What is AWS IAM Identity Center? Explained for Beginners (the theory)

If you’ve tried to create an IAM user in AWS lately, you’ve surely seen the messages and recommendations about using IAM Identity Center. But what exactly is it, and how does it differ from “regular” IAM?

In this short explainer video, I’ll overview what IAM Identity Center is (formerly called AWS Single Sign-On, or SSO), why you’d use it, and how it differs from IAM. I also briefly touch on AWS Organizations and how they work with Identity Center.

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00:00 – What is AWS Identity Center when creating a new IAM user?
00:59 – AWS Identity Center (formerly AWS Single Sign-On or SSO), Explained
02:05 – What is the login experience with IAM Identity Center?
03:38 – Differences between IAM and IAM Identity Center
04:00 – A brief overview of AWS Organizations

[TinyTechnicalTutorials]

What else do you want to learn about AWS? Let me know below in the comments! 🤓🤓

[xvmetfm]

Your voice is soothing, the lecture is so easy to understand. Thanks so much for the Lecture.

[Maniac-]

Just obtained my certified SA a week ago and found this video on my recommendation feed. Finally get to enhance my understanding and knowing which is more suitable for my daily use case. Thank you!

[Olaoye]

Thank you for simplifying the new IAM Identity Center, it's really worth the time.

[iocglrb]

Thank you very very very very much! Unlike other instructors, your hands on demo & very little jargons makes AWS easy to understand, practice skills and learn to use!

[GEB-Loop]

The theoretical background is very helpful. Thank you for posting this!

[mambofornasa]

Am so glad I cam across this video. I've been confused as to which I should use btwn the old IAM & the new IAM Identity Center for my personal account. I ❤❤ your content. Absolute practical tutorials 💯

[JimmyTheCloudDev]

Best AWS channel I've stumbled across!

[mohammadfakure]

Your explanation is amazing, and the way you narrow is also great, I found your videos valuable Keep it up, thank you!

[themeandskin]

Well taught! Good to learn the difference bw IAM and IAM identity center.

[Reflektr]

Great video. I'd like to learn more about encryption keys and security in general, always struggling to fully understand these concepts.

[LinuxForLife]

Very interesting and valuable, as usual ! Thanks!

[vladypetreov]

Awesome video thank you so much! I will really appreciate information about account management and account security!

[PHORPHXLLC]

I'm working my way through the playlist right now. These are GREAT! Thank you!

Do you have any idea why I can't assign AWS Accounts to a new organizational unit? I followed your workflow here and added a developer OU, but I can't assign accounts to it. The box to the left is grayed out.

Thanks again!

[brianwoodruff]

Why would I ever have more than a single AWS account? My company just has a single website, with the typical EC2/S3/RDS stack. The few dev-ops who manage AWS have their IAM user accounts (but not sure what use case you're going on about with dev/prod/test accounts) So like why would we need something more complicated than what's working for us? This just feels like AWS is catering only to large business and then small business feel the need to follow "standard practices" which weren't meant for them. Tell me I'm wrong.

[DelaneyScarangella]

Is there a way to implement MFA verification after you click Management Console?

[praveensequeira]

Hi Amber, couple of qns:
1. On the organisation slide, you show Legal and Finance dept account. My understanding (clearly wrong) was thar AWS management was the domain of only IT personnel. Can you explain why a non IT department might need their own account? I dont see them creating/configuring IT infrastracture.

2. What happens if a company has been using IAM to setup identities, and now want to start using Identity Centre. Do they have an option to completely migrate over? The other point being as you highlighted in your setup video that IAM identities are setup for an account whereas Identity Centre operates outside an account ie you create a standalone users/groups
and THEN assign them to account(s). Can you please provide your perspective on how this should be approached?

[jeetcool]

Can you please suggest, how to assign customized inline policy to users who were earlier assigned roles from Azure AD SSO. Now in Identity center, how to assign those particular inline policy resource or service specifics to specific users.

[Alice-hhzj]

thanks for another great video!

each account in the organization by default cannot access the resources created in other accounts, so how is Identity center and Organization used in practice? does each account build infra separately from other accounts? like account A is only responsible for security, account B for networking, etc.?

[Terabyte]

I tried to look for your name but can’t find it 😅. Could I ask where would you point someone who doesn’t have any experience with technologies? I’m not sure what an EC2 is?