Use and manage external identities
Identity management plays a crucial role in modern Microsoft networks, especially when it comes to integrating external users. With the RealIdentity service and the PeopleConnect app, the my-IAM platform offers a comprehensive solution for the provision and use of external identities that integrates both business partners and customers.
This article provides an overview of the functions and options available for integrating external identities. However, it is not just about the end in itself of managing external identities. Rather, it is also about their practical use for better collaboration between internal users, partners and customers.
Index
What are external identities?
Differences between internal and external identities
Internal and external identities differ fundamentally in their use and management within a company network.
Internal identities refer to users who regularly work in the company, such as employees and internal service providers. These identities are often stored and managed in internal company directories such as Active Directory or Entra ID. Internal users usually have extensive access rights to company resources and are closely integrated into the company’s security and compliance guidelines.
Internal company directories, such as Entra ID, contain users who regularly work in the company
External identities, on the other hand, include users who do not regularly work in the company but still need to access certain resources. These identities are often managed as guest users in directory services such as Entra ID. External users usually have restricted access rights and are subject to specific security controls to minimize access to sensitive data.
While internal identities are managed directly in the internal network, external identities often require
- additional authentication mechanisms and
- specific invitation or registration processes,
to ensure that only authorized persons have access.
These differences reflect the different security and access management requirements for internal and external users. Nevertheless, it must be possible for internal users to use the contact data of external users, for example for communication with Microsoft Teams, by email or in other ways.
Companies want to strengthen ties with partners and customers
Sharing internal and external identities in corporate networks is crucial as it significantly improves collaboration and communication.
- When internal employees and external partners and customers can work together seamlessly, access to shared resources such as documents, applications and databases is made easier.
- This leads to more efficient project work and faster decision-making processes.
- In addition, the integration of external identities in platforms such as MS Teams enables partners and customers to be integrated into communication channels in real time.
- This leads to a significant improvement in the exchange of information and the coordination of tasks.
Combining external identities and internal users
Why it makes sense to combine external and internal identities
Combining external and internal identities in a central identity directory has numerous advantages:
- It significantly improves efficiency, as employees no longer have to search through different systems to find the right contact person.
- Getting in touch is accelerated.
- It helps to quickly identify the right contacts for specific tasks or projects.
- As a result, cooperation with important partners and customers is intensifying.
Thanks to the central provision and rapid availability of contact data of all kinds, companies can react more dynamically to business requirements. This leads to increased productivity and optimized use of resources, as everyone involved can access the necessary information at any time.
PeopleConnect as a combined directory for external and internal identities
An innovative application for searching and displaying all identity data, such as my-IAM PeopleConnect, enables companies to instantly access all relevant identities. my-IAM PeopleConnect provides a flexible cloud service that greatly simplifies identity management in Microsoft networks.
Central directory of all identities in MS Teams based on various source systems
The application enables a centralized and intelligent search for contact persons from the entire company network. This is achieved by integrating and centralizing identities from various sources such as Outlook, M365/Entra ID, Active Directory, CRM and other databases.
This makes external identities clearly usable for users and admins.
Various object types, such as customers, partners and resources, can be integrated into my-IAM PeopleConnect.
The main strengths of PeopleConnect are as follows:
- High configurability
- Fast provision of contact data
- Editing of identity data (create, edit and delete)
- Integration of different object types, such as “external partners” and “meeting rooms”
- Both internal and external users can be managed and found via a single interface
- Granular permissions so that only authorized persons can access and edit certain data
- Smart search function makes it possible to search by name, skills, project experience and other attributes
Integration into Microsoft Teams creates a central point of contact for all contacts. The clear presentation of contacts in tile or list form and the option to book meetings directly in the MS Teams calendar also contribute to user-friendliness.
What tasks does CIAM fulfill in this context
Influence of external identities on corporate IT
The integration of external identities has a significant impact on corporate IT, as it is a decisive factor for the successful digitalization and networking of all stakeholders. Digitalization is driving the need to efficiently connect internal and external users and integrate them into the company’s IT infrastructure.
Systems must be seamlessly connected to ensure smooth collaboration and the secure exchange of information. Authentication and security play a central role here, as access to sensitive data may only be granted to authorized users.
CIAM for external access to apps and services
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) is a central element of modern corporate strategies. CIAM comes primarily from authorization management and enables external users to access a company’s internal apps and services.
The aim is to control the management of customer identities and access rights while facilitating the integration of external identities. CIAM systems enable companies to implement secure and user-friendly login processes that can be seamlessly integrated into existing digital platforms. Integrating external identities into a CIAM system brings significant benefits. Companies can manage customers, partners and suppliers as identities, significantly improving access to shared resources and communication.
By using CIAM, companies can offer their customers personalized experiences by responding to individual preferences and behaviors. This enables targeted interaction. At the same time, CIAM solutions ensure high security standards by integrating multifactor authentication and advanced threat detection. This protects sensitive customer data and strengthens customer trust in the company’s digital services. The integration of external identities into CIAM systems enables central and efficient authorization management of all identities.
Manage access authorizations for external identities
What does Microsoft Entra ID offer
Microsoft has also recognized the importance of external identities. With MS Entra External ID, organizations can integrate external users into their networks. These external users include partners, suppliers or customers who need to access certain company resources. Entra ID makes it possible to add these users as guests and grant them controlled access. This creates trust and promotes long-term business relationships.
These users can use different identities, including Entra ID, Microsoft accounts, Google accounts, SAML or WS-Fed. One-time passcode authentication via email is also possible. Guests are stored as objects in the Entra ID tenant and can be managed by corresponding licenses such as Premium P1 or P2. Each licensed user allows up to five guest users to use the same functions.
Entitlement Management in Entra ID enables the creation of access packages that grant guests access to specific resources such as groups, SharePoint Online or applications. This can be done through an authorized URL and predefined approval processes, enabling a self-registration process. External identities can also be customers who are to access user-defined applications. Customers can register using a variety of social identities or local accounts. Entra ID offers extensive customization options for the onboarding experience and user interface. Billing here is per monthly active user and includes additional costs for multi-factor authentication (MFA).
In addition, the centralized management of identities enables consistent security and compliance monitoring, as all users, whether internal or external, are subject to the same security standards. Companies also benefit from increased flexibility and scalability, as they can easily expand their networks to grant access to new partners and customers without having to significantly change the existing infrastructure.
External identities as a comprehensive concept
In addition to existing identity providers such as Google and Microsoft accounts, Facebook accounts can also be used as an identity source in Microsoft networks. This sometimes requires user self-registration via a specially registered application.
Manage shared channels in the Teams client
Organizations can also add custom attributes that must be filled in during the registration process. These attributes are stored as extensions in Entra ID and can be queried and managed via the Graph API.
my-IAM RealIdentity for the provision of all types of identities
Our cloud service my-IAM RealIdentity enables distributed identity management:
- RealIdentity collects the identity data from various source systems,
- sorts, combines, cleanses and updates the data and
- makes it available for applications of all kinds.</li
As a result, companies use RealIdentity as the main source for the identity data they need in external applications.
RealIdentity makes no distinction between internal and external identities. It processes all identities and provides a common platform for identity management. External contacts can be created and maintained using the my-IAM PeopleConnect application. The benefits of external identities are maximized and take collaboration between employees, suppliers, partners and customers to a new level. Solutions such as my-IAM RealIdentity are the central platform that provides companies with exactly the contact data they need.
CIAM systems and services, such as my-IAM RealIdentity, offer a comprehensive solution for managing external identities:
by ensuring that all relevant identity data is immediately available and that the right contacts can be found quickly. Centralized management allows companies to comply with security standards while implementing flexible, user-friendly login processes.
Summary
In conclusion, it is clear that external identities are an integral part of modern identity management. Companies must open their eyes and take full advantage of digitalization in order to remain competitive. Digitalization is the most important driver of this development and enables all stakeholders to be effectively networked.
Saas cloud services such as my-IAM RealIdentity and applications such as PeopleConnect play a crucial role here by providing a central point of contact for all identities and thus optimizing collaboration and the flow of information both internally and externally. External identities are therefore an integral part of identity management and help companies to operate more agilely and efficiently.
Contact us if you want to integrate your colleagues, personal contacts and external parties into MS Teams in an organized way.
