in as separate configuration steps: Google Cloud Architecture Center: Federating Google Cloud with Microsoft Entra ID.
What MFA adds to sign-in
Multi-factor authentication requires more than one kind of proof when a user signs in. Depending on the service and policy, a user might combine a password with another factor, or use a method designed to resist phishing. MFA is an authentication control; it does not provision application accounts or decide by itself which applications a person should be allowed to use.
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When comparing platforms, check which methods administrators can require and whether policy can apply them to the right users and situations. Microsoft identity maturity guidance highlights phishing-resistant approaches such as FIDO2 passkeys, security keys, and certificate-based authentication: Microsoft Entra identity and device access policy guidance.
A FIDO2 security key is an optional physical device for authentication, not a universal platform requirement. Whether a key can be used depends on provider support, account configuration, user needs, and organizational policy; verify compatibility before selecting a device.
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Lifecycle management: keeping accounts in sync
Identity lifecycle management covers creating, maintaining, updating, and removing identities and access as a person’s status or role changes. Automated provisioning can create accounts and assign identity or role information, update them when relevant details change, and remove or disable them when appropriate. Microsoft describes these functions in its overview of automatic provisioning: Microsoft Entra automatic user provisioning.
Lifecycle management is valuable because a sign-in arrangement alone does not ensure that every connected app has the right account, attributes, or access. Account synchronization and sign-in federation must be designed together but configured as distinct processes.
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What SCIM provisioning means
SCIM, or System for Cross-domain Identity Management, is an open standard for exchanging identity information between systems. Microsoft describes it as an open standard protocol for automating that exchange. SCIM defines common user and group resources, including /Users and /Groups endpoints, and REST operations to create, update, and delete objects. Common data can include usernames, names, email addresses, and group names: Microsoft Entra SCIM synchronization.
When both the identity platform and target app support a suitable SCIM integration, the standard can reduce the need for a bespoke account-management integration. It does not guarantee universal compatibility: the target needs a supported endpoint or connector, administrators need valid authorization credentials, and attribute mappings and provisioning scope must be configured. For some legacy systems, Microsoft documents using an on-premises agent to translate provisioning operations to other systems and connectors in its automatic provisioning overview.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare cloud identity platforms
Compare providers against the identity environment and applications you actually need to support. Product features, licensing, and supported integrations vary, so validate current terms and capabilities with the vendor before selecting or deploying a service.
Quick Recap
| What to compare | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Identity source and directory fit | Can it use your HR system, cloud directory, on-premises directory, or required hybrid arrangement? Microsoft’s deployment topologies describe cloud-only and hybrid patterns. |
| Application coverage and federation | Are your required apps supported through suitable connectors and sign-in protocols? Who configures and maintains each integration? Microsoft’s SSO overview explains that access applies to SSO-enabled applications. |
| MFA methods and policy controls | Does the platform support the methods you require, including phishing-resistant options where appropriate, and can you enforce them for the intended users? See Microsoft’s identity and device access policy guidance. |
| Lifecycle automation | Can it provision and deprovision users and groups for your apps? Check SCIM support, attribute mappings, scope rules, and what happens when an account is disabled or removed. Microsoft’s SCIM guide describes common resources and operations. |
| Administration and integration requirements | What service credentials, delegated privileges, connectors, or agents are required, and who owns the setup? Google’s integration example calls out mapping and provisioning-account privilege decisions. |
| Licensing and deployment effort | Which licenses are required for the identity service and connected applications, and is provisioning configured per app? Microsoft notes licensing requirements in its hybrid identity deployment guidance; confirm current plans and fees directly because there is no universal price established here. |
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