September 1, 2025 • Nelson Cicchitto

SailPoint’s 18-Month Implementation vs Avatier’s 14-Day Deployment: The Speed Advantage in Identity Management

Discover how Avatier’s rapid 14-day identity management deployment outpaces SailPoint’s 18-month implementation timeline.

Time-to-value is a critical metric for any enterprise technology implementation. This reality is especially pronounced in identity and access management (IAM), where security gaps can expose organizations to significant risks. While industry heavyweight SailPoint has built a reputation for comprehensive IAM solutions, many organizations find themselves frustrated by extended implementation timelines that can stretch to 18 months or longer. Meanwhile, Avatier has revolutionized the implementation process with deployments that can be completed in as little as 14 days.

This stark contrast in deployment timelines raises important questions for CISOs, IT leaders, and security professionals evaluating IAM solutions. Let’s examine what’s behind this dramatic difference and what it means for your organization’s security posture, operational efficiency, and bottom line.

The True Cost of Extended Implementation Timelines

SailPoint’s implementation approach typically follows a traditional enterprise software model: extensive planning, customization, integration work, and validation testing. While thorough, this approach comes with significant hidden costs that extend far beyond the initial price tag.

According to Forrester Research, the average large enterprise experiences 30 or more security breaches annually, with the cost per breach averaging $3.86 million. Every day without robust identity management increases vulnerability to these attacks. When implementation stretches to 18 months, organizations remain exposed for an unnecessarily extended period.

Beyond security concerns, extended implementations also mean:

  1. Delayed ROI realization: The business benefits of improved security and efficiency remain unrealized during implementation.
  2. Higher total project costs: Extended professional services engagements drive up implementation expenses, with enterprise IAM implementations often exceeding initial budgets by 40-60%.
  3. Resource diversion: IT teams pulled into lengthy implementation processes can’t focus on other strategic initiatives.
  4. Employee productivity impacts: Users continue to struggle with cumbersome access processes while waiting for the new system.
  5. Compliance exposure: Organizations remain at heightened risk of compliance violations until the IAM solution is fully operational.

Avatier’s Approach: Identity Management Anywhere in 14 Days

Avatier has fundamentally reimagined IAM implementation through its Identity Anywhere Lifecycle Management platform. This modern approach enables organizations to deploy comprehensive identity management in as little as two weeks—a timeframe that seems impossible to those familiar with traditional IAM deployments.

What Makes Avatier’s Rapid Deployment Possible?

  1. Containerized Architecture: Avatier’s industry-first Identity-as-a-Container (IDaaC) technology eliminates the traditional implementation complexity by packaging the entire solution in deployable containers that work seamlessly across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
  2. Pre-Built Connectors: With top identity management application connectors ready to deploy, integration with existing systems happens in days instead of months.
  3. No-Code Configuration: Business-friendly interfaces enable rapid setup without extensive custom coding or scripting.
  4. Modular Design: Organizations can implement critical capabilities first (like password management or access governance) and add additional modules without disruption.
  5. Automated Workflows: Self-service capabilities and pre-configured workflows dramatically reduce implementation complexity.

This accelerated approach doesn’t come at the expense of capabilities. Avatier delivers comprehensive identity lifecycle management, access governance, password management, and single sign-on capabilities within this rapid deployment timeframe.

Real-World Implementation Comparison

To understand the dramatic difference between SailPoint’s and Avatier’s implementation approaches, consider this comparison of typical timelines:

Implementation Phase SailPoint Timeline Avatier Timeline
Planning & Requirements 2-4 months 1-3 days
Installation & Configuration 4-6 months 2-5 days
Integration 4-6 months 3-5 days
Testing 2-3 months 1-3 days
User Acceptance & Training 1-2 months 1-2 days
Total Timeline 13-21 months 8-18 days

A manufacturing company that switched from SailPoint to Avatier reported: “What took over a year with our previous vendor was up and running with Avatier in just 11 days. The difference was night and day.” This dramatic acceleration delivers immediate security improvements and faster ROI realization.

Beyond Speed: Additional Advantages of Avatier’s Approach

While implementation speed represents a compelling advantage, Avatier’s approach delivers several other benefits compared to SailPoint’s traditional model:

1. Reduced Total Cost of Ownership

SailPoint implementations typically require extensive professional services engagements, with services costs often exceeding software license costs by 200-300%. According to industry analysts, the average large enterprise IAM implementation with traditional vendors like SailPoint costs between $500,000 and $2 million in professional services alone.

Avatier’s streamlined implementation approach dramatically reduces these costs, with typical professional services requirements 70-80% lower than traditional implementations. The professional services offered by Avatier focus on knowledge transfer and adoption rather than complex technical configuration.

2. Simplified Ongoing Management

The same architectural advantages that enable rapid deployment also translate to easier ongoing management. While SailPoint customers often require dedicated identity management specialists and ongoing consulting support, Avatier’s intuitive self-service interfaces and automation capabilities reduce administrative overhead by up to 60%.

3. Faster Adaptation to Changing Requirements

In today’s dynamic business environment, identity management requirements evolve rapidly. New applications, changing organizational structures, and emerging threats all demand quick adaptation. Avatier’s containerized architecture enables organizations to update and expand their identity management capabilities in days rather than the months often required with SailPoint’s more rigid approach.

4. Enhanced User Experience

Avatier’s self-service identity manager empowers end users with intuitive interfaces for password resets, access requests, and other common identity-related tasks. This superior user experience drives higher adoption rates and reduces help desk tickets by up to 85% compared to traditional approaches.

5. Comprehensive Security with Zero-Trust Principles

Despite its rapid deployment, Avatier doesn’t compromise on security. The platform incorporates zero-trust principles, multifactor authentication integration, and AI-driven risk analytics to provide robust protection against identity-based threats.

Customer Success Stories: Making the Switch

Organizations across industries have experienced dramatic improvements after switching from SailPoint to Avatier:

Financial Services Firm: “After struggling through 16 months of SailPoint implementation that remained incomplete, we deployed Avatier’s comprehensive identity solution in just 14 days. The ROI was immediate, with a 65% reduction in access-related security incidents and 40% lower administrative costs.”

Healthcare Provider: “SailPoint’s complexity was overwhelming for our team. With Avatier, we deployed HIPAA-compliant identity management in under three weeks, achieving full compliance certification on our next audit.”

Manufacturing Company: “We calculated that each month of delayed implementation with SailPoint cost us approximately $150,000 in security risk, administrative overhead, and lost productivity. Avatier’s rapid deployment saved us over $2 million compared to our original timeline.”

Making the Right Choice for Your Organization

When evaluating identity management solutions, implementation timeline should be a critical factor in your decision-making process. Consider these questions:

  1. What is the true cost of waiting? Calculate the security, compliance, and operational costs of an extended implementation timeline.
  2. What resources will be required? Assess the internal team commitment and external professional services requirements for each solution.
  3. How will the solution adapt to future needs? Evaluate how easily the solution can be expanded or modified as your requirements evolve.
  4. What is the expected time-to-value? Compare how quickly you’ll realize security improvements and operational benefits.

For organizations prioritizing rapid security improvements, operational efficiency, and immediate ROI, Avatier’s 14-day deployment approach offers a compelling alternative to SailPoint’s extended implementation timeline.

Conclusion: Speed Without Compromise

The choice between an 18-month SailPoint implementation and Avatier’s 14-day deployment represents more than just a timeline difference—it reflects fundamentally different approaches to identity management. While SailPoint follows a traditional enterprise software model with extensive customization and integration work, Avatier has reimagined identity management for today’s fast-moving business environment.

By leveraging containerized architecture, pre-built connectors, and intuitive interfaces, Avatier delivers comprehensive identity management capabilities without the extended timelines and massive professional services engagements typical of traditional IAM implementations. This approach enables organizations to realize security improvements, compliance benefits, and operational efficiencies in days rather than months or years.

For organizations looking to accelerate their identity management initiatives while reducing costs and complexity, Avatier’s Identity Anywhere platform represents the future of identity management—comprehensive protection deployed at the speed of modern business.

Ready to experience the difference between SailPoint’s 18-month implementation and Avatier’s 14-day deployment? Discover how Avatier’s innovative approach can transform your organization’s identity management strategy and deliver immediate security benefits.

Try Avatier today

Nelson Cicchitto

SailPoint's 18-Month Implementation vs Avatier's 14-Day