{"id":6694,"date":"2022-04-27T00:05:40","date_gmt":"2022-04-27T00:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strata.io\/?p=6694"},"modified":"2024-04-09T11:43:18","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T18:43:18","slug":"how-low-code-application-development-identity-management-work-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strata.io\/blog\/identity-fabric\/how-low-code-application-development-identity-management-work-together\/","title":{"rendered":"How low-code application development & identity management work together"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”6696″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]In a recent<\/span> Helpnetsecurity article<\/span><\/a>, Eric Leach, Chief Product Officer of Strata Identity, discusses why low-code applications and identity management need to co-exist. In the article, Leach discusses the adoption of low-code tools and discusses related identity concerns<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Until recently, software development required top talent to type code line-by-line painstakingly. It’s a slow process with a hefty price tag. Companies need a faster and less labor-intensive way to meet business needs, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Low-code application development, as the name suggests, allows for less coding and, therefore, less time required by developers. Low code is often touted as a benefit since non-technical people can take on some of the work, but it is not without drawbacks.<\/p>\n Leach shares the three primary challenges of managing identity in a low-code ecosystem. He proposes \u201ca more manageable approach when using low-code development frameworks to build applications.\u201d That is \u2013 \u201cto connect them to a single abstraction layer for identity services.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Read on to hear how to make low-code development work with your identity and access management (<\/span>IAM<\/span><\/a>) framework.<\/span><\/p>\n Keeping pace with changing requirements places significant demands on IT teams \u2013 especially those managing legacy apps on-premises \u2013\u00a0 alongside multi-cloud infrastructure. Many enterprises opt for low-code software development tools to reduce demands on highly-skilled (and costly) IT resources. The<\/span> impacts of “the great resignation”<\/a> include slow recruitment processes and challenges in finding skilled labor \u2013 the need to preserve skilled workers for high-value tasks, has reached new limits.<\/p>\n It\u2019s simply not sustainable for businesses to have their top talent bogged down with tedious coding. While some mission-critical apps are best updated by senior IT technicians, many apps can be updated without significant risk, by non-technical team members or contractors due to low-code.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Related reading: Managing Identity in Multi-cloud Ecosystems: Key Findings From Forrester Analyst Study<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n In recent years, the emergence of low-code tools has contributed to the phenomenon of citizen developers. They\u2019re often employees with enough knowledge to undertake basic coding using graphical user interfaces (GUI).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sounds great initially, but it\u2019s important to bear in mind that this approach has its limitations. Let’s take a look at problems you might encounter if you opted for citizen development as a strategy:<\/span><\/p>\n Apps modified by citizen-developers still need to safely interact with other mission-critical infrastructure. Without expert oversight, well-intended (but inexperienced) workers may introduce security vulnerabilities that go undetected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The complex configuration of some platforms makes it difficult to make changes to software development processes. If multiple platforms are involved, it\u2019s even more challenging \u2013 particularly where legacy on-premises and <\/span>multi-cloud infrastructures<\/span><\/a> are involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you decide that a citizen developer approach isn\u2019t right for your business, you\u2019ll need to reorganize the resources that were focused on coding. Restrictions on identity providers related to this approach will also need attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The citizen developer approach may solve some problems \u2013 and cut costs \u2013 relative to having expensive IT specialists involved. But to remain competitive, it\u2019s vital to ensure that any changes made within your infrastructure are supporting business goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Citizen developers lack the expertise to ensure the optimum performance of your complex infrastructure. That can limit your competitive advantage in today\u2019s digital economy. There is another way to achieve your business goals without compromising on security or hiring more IT specialists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The average business relies upon a range of standards related to identity <\/span>authorization and authentications<\/span><\/a>. So it\u2019s tempting for IT teams to turn to citizen development to modernize infrastructure and save money, given the scale of the task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many IT leaders discover that there\u2019s still a lot of work to do to <\/span>ensure standards are implemented<\/span><\/a> appropriately when low-code tools are involved. Manual orchestration of standards is inefficient and error-prone, creating additional strain on already stretched teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In an environment of constant cyber threats, it\u2019s vital to ensure that identity management is not compromised by software development. It\u2019s a false economy to try to save money on coding and increase the risks of data breaches or losses in the process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For best results, automation of the process is required. Using an <\/span>abstraction layer or identity fabric,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0standards related to identity management, such as SAML, can easily be applied. Because abstraction relies on logic embedded in the identity framework, it also eliminates the need to push code to apps.<\/span><\/p>\n Additional advantages of an Identity Fabric include:<\/span><\/p>\n Safeguard your data, and give your top talent the gift of time \u2013 by eliminating the need for repetitive manual coding.\u00a0 See how abstraction can help you <\/span>modernize without compromise<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n
Skills gaps alleviated with low-code tools<\/span><\/h2>\n
Security vulnerabilities when non-technical people use low-code<\/span><\/h3>\n
Complexities arise when transitioning from a platform-specific approach<\/span><\/h3>\n
Removing low-code tools can be hard<\/span><\/h3>\n
Creating alignment between business needs and your identity framework<\/span><\/h3>\n
Use abstraction (an Identity Fabric) for the best results\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Modernize any app with any IDP in minutes. Join the 'Orchestration Kitchen' workshops.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t