The Best Single Sign-On (SSO) Providers

SSO, or single sign-on, is an efficient, secure means to provide single enterprises with access to databases, servers, and applications.

Single Sign-On solutions can take varying forms, some on-premises, some on the cloud, and some provide both. As a leading physical security system industry expert with the vision to create more secure and convenient spaces, we at Kisi have a few suggestions on some of the best single sign-on software to employ for all applications.

As part of the identity and access management (IAM) sector, the best SSO providers are a necessary and frequently employed solution that various industries make use of. Rather than needing to login each time you enter a space, the best SSO providers enable teams to use a single login and password, identity card or fob, to be able to access specific information that is stored on the cloud.

This service is very useful to the IT departments who can then manage and limit access to a central resource base, thereby enhancing security.

1. Okta Identity Cloud #

Okta allows for single sign-on vendors to access all cloud and site applications, such as certain doors to secure locations. This is an open-source SSO leader due to its flexibility, ease of use and two-factor authentication for extra security.

With Okta, applications can be accessed from any device whenever they are needed. Okta is one of the many integrations that can be done with Kisi, which allows for tools to connect across a business. This allows for more control and higher user management so that you can implement changes across your workforce seamlessly and quickly.

Okta is suited to multiple industries, from education and non-profits to financial services and government use. One limitation of Okta is that it lacks an on-premise offering as it is only available as a SaaS solution (Software as a Service).

2. OneLogin Unified Access Management Platform #

OneLogin is just one of many open-source SSO providers that are most often used for the workforce access to cloud-based applications. Suited to all your IT administrator needs, OneLogin helps to enforce IT policy in real-time and can be updated immediately should changes occur, such as an employee leaving.

As a provider of secure, one-click access, another benefit to OneLogin comes in the form of the cost reduction it enables. This feature is possible due to the usual identity infrastructure costs no longer being a significant time or cost consideration.

OneLogin is suited to companies both large and small due to its multipurpose capability to be an SSO provider. It also provides other access management functionality such as on-premises security to control who enters and can access various parts of a building.

3. JumpCloud Directory-as-a-Service #

JumpCloud Directory-as-a-Service unifies access control and device management, with SSO available as a core feature of this cloud-based alternative to Microsoft Active Directory and Okta. JumpCloud’s SSO provides SAML integrations with 700 popular business applications, including Kisi, and automated user lifecycle management features like Just-in-Time (JIT) provisioning and SCIM provisioning/deprovisioning.

The key advantage of JumpCloud SSO is that IT admins can extend a single user identity to virtually any IT resource. JumpCloud can govern users’ Mac, Windows, and Linux systems while managing secure access to servers, networks, and applications both on-premises and in the cloud — and to physical security systems like Kisi.

With free use of its complete Pro platform — including premium services — to manage up to 10 users and systems, JumpCloud provides unlimited testing for organizations of any size and a genuinely free product for those with 10 users or fewer. New JumpCloud accounts also receive 10 days of free premium 24x7 in-app support.

4. Ping Intelligent Identity Platform #

Next up is Ping Identity, the third on the list of best SSO providers and a more niche category. Ping’s capability extends to large enterprises and can accommodate anywhere between several hundred to several million users. Another primary identity capability includes its Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which comes in addition to the SSO solution.

The perks of Ping is its capability to aid users to experience the security benefits, in addition to its focus on workforce user experience.

Additional features offered by Ping is its variation in cloud deployment choices such as Identity-as-a-service (IDaaS) or single-sign-on capability and containerized software to allow certain applications to run specifically as opposed to the entire system.

5. Idaptive #

Suited to smaller to medium-sized businesses, Idaptive is a visionary SSO provider that can provide support to many users all at once thanks to the new cloud architecture it incorporates.

If you think “Idaptive”, you should think “secure”. Idaptive offers IDaaS, adaptive MFA, enterprise mobility management (EMM) and user behavior analytics (UBA) in one integrated solution enabled by its Next Gen Access.

These capabilities help prevent and protect enterprises continuously to avoid falling victim to compromised credentials - one of the leading cyber-threat entry points into a business.

6. Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AD) #

Microsoft Azure AD is a must-see consideration for organizations of all sizes that make use of the Azure cloud platform. Azure AD Connect is an included feature that allows for the integration of on-premises control. SSO can also be supported by the Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) capabilities it offers.

Not only does this SSO Provider provide users with access to applications such as Microsoft services, i.e. Office 365, it also offers SaaS SSO applications. Azure AD is secure and assists in managing groups through its wide range of multi-functions offered.

All of these best SSO providers can help you streamline your business and allow easy access to various applications for all you employees.

Extend SSO to Physical Access #

Kisi allows you to integrate door access with your SSO provider. Here you can find more information about single-sign on and our enterprise offering.