Authenticating users; you either have a policy or you don't. When the MSPAlliance certifies & audits a MSP, user authentication is one of the areas where we will pay particular attention. MSPs used to use tools like Active Directory to provide access control and security for authenticating users. Today, with the proliferation of cloud environments, tools like Active Directory have increasingly limited function. CloudEntr wants to change all that.
CloudEntr is a company whose technology can do a few things, all designed to make access to cloud applications more secure. The best way to think of it is one part password manager, one part single sign-on, one part 2 factor authentication, and one part identity management. Combine all these elements together, and you have CloudEntr.
Now, I haven't used the technology yet but if it does everything it claims, it could be a big thing for MSPs. Here's why. Cloud management to date has been somewhat anemic because it doesn't offer MSPs the same type of control over all cloud environments. If the MSP hosts the cloud, they can control more of the user experience. If it is a cloud application like Salesforce, MSPs have very little to do with those 3rd party clouds other than monitor up/down status. If something goes wrong, call Salesforce.
CloudEntr could actually make MSPs a bit more relevant by placing user, password, and authentication management into the hands of MSPs. MSPs would then be able to play a more crucial role in terms of 3rd party cloud applications, and start protecting client data.
CloudEntr doesn't yet have a MSP program, but I have a feeling that may change soon. In the meantime, we'll be watching this company, hoping that they can use this technology to reinvigorate MSPs when it comes to cloud access management.
