Okta SSO Integration

[MercBuilding]

Hi Team,

   I want to understand the difference between Direct Integration profile and Okta SSO integration to get subscription users information which helps in reconciliation. I know what direct integration profile brings into ServiceNow instance but i want to know what information does Okta SSO integration brings in and the data which it brings is same as we get through direct integration profile. Which is more beneficial for SAM Pro to work better in the insatnce.

Any information is highly helpful for me.

Appreciate your help!

[Harish Bainsla]

. Direct Integration:

• Direct integration profiles in ServiceNow typically involve configuring connections directly to external systems (e.g., Active Directory, LDAP, or other identity providers).
• With direct integration, you can pull user information, such as usernames, roles, and attributes, from external sources into your ServiceNow instance.
• It allows you to manage user identities and roles in ServiceNow based on information provided by the external system.
• You can customize the integration to suit your specific needs and to map user attributes and roles accurately.
• The data retrieved through direct integration can be highly customized, making it versatile for various use cases.

2. Okta SSO Integration:

• Okta is a popular Identity as a Service (IDaaS) solution that provides Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities, but it can also be integrated with various applications, including ServiceNow.
• Okta SSO integration primarily focuses on providing seamless authentication and access to ServiceNow through a centralized identity management platform.
• When using Okta SSO, the primary purpose is to streamline user login and access to ServiceNow by using Okta as the identity provider. Okta handles the authentication process and securely authenticates users into ServiceNow.
• While Okta may provide some user attribute information during the SSO process (e.g., user name, email), it doesn't typically provide the same level of user data synchronization and management that direct integration offers. Okta focuses on access management.

Which is More Beneficial for SAM Pro in the Instance:

• The choice between direct integration and Okta SSO integration depends on your specific use case and requirements. If your goal is to manage ServiceNow users comprehensively, including roles, permissions, and user attributes, then a direct integration profile is more suitable. This approach offers more flexibility for user data synchronization and management.

• On the other hand, if your primary concern is improving user experience, enhancing security through SSO, and managing access to ServiceNow, Okta SSO integration is a solid choice. It simplifies the login process and can provide a more consistent authentication experience across multiple applications.

• It's also worth considering a hybrid approach where you use Okta SSO for seamless authentication and then complement it with a direct integration profile to manage and synchronize more extensive user data in ServiceNow.

[MercBuilding]

Hi @Harish Bainsla ,

   Appreciate your answer but i was asking about SaaS integrations inside Servicenow SAM Pro which has direct integration profile and Okta SSO integration. Iam not asking anything regarding Okta SSO integration infact the question is regarding Okta Integration profile in servicenow. What will be the difference between data we get through direct integration profiles and Okat Integration profile and which path will be better for SAM Pro.

Hope you understand the use case.

[Taksh]

Direct integration profiles pulls subscriptions directly from publisher. For ex, Salesforce CRM direct integration. Customer needs to connect to their Salesforce account to pull user subscriptions, last activity.

SSO integration profiles pulls the subscription for enterprise applications configured into customer's SSO account. For ex. If customer is using OKTA as SSO provider and it has enterprise applications configured like Salesforce, Miro etc then customer needs to connect to OKTA and not Salesforce. Users assigned to these enterprise applications in Okta portal are considered as subscriptions. This is different than actual users configured into Salesforce.

Direct integration profiles are more beneficial as these pulls subscriptions, last activity directly from publisher.

[MercBuilding]

Hi @Taksh ,

  Thank you so much for your response. But as you have mentioned above Okta will give us the enterprise applications details, so dont we get Microsoft 365, Adobe and other SaaS integrations covered under Okta SSO integration?

Thanks!!