Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Enrolling devices is only one part of implementing Mobile Device Management (MDM). Before rollout, IT teams need to define ownership models, prepare the environment, configure policies, and verify that employees can access the apps and resources they need. This MDM implementation checklist breaks the process into seven phases, from initial planning to ongoing device management. Use it to organize responsibilities, identify dependencies, and confirm that each phase is ready before moving to the next.

Jira is rarely used by just one type of user. Primarily, teams use Jira Cloud for project management. At the same time, support teams work inside Jira Service Management (JSM), while internal employees and external users such as customers, vendors, and partners may access the JSM portal. They are all accessing the same Atlassian ecosystem, but they do not necessarily log in the same way. This is where organizations can run into a problem.

Hybrid identity management is the practice of managing user identities and access across on-premises and cloud environments through a connected identity framework. Most organizations today operate across both. Active Directory may still manage identities for internal applications, while cloud platforms and SaaS applications handle other parts of the business. This creates a simple challenge: how do you give users consistent access when their applications and identities exist in different environments?

An employee changes roles. Their manager requests access for the new job, and IT grants it quickly. That part works well. The issue appears when access from the previous role stays in place. The same thing happens when a contractor finishes a project, an admin completes urgent work, or a team retires an application. Access often remains because nobody has checked whether it still serves a purpose. Active Directory governance allows IT and security teams to answer three questions.

Application onboarding is the process of integrating an application with your identity governance and administration platform so its accounts, roles, and entitlements can be governed. Once an application is onboarded, you can: Without onboarding, an application stays outside your controls, and any access inside it is invisible to your security and audit teams.

Atlassian Guard protects your employees through SSO and MFA. It does not cover portal-only customer accounts. However, customers need to access your Jira Service Management (JSM) portal to raise tickets and do so securely. But they often use portal-only accounts, which, in most cases, are protected only by a password. You’ll have security gaps if they don’t authenticate the same way as your employees. You must understand what the limits of Atlassian Guard are.

A user signs in to an application and gets access to the dashboard. Later, the same user tries to change account settings or approve a high-value transaction. Suddenly, another verification step appears. Why? The risk has changed. Routine access and sensitive actions do not need the same level of protection. Step-up authentication lets organizations add stronger verification when users cross a higher-risk threshold, while keeping everyday access simple.

According to Gartner survey data, 56% of CISOs increased their IAM budgets in 2026 compared to 2025 to curb evolving threats, support AI adoption, and manage complex digital ecosystems. The question is: can IAM cost be optimized without reducing security quality? There are instances where organizations keep paying for overlapping tools, manual provisioning workflows, and help desk tickets that a properly automated platform would eliminate outright.