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25/06/2026 12:47 am
TL;DR: Identity orchestration is presented as the control layer for complex, multi-vendor identity flows as organisations modernise IDPs, migrate applications, and try to extend Microsoft Entra ID across heterogeneous environments, according to Strata Identity. The practical shift is that IAM programmes need to govern orchestration paths, not just standalone directories and apps.
NHIMG editorial — based on content published by Strata Identity: Identity Orchestration and multi-cloud IAM guidance
Questions worth separating out
Q: How should security teams govern identity orchestration in multi-cloud environments?
A: Treat identity orchestration as governed identity infrastructure, not as a temporary integration layer.
Q: Why do multi-cloud identity programmes need orchestration instead of one central IDP?
A: Because a single IDP rarely fits every application, protocol, and migration state in a distributed estate.
Q: What breaks when identity orchestration is not centrally governed?
A: Policy drift, inconsistent lifecycle handling, and undocumented access paths become much more likely.
Practitioner guidance
- Map every identity path end to end Document how authentication, provisioning, and entitlement changes move through the orchestration layer for each critical application.
- Assign control ownership to orchestration rules Make every routing rule, connector, and transformation explicit owner-controlled configuration, with change management and periodic review.
- Test legacy application migration paths before cutover Validate how older apps behave when identity is extended through the orchestration layer, especially where SSO, federation, or provisioning assumptions differ from the target IDP.
What's in the full article
Strata Identity's full article covers the operational detail this post intentionally leaves for the source:
- How identity orchestration is applied across complex application migration scenarios.
- The specific role of Microsoft Entra ID in extending identity to applications that cannot move cleanly.
- The vendor's framing of identity fabric for multi-vendor identity flows.
- The broader research and implementation context behind multi-cloud identity modernization.
👉 Read Strata Identity's guide to identity orchestration for multi-cloud IAM →
Identity orchestration for multi-cloud IAM: what changes for teams?
Explore further
25/06/2026 9:48 am
Identity orchestration is becoming an IAM control layer, not just a migration tactic. The vendor's framing around modern IDPs and complex app estates points to a broader shift in how enterprises need to think about identity architecture. Once applications span clouds, directories, and legacy protocols, the practical control point becomes the orchestration layer that decides how identity flows are stitched together. Practitioners should treat that layer as governed infrastructure, not glue.
A few things that frame the scale:
- 97% of NHIs carry excessive privileges, increasing unauthorised access and broadening the attack surface, according to Ultimate Guide to NHIs.
- Only 5.7% of organisations have full visibility into their service accounts, which shows how often identity governance breaks before access is even fully understood.
A question worth separating out:
Q: How do you know if identity orchestration is actually improving IAM?
A: Look for fewer application-specific identity exceptions, clearer ownership of routing and connector logic, and more consistent provisioning and deprovisioning outcomes across environments. If the orchestration layer creates new hidden dependencies or unclear control ownership, it is adding complexity rather than reducing it.
👉 Read our full editorial: Identity orchestration is reshaping IAM for multi-cloud app flows
