GigaOm Radar for Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM)v1.0

1. Executive Summary

Cloud infrastructure and endpoint management (CIEM) solutions enable organizations to efficiently manage and secure their cloud infrastructure as well as the endpoints (devices) that connect to it. CIEM solutions provide capabilities such as asset discovery, configuration management, compliance monitoring, and threat detection and response.

CIEM is essential for organizations looking to optimize their cloud operations, enhance their security posture, and ensure compliance with regulations. With the increasing complexity of cloud environments and the growing number of endpoints, and the proliferation of all sorts of identities in the context of the cloud, CIEM solutions help organizations streamline management tasks, improve visibility and control, and mitigate security risks.

CIEM solutions are primarily targeted at IT and security teams within organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. These teams manage and secure the organization’s cloud infrastructure and endpoints, and CIEM solutions provide them with the tools and capabilities needed to effectively perform these tasks.

The business imperatives to which C-Suites are sensitive should help them consider adding CIEM to the company’s cloud security battery include:

• Operational efficiency: CIEM enables organizations to automate manual tasks, reduce complexity, and improve overall efficiency in managing their cloud infrastructure and endpoints. This can result in cost savings and improved productivity.
• Security enhancement: CIEM helps organizations enhance their security posture by providing real-time visibility into their cloud environment and endpoints, as well as the ability to detect and respond to security threats quickly and effectively.
• Compliance assurance: CIEM solutions help organizations ensure compliance with industry regulations and internal policies by providing continuous monitoring and reporting capabilities.
• Risk mitigation: By proactively identifying and addressing security risks and compliance issues, CIEM solutions help organizations mitigate the potential impact of security breaches and compliance violations.
• Business continuity: CIEM solutions help ensure business continuity by providing robust backup and recovery capabilities for cloud-based data and applications, reducing the risk of data loss and downtime.

This is our first year evaluating the CIEM space in the context of our Key Criteria and Radar reports. This GigaOm Radar report examines 10 of the top CIEM solutions and compares offerings against the capabilities (table stakes, key features, and emerging features) and nonfunctional requirements (business criteria) outlined in the companion Key Criteria report. Together, these reports provide an overview of the market, identify leading CIEM offerings, and help decision-makers evaluate these solutions so they can make a more informed investment decision.