Optimizing Unified Access Management for a German Financial Advisory Firm

Enhanced a German financial advisory firm’s security and operational efficiency by implementing unified Okta SSO, reducing authentication complexities and strengthening IT defenses.

Company card

A well-established financial advisory firm based in Germany, specializing in B2B financial consulting services. With a workforce of 250 employees, the company is committed to providing high-quality, secure advisory solutions and ensuring efficient, secure interactions with its diverse client base. The firm continuously invests in advanced IT infrastructure to support operational excellence and meet stringent security standards in the financial sector.

Industry : Financial Consultancy

Location : Germany

Employees : 250 employees

Project timeframe : Engaged in a successful partnership for over 9+ months

Business Challenge

This Germany-based financial advisory firm, serving a diverse B2B client base, faced complex authentication challenges across multiple services, impacting security and productivity. The firm required a unified, reliable authentication method to reduce password recovery issues, enhance IT security, and decrease their dependency on an expanding IT support team.

Solutions

Our DevOps team implemented Okta SSO, centralizing user management and authentication. Migrating over 80% of the systems, including critical services like email and messaging, we executed a zero-downtime migration, extending the transition to 8 months to ensure consistent service. This comprehensive approach prioritized uninterrupted service and security.

Outcomes

The new centralized 'as-a-code' user and group management drastically minimized password-related issues and support tickets. Hardware tokens, required for high-security systems, significantly enhanced the firm's IT security. This project highlighted the impact of streamlined, strategic DevOps solutions on operational efficiency.

Concluding Statement

Our Okta implementation not only simplified authentication processes but also strengthened the firm’s IT security, setting a new standard for operational efficiency in financial consultancy.

Step-by-Step Process

Assessing the Landscape

Audited all user directories, applications, and authentication systems to understand the current state and challenges. Mapped all user roles and permissions across the organization to create unified user profiles. Defined and enforced granular access policies for different user groups and applications.

Building the Foundation

Designed and built user and group management automation using Okta’s APIs and Terraform to unify multiple authentication systems into a single point of entry.

Seamless Migration Strategy

Developed a phased migration strategy for 80% of critical services, ensuring zero-downtime for email, messaging, and collaboration tools.

Company-Wide Rollout

Conducted a company-wide rollout of the Okta platform, including user training and support for seamless adoption.

Enhancing Security

Introduced mandatory MFA for all users, utilizing Okta Verify and hardware tokens for sensitive systems.

Empowering IT Teams

Trained IT teams to use Okta’s admin tools effectively, increasing their productivity.

Ongoing Support

Provided 24/7 support during and after the migration to address user concerns and ensure a smooth transition.