Microsoft Entra ID vs VMware Identity Manager comparison

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13,032 views|9,346 comparisons
94% willing to recommend
VMware Logo
640 views|508 comparisons
72% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Entra ID and VMware Identity Manager based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Entra ID vs. VMware Identity Manager Report (Updated: May 2024).
771,212 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"For some applications, it's not only working for authentication but it's also being used to apply roles for users. From the management perspective, it's much better to have this because in the past we constantly needed to go into the console of the different solutions and create or delete users or modify their roles and permissions. Now, with Azure Active Directory, we can do that from a single point. That makes our management model much easier.""The interface is well laid out and it is easy to navigate.""A use case that we did for an end user in a manufacturing organization: We used WVD with biometric authentication because 1,500 processes need to happen in a process. The user didn't want to use a login using their credentials. They wanted to use fingerprinting or tap their ID. That is where we integrated with the authentication. Now, they can process in a couple of hours, and they run those 1,500 processes every day. This changed their login process, which improved the manufacturing process. This helped a lot for their high deployment.""The cloud security part is very valuable. Security is the most important thing in today's world. With Azure Active Directory, there are some features that tell you how you need to improve your security level. It informs you if you set up certain policies, e.g., this is where my users sign in. It tends to let you know if your organization has been breached with this security set up. Therefore, it is easier to know when you have been breached, especially if you set up a Conditional Access policy for your organization.""It's very easy to run and it's part of their ecosystem and I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon.""The technical support is pretty good.""We're using the whole suite: device management, user credentials, everything that's possible.""Being able to easily authenticate yourself on the MSA app is valuable. It is easy to use. Rather than receiving a code in an SMS, you can just verify that it is you. You don't have to punch in any password or any six-digit code. That's the feature that I like the most."

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"It helps the end users to work on the road without needing to set up all kinds of VPN connections""The most valuable feature is that it will use my credentials to access various parts of the infrastructure or other solutions, such as vRealize.""Its value is when you use it with a Workspace ONE UEM solution as it is part of the ecosystem for VMware Workspace ONE.""When we publish the applications, getting the credentials to log in and keep the application up or running is easy.""The most valuable feature is single sign-on.""Zero Trust implementation is a great feature.""The solution is stable.""The most valuable feature is the User Experience Designer, which has been very helpful for our project."

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Cons
"The support could be better. Lately, they sort of dropped off a bit in terms of quality.""At the free or basic level of service, Azure should provide identity protection features including single sign-on and multifactor authentication.""In a hybrid deployment, when we update a license by changing the UPN or email address of a user, it does not get updated automatically during normal sync. This means that we have to update it manually from Azure, which is something that needs to be corrected.""Better integration with external governance products would be a welcome addition to Azure AD.""There is a lot of room for improvement in terms of its integration with the local Active Directory. There are some gaps in terms of the local Active Directory through which Microsoft is syncing our environment from our data center. There should be the availability of custom attributes on Azure Active Directory. In addition, there should be the availability of security groups and distribution groups that are residing on the local Active Directory. Currently, they are not replicated on Azure Active Directory by default.""We have a custom solution now running to tie all those Azure ADs together. We use the B2B functionality for that. Improvements are already on the roadmap for Azure AD in that area. I think they will make it easier to work together between two different tenants in Azure AD, because normally one tenant is a security boundary. For example, company one has a tenant and company two has a tenant, and then you can do B2B collaboration between those, but it is still quite limited. For our use case, it is enough currently. However, if we want to extend the collaboration even further, then we need an easier way to collaborate between two tenants, but I think that is already on the roadmap of Azure AD anyway.""If Microsoft can give us a way to see where this product is running, from a backend perspective, then it would be great.""For example, there were some authentication features that, for security purposes, had certain limitations. Those limitations still exist, but the portal now has options so that the customers can make custom features to manage their identity."

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"There are a lot of difficulties whenever people have a lot of configurations in it, basically related to security certificate configurations and integration with VMware Horizon.""I would like better integration for deploying programs with binary files.""The mobile SSO doesn't work as well on Android.""We have a lot of problems when it comes to integrating with Active Directory.""There is a need for better user lifecycle management within VMware Identity Manager, along with better user governance...The scalability of the product needs to improve.""The license could be better.""The database gets corrupted when used in the cluster. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.""vIDM could be improved with the multi-tenant capabilities that VMware tends to offer—features like customization branding and the integration of the app catalog based on the branding. Since the integration has been at top-level OGs, you were not able to then do rebranding if you were required to use specific user groups to highlight specific applications. At the time, I was personally opening feature requests for these things. I haven't worked with the latest release, so I don't know if these features were already deployed or not."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The licensing cost is a bit prohibitive."
  • "The licensing is really not clear unless you are a premium client."
  • "Licensing is easy."
  • "It is a really nice tool and we have a license for the more complex model."
  • "It is not too expensive."
  • "It's really affordable."
  • "I do not have experience with pricing."
  • "Licensing fees are paid on a monthly basis and the cost depends on the number of users."
  • More Microsoft Entra ID Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "We pay approximately $6.50 per user for the standard version. If you are paying for an enterprise license that includes VDI then it will cost approximately $25 per user on a monthly basis."
  • "Licensing fees are paid on a monthly basis."
  • "A person should pay towards the licensing costs of VMware Identity Manager on a yearly or monthly basis, but government and public sector units cannot for a perpetual licensing model."
  • More VMware Identity Manager Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:We switched to Duo Security for identity verification. We’d been using a competitor but got the chance to evaluate Duo for 30 days, and we could not be happier Duo Security is easy to configure and… more »
    Top Answer:It is very simple. The Active Directory functions are very easy for us. Its integration with anything is very easy. We can easily do third-party multifactor authentication.
    Top Answer:The most valuable features in VMware Identity Manager for me are the control groups and rules.
    Top Answer:I would rate the costliness of the solution as an eight out of ten. The licensing costs for the solution vary based on user count, so there is no fixed value. It depends on factors like the number of… more »
    Top Answer:In terms of improvement, I would like better integration for deploying programs with binary files. As for future releases, I hope to see features like seamless migrations with collaboration tools to… more »
    Ranking
    Views
    13,032
    Comparisons
    9,346
    Reviews
    83
    Average Words per Review
    920
    Rating
    8.7
    Views
    640
    Comparisons
    508
    Reviews
    3
    Average Words per Review
    528
    Rating
    6.3
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Azure AD, Azure Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Authenticator
    Learn More
    VMware
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    Interactive Demo
    VMware
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    Overview

    Microsoft Entra ID, previously known as Azure AD (Active Directory), is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) solution. Designed to help organizations of all sizes manage user identities and create an intelligent security perimeter around their cloud and on-premise resources. Microsoft Entra ID or Azure AD is integral to the Microsoft 365 and Azure ecosystems. It provides a robust set of capabilities to manage users and groups and secure access to applications in a centralized, streamlined manner.

    Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) is a login system, morphing into a sophisticated identity and access management (IAM) solution for the modern, hybrid workplace. Imagine a single vault for all your digital keys – that's the essence of Entra ID's identity management. It acts as a central repository for user identities, encompassing usernames, passwords, and even additional attributes like department or employee role.

    These capabilities enabled simplified administration using a unified platform for adding, modifying, and deleting user accounts. Users no longer need to remember login credentials for a plethora of applications. Entra ID streamlines access by using the same identity across various cloud services and on-premises resources (if integrated). Centralized identity management allows for stricter enforcement of security policies and password complexity requirements across the organization.

    Authentication sits at the heart of the solution, ensuring only authorized users gain access to sensitive resources. It employs a multi-pronged approach:

    • Password Authentication: The traditional method of username and password is still supported, but Entra ID encourages stronger authentication methods.
    • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding an extra layer of security, MFA requires users to verify their identity beyond just a password – through a code sent to their phone, fingerprint recognition, or a security key.
    • Single Sign-On (SSO): This user-friendly feature eliminates the need to enter credentials repeatedly. Users sign in once to Entra ID and gain seamless access to all authorized applications, boosting productivity.
    • Conditional Access Policies: Providing granular control over how and when users can access resources. Based on conditions like user role, location, device state, and the application being accessed, Conditional Access policies help ensure that only the right people under the right conditions can access sensitive resources.
    • Seamless Integration: Seamless integration with thousands of SaaS applications, Microsoft 365, and on-premises applications via Application Proxy or third-party identity bridges.
    • Advanced Security Reports and Alerts: Sophisticated security monitoring, reporting tools, and automated alerts. These features enable to identify potential security issues, such as atypical behavior or attempted identity attacks, allowing for swift remediation actions.

    For organizations with on-premises infrastructure, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) offers hybrid identity options. This allows for a smooth integration between on-premises Active Directory and Entra ID, providing a consistent identity for users across both environments. It enables organizations to leverage their existing investments in on-premises infrastructure while taking advantage of cloud scalability and flexibility.

    In conclusion, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) is a comprehensive IAM solution that addresses the complex challenges of managing and securing identities in a cloud-centric world. Its blend of ease of use, security, and integration capabilities makes it an essential component of modern IT infrastructure, supporting both operational efficiency and strategic business objectives.

    Additional links:

        VMware Identity Manager is an Identity as a Service (IDaaS) offering, providing application provisioning, self-service catalog, conditional access controls and Single Sign-On (SSO) for SaaS, web, cloud and native mobile applications. It simplifies business mobility with one touch from any device, empowers employees with a self-service app store, optimizes user experience & security with AirWatch and was designed for the mobile cloud world for AirWatch enrolled devices providing a seamless consumer-grade user experience.
        Sample Customers
        Microsoft Entre ID is trusted by companies of all sizes and industries including Walmart, Zscaler, Uniper, Amtrak, monday.com, and more.
        Seventy Seven Energy, The Hut Group, SAIC
        Top Industries
        REVIEWERS
        Computer Software Company14%
        Financial Services Firm14%
        Educational Organization5%
        Non Profit5%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Educational Organization26%
        Computer Software Company12%
        Financial Services Firm9%
        Government6%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Computer Software Company13%
        Financial Services Firm12%
        Government9%
        Insurance Company8%
        Company Size
        REVIEWERS
        Small Business33%
        Midsize Enterprise14%
        Large Enterprise53%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Small Business18%
        Midsize Enterprise35%
        Large Enterprise47%
        REVIEWERS
        Small Business92%
        Large Enterprise8%
        VISITORS READING REVIEWS
        Small Business19%
        Midsize Enterprise17%
        Large Enterprise64%
        Buyer's Guide
        Microsoft Entra ID vs. VMware Identity Manager
        May 2024
        Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Entra ID vs. VMware Identity Manager and other solutions. Updated: May 2024.
        771,212 professionals have used our research since 2012.

        Microsoft Entra ID is ranked 1st in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) with 190 reviews while VMware Identity Manager is ranked 17th in Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) with 12 reviews. Microsoft Entra ID is rated 8.6, while VMware Identity Manager is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Microsoft Entra ID writes "Saves us time and money and features Conditional Access policies, SSPR, and MFA". On the other hand, the top reviewer of VMware Identity Manager writes "A tool that needs to improve scalability but is useful to manage user". Microsoft Entra ID is most compared with Microsoft Intune, Google Cloud Identity, CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, Okta Workforce Identity and Cisco Duo, whereas VMware Identity Manager is most compared with CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine), Fortinet FortiAuthenticator, Okta Workforce Identity and SailPoint IdentityIQ. See our Microsoft Entra ID vs. VMware Identity Manager report.

        See our list of best Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) vendors.

        We monitor all Identity and Access Management as a Service (IDaaS) (IAMaaS) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.