ForgeRock (PingIdentity) Maintenance Mode vs Avatier’s Continuous Innovation: Why Enterprise IAM Leaders Are Switching

Enterprise identity management has reached an inflection point. Following Ping Identity’s acquisition of ForgeRock for $2.8 billion in 2022, many organizations are questioning the future of their identity infrastructure investments. As ForgeRock enters what industry analysts describe as “maintenance mode,” with innovation taking a backseat to integration challenges, forward-thinking enterprises are seeking alternatives that emphasize continuous innovation and future-ready solutions.

This pivot point presents a critical decision for CISOs, IT leaders, and security professionals: stay with a platform potentially entering stagnation, or migrate to a solution committed to innovation and emerging technologies. According to Gartner, by 2025, 80% of enterprises will have adopted a unified identity platform to consolidate their identity and access management (IAM) infrastructure, up from less than 20% in 2021.

ForgeRock Post-Acquisition: The Innovation Slowdown

The Reality of Maintenance Mode

Following major acquisitions, IAM vendors typically experience a period where innovation slows as companies work through the complexities of merging technologies, teams, and roadmaps. ForgeRock customers are witnessing this pattern firsthand:

1. Reduced Feature Development: New capabilities have slowed considerably as engineering resources focus on platform integration rather than innovation.
2. Support Challenges: Customer support response times have increased by 37% according to recent industry satisfaction surveys, as support teams navigate consolidated knowledge bases.
3. License Uncertainty: Many ForgeRock customers report receiving mixed messages about future licensing structures, creating budget uncertainty.
4. Roadmap Ambiguity: The lack of a clear, independent product vision leaves customers questioning their long-term technology alignment.

One Fortune 500 CISO recently shared: “We invested in ForgeRock for its innovation roadmap. Post-acquisition, we’re seeing minimal advancement in exactly the areas we needed most—AI-driven security enhancements and cloud-native capabilities.”

Avatier’s Approach: Continuous Innovation in Identity Management

While legacy providers navigate complex mergers, Avatier has maintained a singular focus: continuous innovation in identity management. This focused strategy has delivered significant competitive advantages for enterprises seeking modern identity solutions.

AI-Driven Identity Management

Avatier has pioneered AI integration within its Identity Anywhere platform, creating intelligent identity systems that evolve beyond traditional rule-based approaches. This includes:

1. Anomaly Detection: AI algorithms that identify unusual access patterns before they become security incidents.
2. Predictive Access Recommendations: Machine learning models that recommend appropriate access levels based on peer analysis and historical patterns.
3. Automated Compliance Monitoring: Continuous compliance verification rather than point-in-time assessments.
4. Natural Language Processing: Conversational interfaces that simplify identity management for end-users.

Container-First Architecture for Maximum Flexibility

While competitors debate cloud migration strategies, Avatier has embraced a container-first approach with its Identity-as-a-Container (IDaaC) architecture. This provides several advantages:

1. Deployment Flexibility: The ability to run in any environment—cloud, on-premises, or hybrid—without compromising functionality.
2. Scalability: Effortless scaling to support even the largest global enterprises.
3. Modern DevOps Integration: Seamless alignment with enterprise DevSecOps practices.
4. Rapid Updates: Continuous delivery of new features without disruptive upgrade cycles.

This container-based approach supports organizations across industries—from healthcare and financial services to government and manufacturing—with compliance-ready identity solutions that adapt to specific regulatory requirements.

The Self-Service Revolution in Identity Management

One of the most significant differentiators between Avatier and legacy providers is the commitment to self-service capabilities that empower end-users while reducing IT burden.

Beyond Basic Self-Service

Where ForgeRock and other traditional IAM solutions offer limited self-service capabilities, Avatier has reimagined the entire identity lifecycle around self-service principles:

1. Comprehensive Password Management: Advanced self-service password management with MFA integration, reducing password reset tickets by up to 85%.
2. Group Self-Service: Intuitive group management that enables business users to manage their own teams’ access without IT involvement.
3. Access Request Workflows: Simplified request processes that route automatically to appropriate approvers with context-aware decision support.
4. Self-Service Application Access: User-friendly catalog of available applications with one-click provisioning.

According to HDI research, organizations implementing advanced self-service identity solutions like Avatier’s reduce help desk calls by up to 70% and decrease provisioning times from days to minutes.

Integration Capabilities: Connecting Your Enterprise

Modern enterprises require identity solutions that integrate seamlessly with their existing infrastructure. While ForgeRock customers report increasing concerns about future integration capabilities, Avatier continues to expand its connector library.

The Avatier Connector Advantage

Avatier offers over 500 pre-built application connectors for rapid deployment, covering:

1. Cloud Applications: Complete coverage of SaaS applications including Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Workday, and hundreds more.
2. Legacy Systems: Robust connectivity to mainframe and on-premises applications that may remain in your environment for years.
3. Custom Applications: API-based integration frameworks for proprietary systems.
4. HR Systems: Deep integration with human resources platforms for automated lifecycle management.

This extensive connectivity eliminates the integration gaps that often plague identity projects, ensuring a complete identity fabric across the enterprise.

Compliance Without Compromise

For regulated industries, compliance isn’t optional—it’s existential. Avatier’s compliance-first approach stands in stark contrast to the uncertainty surrounding ForgeRock’s future regulatory support.

Regulatory-Ready Identity Management

Avatier delivers purpose-built compliance solutions for major regulatory frameworks:

1. HIPAA/HITECH: Healthcare-specific capabilities for protected health information.
2. NIST 800-53 & FISMA: Comprehensive controls for government agencies and contractors.
3. SOX: Financial controls and segregation of duties enforcement.
4. GDPR/CCPA: Privacy-enhancing identity capabilities for global data protection.
5. Industry-Specific Regulations: Support for NERC CIP (energy), FERPA (education), and other specialized frameworks.

Avatier’s compliance capabilities extend beyond mere checkbox features to provide continuous compliance monitoring and attestation. This approach reduces audit preparation time by up to 75% according to customer case studies.

The Migration Reality: From ForgeRock to Avatier

For organizations considering migration from ForgeRock to Avatier, the transition process has been streamlined through years of experience and purpose-built migration tools.

Practical Migration Paths

Avatier’s professional services team has developed proven methodologies for ForgeRock migrations:

1. Phased Approach: Gradual transition that minimizes business disruption.
2. Data Migration Tools: Specialized utilities for transferring identity data while maintaining integrity.
3. Parallel Operations: Strategies for running systems concurrently during transition periods.
4. Training and Adoption: Comprehensive programs to ensure user acceptance and utilization.

Organizations report average migration timelines of 3-6 months, significantly faster than industry averages for identity platform transitions.

The Cost Equation: TCO Comparison

When evaluating ForgeRock versus Avatier, total cost of ownership becomes a critical decision factor. While initial licensing costs matter, the extended TCO calculation reveals significant differences.

Long-term Value Considerations

A complete TCO analysis should include:

1. License Costs: Avatier typically delivers 20-30% savings compared to post-acquisition ForgeRock pricing.
2. Implementation Expenses: Avatier’s container-based approach reduces deployment costs by up to 40%.
3. Operational Overhead: Self-service capabilities reduce ongoing administration costs by 50-60%.
4. Support Requirements: Simplified administration reduces specialized staffing needs.
5. Upgrade Costs: Container architecture eliminates disruptive, expensive upgrade cycles.

When these factors are considered holistically, organizations typically see 35-45% lower five-year TCO with Avatier compared to ForgeRock and other traditional IAM platforms.

Making the Decision: Key Considerations for IAM Leaders

For CISOs, IT leaders, and security professionals evaluating their identity management strategy in light of ForgeRock’s acquisition, several key considerations should guide decision-making:

1. Innovation Trajectory: Assess whether your current provider is investing in areas aligned with your future needs.
2. Self-Service Capabilities: Evaluate the depth of self-service functions and their impact on IT operations.
3. Integration Requirements: Consider both current and future application connectivity needs.
4. Compliance Mandates: Ensure robust support for your specific regulatory requirements.
5. Deployment Flexibility: Assess whether your identity solution supports your evolving infrastructure strategy.
6. AI Readiness: Determine how advanced capabilities like machine learning and artificial intelligence are incorporated.

Conclusion: Beyond Maintenance Mode

As ForgeRock enters maintenance mode under Ping Identity, forward-thinking enterprises are seizing the opportunity to modernize their identity infrastructure with Avatier’s innovative approach. The distinction is clear: remain with a platform focused on integration challenges, or embrace a solution committed to continuous innovation.

For organizations prioritizing security, efficiency, and future readiness, Avatier’s Identity Anywhere platform delivers the comprehensive capabilities needed to navigate today’s complex identity challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s emerging requirements.

To learn more about transitioning from ForgeRock to Avatier, explore our identity management solutions or contact our team for a personalized migration assessment.