Organizations need to be particular about authentication as part of managing and securing their identity. Authentication keeps the organization's network secure by permitting only authorized people and resources.
We are authenticated every single day.
Every time you enter a username and password or use MFA, you are being authenticated. This is essential for organizational security.
But apart from authenticating employees into their apps, it is also important to define how your employees access their work devices.
Every device is an entry point into your organization's network, so device authentication is one of the important pillars of a robust identity and access management scheme.
What is device authentication and how does it help?
Device authentication through Zoho Directory is a process where you define how your employees are authenticated and how they access their work devices.
Device authentication helps improve your organization's security and reduce the risk of data breach, as it restricts unauthorized access to your organization's devices and data. Having a secure device authentication process in place also helps with regulatory compliance.
Device authentication problems in the modern world
Device authentication used to be simpler as the workforce was mainly Windows devices. That does not hold true nowadays.
Today's workforce IT environment is very diversified. It includes devices that run different operating systems like Windows, MacOS, and Linux. It also includes devices that are not bound to the organization's local network and need to be managed via the cloud.
Organizations with legacy directory systems still struggle with their own problems to deal with devices. They often require an additional application to manage their laptops and desktops, especially for the cloud.
Cloud-first companies primarily meet their requirements using cloud software like CRM apps, collaboration tools, email and help desk platforms, and the like. But they still need a simple solution to manage their devices and offer cloud-based authentication.
Managing such an assorted workplace requires IT admins to use individual device management software for every platform. Such practices not only cost more and impose a huge learning curve but also lead to the data being scattered in several places. Too much separate software can prevent admins from having an org-level view of the devices in their workplace.
This puts a strain on the IT team, causing them to waste efforts juggling software products to perform routine security controls, and may lead to more tasks being performed on a manual, one-off basis instead of systematically.
But what if there was a way for your IT team to enroll and manage your diversified device ecosystem?
What if you could enroll, deploy, and manage all of your devices regardless of which OS, location, or network they are connected to?
A look into Zoho Directory's device authentication
Zoho Directory offers the kind of device authentication experience that an organization with a diverse device ecosystem needs. And that's almost every organization these days.
Unlike legacy systems, Zoho Directory offers cloud-based device authentication, allowing IT teams to enroll devices running Mac, Windows, and Linux and manage their access without any manual intervention.
Here are a few of the benefits Zoho Directory's device authentication can provide your business:
Saves time for the IT team
Managing your devices with Zoho Directory will let your IT teams handle both apps and devices from a single space, saving time and effort juggling platforms. Since device passwords and account passwords are managed by Directory, users can initiate password resets directly by themselves, thus reducing IT admins' effort.
Employee lifecycle management
An employee's lifecycle begins the day they join your organization. Employee lifecycle management beginson the day of onboarding and continues until they are off-boarded, and this includes managing their devices.
Imagine that an employee joins your organization, and devices are handled from day one, and all they have to do is log in to their device to have access to everything they need.
Zoho Directory lets you do that. You can enroll your Windows, Mac, and Linux devices and assign them relevant users right from day one. And whenever an employee moves teams or exits your organization, you can revoke access to the device based on your exit protocols.
Improves device login experience
Zoho Directory's device authentication lets your employees log in to their work devices using the single secure credentials that they use for their work apps.
Having fewer logins to remember improves employees' everyday login experience and encourages them to follow secure password practices.
Perform access controls remotely
Zoho Directory's device authentication lets you perform access controls on your organization's devices without any manual intervention.
Once a device is enrolled, your IT team can change access permissions for users and deactivate devices if they are stolen or broken. You can also delete and reinstall devices in your organization no matter where they are located physically.
Adopt complete SSO
Device authentication extends the power of Single Sign On (SSO) to your workspace devices like laptops. Your employees can log in to both their apps and devices using the same credentials, improving the overall login experience.
Fewer passwords means less password sync and fewer reset complications to deal with. Your IT admins can perform resets directly from Zoho Directory, reducing time spent on helping employees access their work. Having an overall report of devices and their access information can help compliance audits and help avoid security compromises.
Device authentication in Zoho Directory
Here is a quick look at how you can enroll your windows, Linux, and Mac devices into Zoho Directory and enable device authentication for them.
Device Authentication for Windows
Device Authentication for Linux
Device Authentication for macOS
Device authentication lets organizations enroll and maintain devices such as laptops and desktops. Device management is vital for any business as it's one of the main aspects of a solid identity and access management plan. It ensures that the devices authenticated, have access permissions, and comply with your organization's security policies while protecting your organization's data and network from unauthorized access.
Zoho Directory lets you manage all windows, Mac, and Linux devices without having to pursue multiple applications for individual platforms.
For organizations with a growing workforce, Zoho Directory offers a simple and effective way to manage apps, devices, employees, and the interactions between them from a single space, effectively saving unwanted costs for your business.
If you'd like to implement device authentication for your work laptops and desktops, sign up for a free trial of Zoho Directory and explore all its capabilities.
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