Discover how asking the right questions can help IT decision-makers navigate the complex landscape of security solutions and select the best vendor for their needs.
As an IT decision-maker, navigating the vast array of security solutions on the market can be daunting. Identifying your organization’s specific needs and selecting the right vendor to meet them has become more challenging than ever. The abundance of buyer’s guides, some vendor-sponsored, others claiming to be independent, can make it overwhelming to determine which direction to take or which reviews to trust.
In the identity security landscape alone, you must assess whether your organization needs privileged access management (PAM), identity and access management (IAM), identity governance and administration (IGA), or a combination of these, possibly delivered as an integrated platform. Adding to the complexity are “lite” software versions, modular pricing options and deployment options for on-premises, hybrid or fully SaaS-based solutions.
The variety and choices of delivering the service are many. So, how can you identify your organization’s needs and ensure a vendor delivers the right solution? Asking a few strategic questions as outlined below can help streamline your search and focus your efforts.
Examining the Contenders
While the IGA market is well-established, new players continue to emerge, adding to an already crowded vendor landscape. With countless options to evaluate, attempting to review them all is impractical. Instead, focus on creating a targeted shortlist of vendors that align with your business needs.
To create your shortlist, aim for a balance of established vendors, challengers and emerging players. Conduct thorough research to understand the vendor landscape. Identify the key players, their specialties, the range of products they offer, their core capabilities and what they claim makes them unique in the market.
Begin by carefully and truthfully identifying your primary pain points. Ask yourself what is truly needed to achieve the desired business outcome. Compare the functional capabilities that matter most to your organization and evaluate how well they align with the vendor’s roadmap. Does the vendor support your target operating model, or are you an edge case for their solution? Also, consider whether you truly need all the advanced features or if a simpler approach would suffice.
Evaluate which vendor(s) align best with your company’s characteristics. If you’re a smaller or less mature organization will an industry heavyweight provide the level of service you expect? Reflect on past commercial relationships with potential vendors — what went well, and what didn’t? Based on your interactions, identify which vendors you trust and why. Relationships matter; strong partnerships can significantly influence a project’s success. Consider whether you have an existing or previous relationship with any of the vendors, as this could be worth revisiting.
If you’re looking at new entrants into the market, research their stage of maturity, For example, how many rounds of funding they have taken so far and whether they’re likely to be acquired (as this could change their technology roadmap). How do these companies compare to your maturity level? Can they scale with you based on what you are trying to accomplish?
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