SAML stands for Security Assertion Markup Language, an open standard that passes authorisation credentials from identity providers (IdPs) to service providers (SPs). Put simply, it enables secure communication between applications and allows users to gain access with a single set of credentials. Before we can dive too deeply into what SAML is used for, how SAML works, and the ways businesses can benefit from it, you need to understand the types of SAML providers that help make this process possible. So let’s start there. Types of SAML providers In order for SAML to work, there needs to be an identity provider and a service provider: Identity providers authenticate users: These systems are responsible for confirming that a user is who they say are, and then sending that data (and the user’s access rights) to a service provider. Okta, Microsoft Active Directory (AD), and Microsoft Azure are all examples of identity.
