How can you transition from an IAM administrator to an IAM developer?

Keep looking and let people know that you are interested in working as a developer. IAM developer profile is no rocket science - in any product. It's about being good at the basic concepts. 1) Let the network know that you are interested - in your current org and outside of it 2) Have genuine interest in development - basics of any programming language, some basic scripting, applying logic 3) Some certifications/trainings to showcase your capability 4) Work with implementation teams or shadow them to know more about the dev work. It can be done. It's easy - I have done it myself in the initial stages of my career.

First factor is a focussed determination and second is interest to dig deeper in to the IAM technology. Once you have these two, you can find resources online and offline for sure, just it needs some research. Start with free resources over web , then for deeper insights and basics building in IAM go for paid resources on ec-council, isaca, csa Portals and most important try to gather recent trends and try out coding at your home as well. This is how anyone can Kickstart journey of an IAM developer from an admin.

1. Understand IAM Principles 2. Explore IAM Development Tools 3. Certifications and Continuous Learning 4. Hands-On Projects 5. Focus on Automation 6. Integration Skills 7. Version Control and CI/CD 8. Networking and Mentorship

Master IAM fundamentals. Learn Python, Java, or PowerShell. Explore IAM tools (AWS IAM, Azure AD). Understand OAuth, SAML, OpenID Connect. Gain exp. with identity providers and federation. Familiarize with cloud IAM services. Develop automation and scripting skills. Join IAM communities, stay updated. Build practical projects for a portfolio. Consider formal IAM dev training or certs. Update resume, highlight transition on LinkedIn.

I would recommend that you really focus on understanding two approaches to Identity and Access Management and Single Sign On, Those two approaches as SAML and OAuth with Open ID sitting on top of OAuth. As you learn this you will inevitably learn Federation. There are good courses on this for example, in Coursera.

In my experience, if you are integrating with any AD, LDAP or Azure AD services, you should bone up your skills in PowerShell and PowerShell scripting. This kind of transition will take 1-2 years and I would seek counsel from your current leadership and ask their assistance in becoming an apprentice is this area. As you look at the skill set required, it will take support and a realistic timeframe. Also, you might need to be willing to settle for no pay increases until you make the full transition. You cannot expect a pay raise while you are being mentored.

Building a portfolio can be done by Developing some sample applications that use IAM for different scenarios, such as web applications, mobile applications, serverless applications, or microservices.

Ideally, if you want to become an IAM developer from an IAM administrator, you need to know how IAM works and how to use it effectively. Additionally, you need to be good at coding and building apps that use IAM to secure and manage user access.

It is paramount to develop a holistic understanding of business objectives, organisation's threat perceptions and technological landscape, and working knowledge of leading ID solutions to succeed in the IAM developer role. These intertwined dimensions will provide clues on IAM skills that developers should focus on in line with the organisation's pressing needs. The privilege access management, joiner Mover levers strategy (JML), application identity, authentication and authorisation protocol, key and secret management, and coding and scripting skills to draft adaptive IAM policies are key areas worth gaining knowledge in. Lastly, keep updated with the latest industry trends, like AI/ML, revolutionising the identity landscape.

Well, some may say moving into the development aspect is a step up, as you may think of administrators as a “super “users” who are using the tools built by developers, so there’s a little more work to be done, and more skills to be gained (like coding and scripting). But with this hard work you gain significant insights and control over the technology. In which you can do more and accomplish much faster and better results than any administration roles.

There’s a bit of business analysis in here too. As an IAM Admin, you will appreciate the importance of IAM hygiene versus the principles of least privilege versus any policy and regulatory requirements. Understanding the objectives of the process for which the ‘system’ is intended will allow you to strike the most effective balance of control versus friction to appease every stakeholder. ‘Secure by design’ just got put into your hands; that’s a great opportunity and a great responsibility all at once right there!