Salesforce recently announced the upcoming retirement of its Identity Connect product, leaving many current customers in search of a new solution. As a partner of Salesforce and trusted partner to hundreds of Salesforce customers across the Financial Services industry, we want to inform our clients about what this change means for them and offer alternative solutions that meet their needs.

What is the Impact?

Identity Connect retirement will occur when the customer’s contract ends (Order End Date). This means that all users who are currently utilizing Identity Connect must switch to an alternative solution prior to that date or risk being unable to access their Salesforce instance. While no new features will be implemented on Identity Connect at this time, existing users can continue using the product until its retirement date.

Alternative Solutions

We understand that switching identity solutions might feel daunting, but there are several alternatives available for clients who need to transition away from Identity Connect:

• Salesforce Identity: Salesforce's own identity management solution, Salesforce Identity, can be used as an alternative to Salesforce Identity Connect. Salesforce Identity allows organizations to manage user identities, authentication, and access to Salesforce resources.
• Third-party identity management solutions: There are many third-party identity management solutions available that can integrate with Salesforce, such as Okta, OneLogin, and Microsoft Azure Active Directory. These solutions can provide similar functionality to Salesforce Identity Connect, including user provisioning, single sign-on, and password management.
• Custom development: Organizations can also develop custom solutions to synchronize identity data between Salesforce and other systems. This approach would require development resources, but can provide more flexibility and control over the integration.

Some alternative solutions worth mentioning include, but are not limited to:

• Okta: This cloud-based identity provider offers single sign-on (SSO) capabilities, user provisioning, mobile device management (MDM), two-factor authentication (2FA), adaptive multifactor authentication (MFA), API integration, and more.
• Auth0: This comprehensive identity platform provides tools such as SSO and multi-factor authentication as well as user management functionality. It also integrates with third-party APIs and custom databases for easy onboarding of users.
• Azure AD B2C: Microsoft’s cloud-based enterprise directory makes identity management simple and secure with SSO capabilities between multiple applications and services across organizations. It supports any custom domain name and allows users to self-register through social media accounts.
• G Suite: Google’s enterprise suite includes identity tools such as 2FA, SSO across apps from different providers, OpenID connect integration, account security setup recommendations based on industry best practices, and more.

These are just a few of the many options available for transitioning away from Identity Connect before its retirement date on your contract end date (if you’re an active Salesforce customer using Identity Connect); however, depending on your unique business needs, other alternatives may be better suited for you. We encourage you to explore all options available before selecting a new solution so that you can make an informed decision about which option is right for you or your organization.

Summary

If you have any questions or need assistance in selecting an alternative solution prior to the retirement date, please reach out! Our team is here to help guide you through this transition process so that you can continue leveraging the power of Salesforce without interruption.

Vantage Point Consulting Contact Information

David Cockrum, Founder/CEO  
david@vantagepoint.io
469-499-3400
www.vantagepoint.io