Mona Sata

Cloud identity and access management plays a central role in modern cloud security by verifying identities and controlling access across cloud environments. As enterprises adopt more cloud services, a well-designed IAM system enhances security through role-based access control, lifecycle management, and continuous monitoring while closing gaps in identities and access across frontline and shared environments.

This guide explains Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), why traditional VPN-based security falls short, and how identity-driven access works in modern enterprises. It walks through ZTNA architecture, core principles, deployment models, and real-world use cases. The article highlights how ZTNA limits lateral movement and secures remote, cloud, and shared environments. It also shows how OLOID strengthens Zero Trust in shared workstation scenarios with continuous identity assurance.

This article clarifies the distinction between SAML and SSO in modern enterprise identity architecture, explaining how SSO defines the authentication strategy while SAML enables secure identity federation between identity providers and applications. Rather than treating them as competing technologies, it shows how they work together in hybrid environments and where SAML-based SSO remains most effective. It also explores where newer protocols fit and how enterprises design multi-protocol identity frameworks.

SAML remains a backbone for enterprise authentication, enabling secure workforce access and browser-based Single Sign-On across business applications. The article explains how SAML works through Identity Providers, Service Providers, and assertions, showing why organizations still rely on it for stable identity operations. It presents SAML as relevant today, balancing where it performs strongly and where newer identity models may work better. The piece places SAML within the modern identity landscape alongside zero trust, passwordless authentication, and identity orchestration.