Cloud directory services are a modern implementation of identity management and directory solutions delivered through the cloud. These products help companies store information about individual identities and manage their lifecycles. Companies use these tools as they transition away from on-premise or locally operating identity management software. Part of the toolbox for IAM admins and other user access admins, they can be used to build identity systems from scratch or extend existing LDAP services to the cloud. Cloud directory services solutions provide many simple integrations to help expedite identity management operations across different networks and applications.
There is some overlap between cloud directory services and other traditional identity management software in their functionality. But cloud directory services solutions are differentiated by their managed service delivery model and scalability.
To qualify for inclusion in the Cloud Directory Services category, a product must:
Facilitate identity lifecycle management
Provide functionality for user provisioning and governance
Support migration of LDAP services
Provide a cloud-based directory service