Identity governance and administration (IGA) is the foundation of any mature IAM program. SailPoint leads the IGA market with two distinct platforms: IdentityNow (cloud-native SaaS) and IdentityIQ (on-premise/hybrid). Choosing between them — or implementing a hybrid approach — requires understanding your organization's governance complexity, compliance requirements, integration landscape, and cloud strategy.
SailPoint IdentityNow: Cloud-Native Governance
IdentityNow is SailPoint's cloud-native IGA platform, delivered as SaaS with rapid deployment timelines. It excels in organizations with primarily SaaS and cloud application portfolios, standard governance use cases, and a preference for managed infrastructure. Key strengths include pre-built connectors for 200+ SaaS applications, AI-driven access recommendations, and continuous product updates.
When to Choose IdentityNow
- Organizations with 1,000 to 50,000 identities
- Primarily cloud/SaaS application portfolio
- Standard access certification and provisioning requirements
- Limited IGA team seeking managed infrastructure
- Preference for faster time-to-value (8-16 weeks typical)
- Budget-conscious organizations preferring OpEx over CapEx
SailPoint IdentityIQ: Enterprise-Grade Governance
IdentityIQ is SailPoint's on-premise IGA platform for complex enterprise environments. It offers deep customization capabilities, complex workflow engines, and handles governance scenarios that SaaS platforms cannot yet match. IdentityIQ is the choice for organizations with complex SoD requirements, custom connectors, and highly regulated environments demanding full control of deployment.
When to Choose IdentityIQ
- Large enterprises with 50,000+ identities
- Complex on-premise application landscape (SAP, mainframes, legacy systems)
- Highly customized governance workflows and business rules
- Stringent data residency or regulatory requirements (FedRAMP, ITAR)
- Complex SoD rule libraries with cross-application enforcement
- Organizations needing full control of deployment and upgrade cycles
Key Comparison: IdentityNow vs. IdentityIQ
Deployment: IdentityNow is pure SaaS with automatic updates; IdentityIQ requires on-premise installation and manual upgrade cycles. Integration: IdentityNow uses virtual appliances for on-premise connectivity; IdentityIQ has native on-premise connectors. Customization: IdentityIQ supports BeanShell scripting and custom Java plugins; IdentityNow custom development is constrained to the SaaS framework. Both platforms share SailPoint's core governance engine and AI capabilities.
The Hybrid Approach
Many large enterprises are adopting a hybrid strategy: IdentityNow for workforce SaaS governance and access certifications, with IdentityIQ handling complex on-premise application provisioning and custom governance workflows. SailPoint's architecture supports this model with data synchronization between platforms.
Implementation Best Practices
- Start with access certifications — deliver immediate compliance value within 8 weeks
- Deploy identity lifecycle automation for joiners, movers, and leavers
- Build role and entitlement models iteratively, not all at once
- Implement SoD policies for your most critical business processes first
- Integrate with ITSM for provisioning workflows (ServiceNow, Jira)
- Deploy access request catalog to empower users with self-service
- Enable AI recommendations after collecting 6+ months of certification data
Choosing Your Path Forward
The right SailPoint platform depends on your specific governance complexity, application landscape, and cloud maturity. We recommend beginning with a governance maturity assessment to map your requirements before making a platform decision. Our certified SailPoint consultants can help you evaluate both platforms against your specific use cases and build an implementation roadmap that delivers governance value within your first quarter.
