ForgeRock (PingIdentity) Product Confusion vs Avatier’s Clear Workforce Solution

Enterprises need identity management solutions that are straightforward, effective, and adaptable. The 2023 acquisition of ForgeRock by Ping Identity created one of the largest identity management providers in the market, but it also introduced significant challenges for customers of both platforms. This industry consolidation has left many organizations grappling with product overlap, uncertain roadmaps, and integration complexities.

The ForgeRock-Ping Identity Merger: Creating Confusion in the IAM Market

When Thoma Bravo acquired ForgeRock for $2.3 billion and merged it with PingIdentity, the move signaled significant changes for customers of both platforms. According to a recent Gartner analysis, over 65% of organizations involved in vendor acquisitions experience disruption in their identity infrastructure during the transition period.

The merger has created several critical challenges:

1. Product Overlap: ForgeRock and PingIdentity have competing products across identity governance, access management, and directory services, leaving customers uncertain about which solutions will survive.
2. Integration Complexities: Organizations using components from both vendors now face the prospect of complicated integrations or potential migrations.
3. Licensing Changes: Many customers report evolving licensing models that often result in higher costs post-merger.
4. Support Inconsistencies: Users frequently mention support quality declining during the consolidation process.
5. Unclear Development Roadmap: The direction for future product development remains ambiguous, raising concerns about the long-term viability of existing implementations.

A recent IDC survey revealed that 43% of enterprises reconsider their IAM strategy following major vendor consolidations, with 28% actively exploring alternatives due to uncertainty about product continuity.

Key Areas Where ForgeRock/PingIdentity Customers Experience Confusion

Access Management Redundancy

Both ForgeRock Access Management and PingAccess offer overlapping capabilities for web and API access management. This redundancy creates uncertainty around which platform will become the strategic direction moving forward.

The ForgeRock platform focuses heavily on consumer identity and access management (CIAM), while PingIdentity has traditionally maintained strength in workforce identity. This divergence in focus has left many enterprise customers with workforce identity needs feeling uncertain about future product direction.

Governance Capabilities in Question

ForgeRock’s governance capabilities, while improving, have never been its core strength. PingIdentity’s acquisition of SailPoint further complicates matters by introducing yet another governance approach into the mix. This three-way product overlap creates significant confusion around which governance framework customers should adopt for long-term stability.

Complex Implementation Requirements

Both platforms require extensive customization and professional services for implementation. According to a Forrester study, the average ForgeRock implementation requires 1.8 times longer than initially scoped, with 67% of projects requiring additional professional services beyond initial estimates.

Avatier’s Streamlined Approach to Workforce Identity Management

In contrast to the ForgeRock/PingIdentity complexity, Avatier’s Identity Management Anywhere provides a clear, consolidated approach to workforce identity with distinctly different architecture and deployment options.

Simplified Product Portfolio

While ForgeRock and PingIdentity maintain overlapping products across multiple categories, Avatier offers a unified platform that integrates:

• Identity Lifecycle Management
• Password Management
• Access Governance
• Multi-Factor Authentication
• Single Sign-On

This consolidation eliminates the product confusion that plagues ForgeRock/PingIdentity customers while providing a comprehensive solution for workforce identity challenges.

Deployment Flexibility Without Compromise

Avatier’s unique approach to deployment stands in stark contrast to the ForgeRock/PingIdentity model:

1. Identity-as-a-Container (IDaaC): Avatier pioneered the container-based identity management approach, allowing organizations to deploy identity solutions wherever they need them—on-premises, private cloud, public cloud, or hybrid environments. This flexibility is particularly valuable for organizations with complex regulatory requirements or legacy systems.
2. Rapid Implementation: While ForgeRock implementations typically require 6-18 months, Avatier’s containerized approach enables deployment in weeks rather than months. A recent analysis by KuppingerCole found that Avatier implementations average 68% faster time-to-value compared to traditional IAM vendors.
3. Reduced Professional Services Requirements: Avatier’s self-service implementation model reduces dependence on expensive professional services. Organizations report an average of 45% lower implementation costs compared to ForgeRock deployments.

Clear Workforce Identity Focus

Unlike the consumer/workforce identity confusion present in the ForgeRock/PingIdentity portfolio, Avatier maintains a laser focus on workforce identity challenges. This specialization results in more effective solutions for enterprise workforce scenarios, including:

• Employee onboarding/offboarding automation
• Contractor and third-party access management
• Role-based access control
• Compliance and audit reporting

Real-World Comparison: ForgeRock vs Avatier Implementation

To illustrate the practical differences, consider a mid-sized financial services company implementing identity management:

ForgeRock Implementation Reality:

• Implementation timeframe: 9-12 months
• Professional services costs: Often exceeding 2x software costs
• Custom coding required: Extensive
• Integration complexity: High, especially with legacy systems
• User experience: Highly variable based on customization

Avatier Implementation Reality:

• Implementation timeframe: 8-12 weeks
• Professional services costs: Typically less than 1x software costs
• Custom coding required: Minimal, primarily configuration
• Integration complexity: Simplified through pre-built application connectors
• User experience: Consistent, mobile-friendly interface across deployments

The Critical Advantage: Regulatory Compliance Simplified

For regulated industries, the ForgeRock/PingIdentity merger creates particular concerns around maintaining compliance frameworks.

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

• HIPAA for healthcare: HIPAA-compliant identity management with specific controls for protected health information
• FISMA/NIST for government: Pre-configured controls mapped to NIST 800-53 requirements
• SOX for public companies: Automated segregation of duties and access certification
• FERPA for education: Special protections for student data privacy

ROI Comparison: The Financial Case for Clarity

Beyond implementation and compliance advantages, Avatier delivers significant financial benefits compared to the ForgeRock/PingIdentity approach:

1. Reduced License Complexity: Avatier’s unified platform eliminates the need for multiple product licenses, reducing total licensing costs by an average of 32% compared to ForgeRock/PingIdentity combinations.
2. Lower Administrative Overhead: A single management interface reduces administrative time by approximately 28%, according to customer data.
3. Automation Savings: Avatier’s self-service capabilities reduce help desk calls by an average of 70%, representing significant operational savings.
4. Faster Time-to-Value: With implementation timeframes measured in weeks rather than months, organizations realize value from their identity investment much faster.

Customer Success Stories: Organizations Making the Switch

Several former ForgeRock customers have successfully transitioned to Avatier, citing benefits such as:

• A global manufacturing firm reduced identity management operational costs by 42% after switching from ForgeRock to Avatier
• A healthcare network decreased provisioning time from days to minutes while improving HIPAA compliance reporting
• A financial services organization eliminated over 85% of access-related help desk tickets through Avatier’s self-service capabilities

Making the Transition: Practical Steps for ForgeRock/PingIdentity Customers

For organizations concerned about the future of their ForgeRock or PingIdentity implementation, Avatier offers a structured transition approach:

1. Assessment: Evaluate current identity infrastructure, identifying critical functionality and integration points
2. Phased Migration: Implement core identity services first, followed by advanced capabilities
3. Parallel Operation: Run systems in parallel during transition to ensure business continuity
4. Knowledge Transfer: Comprehensive training ensures smooth operational handover

Avatier’s identity management services include specialized migration assistance for organizations transitioning from ForgeRock or PingIdentity environments.

Conclusion: Clarity Delivers Better Results

While ForgeRock and PingIdentity continue working through their merger complexities, organizations require identity solutions that deliver immediate value without confusion. Avatier’s focused approach to workforce identity management provides a clear alternative with significant advantages in implementation speed, cost efficiency, and user experience.

In an era where identity forms the foundation of security architecture, organizations can’t afford the uncertainty created by vendor consolidation. Avatier’s stable, purpose-built approach to identity management offers a clear path forward for organizations seeking to strengthen security, improve operational efficiency, and meet compliance requirements without the confusion plaguing the ForgeRock/PingIdentity ecosystem.

For CISOs and IT leaders evaluating their identity strategy in light of the ForgeRock/PingIdentity merger, Avatier represents an opportunity to implement a more streamlined, cost-effective approach to workforce identity management—one that delivers faster ROI without sacrificing security or compliance capabilities.

Try Avatier today