Centralized Access on AWS:AWS Identity Center vs. AWS IAM?

Most AWS environments quickly outgrow traditional IAM users. Long-lived access keys, inconsistent MFA enforcement, and the complexity of managing multiple accounts turn daily operations into both a security and operational liability. Migrating IAM users to AWS Identity Center solves these problems with temporary AWS credentials, centralized access policies, and a built-in SSO experience, with or without an external IdP.

When it comes to managing users and access in AWS, organizations now have two main choices: the traditional IAM (Identity and Access Management) model, or the more modern, scalable AWS Identity Center. For teams seeking AWS Identity Center setup best practices and long-term security improvements, the shift is usually worth it.

As an AWS Partner, we recommend Identity Center for most customers unless there’s a specific constraint that prevents its use. While the initial setup can be a bit more involved than IAM, the long-term benefits in security, centralized management, and operational efficiency far outweigh the extra effort up front.

From real-world experience, one of the biggest challenges with IAM is the lack of native MFA enforcement. This might seem convenient at the start, but as the number of users grows, it becomes a significant administrative burden. We’ve also seen numerous security breaches tied to IAM credentials, especially cases where overly permissive, long-lived access keys were issued. In contrast, Identity Center relies on temporary credentials and session-based authentication, eliminating most of these risks.

User management is another strong point. With IAM, managing a growing user base quickly becomes cumbersome, whereas Identity Center provides a centralized interface that scales effortlessly. It also integrates seamlessly with external identity providers such as Google SSO, allowing users to keep their familiar login flow while reducing operational overhead on the AWS side.

For organizations with multiple AWS accounts, the benefits are even greater. Instead of manually switching between accounts in the console, SSO enables instant access, speeding up daily operations. It’s no surprise that the majority of our large enterprise customers have already made the move to Identity Center.

Understanding the Shift

Before migrating, it’s important to understand how AWS Identity Center differs from traditional IAM and why these differences matter in day-to-day operations.

IAM Users & Groups vs. Identity Center Concepts

• IAM manages individual users, long-lived credentials (passwords and access keys), and groups. Permissions are attached directly to users or groups via IAM policies.
  
  

• Identity Center uses federated or native identities and provides a built-in Single Sign-On (SSO) experience for AWS. It works perfectly on its own, you can manage all users and groups directly inside Identity Center without needing any external SSO.
  
  

• If your organization already has an Identity Provider (IdP) such as Google Workspace, Azure AD, or Okta, you can integrate it seamlessly so users log in with their existing corporate credentials. This integration is optional and simply extends the convenience and alignment with existing authentication workflows.

Quick Comparison: IAM vs AWS Identity Center

Key Benefits of Identity Center over IAM:

1. Security by Design – All credentials are temporary and session-based, significantly reducing the risk of leaked access keys.

2. Centralized Management – Manage all users, groups, and permissions in one place, even across multiple AWS accounts.

3. Built-in or External SSO – Use Identity Center’s own SSO capabilities or integrate with an external IdP without losing any functionality.
   But don’t forget, Identity Center works perfectly as a standalone SSO, you don’t need an external IdP to get full functionality.

4. Scalability – Adding or removing users does not require creating individual IAM accounts in each AWS account.
   
   

Typical Use Cases for Identity Center

• Multi-account setups where switching between accounts needs to be quick and secure.

• Teams without an existing SSO who want a ready-to-use, AWS-native SSO solution.

• Enterprises with existing SSO solutions that want to integrate AWS access seamlessly.

• Security-conscious teams that want to eliminate long-lived credentials.

• Rapidly growing environments where user onboarding/offboarding must be fast and consistent.
  
  
  

Preparing for Migration

A smooth migration from IAM to Identity Center starts with a clear plan. The following steps will help you avoid surprises during the transition.

If AWS Organizations Exist

Identity Center must be deployed in the management account of AWS Organizations. If your AWS account is a member of another Organization, you cannot enable Identity Center yourself, it must be centrally managed by the Organization’s management account. This is a hard requirement if you are using AWS Organizations and should be considered before planning your migration. If AWS Organizations are not in use, this warning does not apply to standalone AWS accounts.

1. Review Your Current IAM Setup
List all existing IAM users, groups, and their policies. Pay special attention to:

• Users with long-lived access keys

• Overly permissive policies (e.g., AdministratorAccess)

• Users without MFA enabled

  These are common security gaps and will inform how you structure permissions in Identity Center.
  

2. Understand AWS Organizations Context
AWS Organizations is recommended, but not strictly required, for Identity Center.

• If you enable Identity Center without an Organization, it will work only for that single account.

• If you enable it with AWS Organizations, the account that sets it up becomes the management account. This account can create organizational units, apply policies, and delegate permissions to any member accounts it invites.

• In multi-account setups, enabling with Organizations allows you to manage access centrally, which is far more scalable.
  

3. Decide on Identity Source
You can use Identity Center’s built-in identity store or integrate with an external IdP like Google Workspace or Azure AD. If you don’t already have an IdP, starting with the built-in option keeps things simpler, you can always integrate later.

4. Map Out Permission Sets
In IAM, policies are directly attached to users or groups. In Identity Center, permissions are assigned through Permission Sets at the account level. This is your chance to clean up overly broad access and implement least privilege from the start.

5. Plan for Parallel Testing
Before switching everyone over, test with a small pilot group. This will confirm login flows, MFA enforcement, and access mapping before rolling out to all users.

6. Communicate the Change
Identity Center changes the login experience. Inform your team about the new sign-in process, MFA requirements, and the removal of old IAM credentials. Clear communication reduces friction and support tickets after migration.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Here’s a proven migration flow we use with customers to move from IAM to Identity Center with minimal disruption:

1. Enable IAM Identity Center

• In the AWS Console, navigate to IAM Identity Center and click Enable.

• Decide whether to run it with AWS Organizations (recommended for multi-account setups) or standalone for a single account.
  

2. Audit Existing IAM Users

• In the IAM section, list all active users along with their:

• Email addresses

• Attached permission policies or roles

• Share this list with stakeholders to confirm:

• Which users are still active

• Whether their permissions are valid and still needed
  

3. Create Users in IAM Identity Center

• For each confirmed active user, create a corresponding Identity Center user.

• Assign them the appropriate Permission Set that matches their IAM role as closely as possible (e.g., Admin, Developer, ReadOnly).
  

4. Invite Users to Identity Center

• AWS will automatically send an invitation email to each new user with a sign-in link.

• Follow up to ensure every user has successfully signed in via Identity Center and can access the accounts and services they need.
  

5. Decommission Old IAM Users

Once all human users are onboarded to Identity Center, remove or disable their IAM user accounts.

Before deleting any IAM user, review their access keys. Many are tied to CI/CD pipelines (GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins), AWS storage (S3), or other third-party integrations. Plan replacements before removal to avoid breaking workflows.

• Human users: Manage access centrally in IAM Identity Center, which issues short-term credentials and can integrate with external IdPs via SAML/SCIM. Assign permissions through Permission Sets to enforce least privilege.
  

• Machine/workload access: Use an IAM OIDC provider (e.g., GitHub Actions), IAM Roles, or IAM Roles Anywhere for non-interactive automation such as servers, edge devices, or on-prem systems. These options enable short-lived credentials (via sts:AssumeRoleWithWebIdentity or signed certificates), with trust policies scoped to specific repos, branches, or environments.
  

• Best practice: Use Identity Center for workforce access and OIDC/Roles Anywhere for machine or workload access in parallel. This maintains clear security boundaries and eliminates the need for long-lived credentials.

6. Go Forward with the New Login Process

• All users should now access AWS via the Identity Center login link.

• Communicate this clearly to prevent confusion and reduce support requests.
  

Pro tip: Run a short pilot migration with a small group before moving the entire organization. This helps identify permission mismatches or login issues early.

Best Practices During Migration

A smooth IAM to Identity Center migration isn’t just about turning features on, it’s about building sustainable, secure practices from day one.

1. Separate Human and Machine Access

• Use IAM Identity Center for human users, assigning least-privilege roles via Permission Sets.

• Use IAM OIDC providers or IAM Roles for machine/workload identities (e.g., CI/CD pipelines, applications).

• Run both in parallel for clear security boundaries and to avoid long-lived credentials.
  

2. Eliminate Long-Lived Access Keys

• Review all IAM access keys before decommissioning accounts.

• Replace with short-lived credentials via Identity Center (for humans) or OIDC/roles (for machines).
  

3. Start with a Pilot Group

• Onboard a small set of users first to test permissions, MFA, and login flows.

• Fix mismatches early before full rollout.
  

4. Apply Least Privilege from the Start

• Use the migration as a cleanup opportunity.

• Avoid blanket AdministratorAccess align Permission Sets to actual job needs.

• If someone requests full authority, ensure they have the AWS knowledge to handle it responsibly.

• For new or less experienced users, start with a safe role such as ConsoleRead and gradually increase permissions as they become more confident. This reduces the risk of security breaches or unintentional changes.
  

5. Communicate Early and Often

• Announce the migration plan to all users.

• Provide guides or walkthroughs for the new sign-in process.

• Confirm access for every user before disabling IAM accounts.
  

6. Monitor Post-Migration Activity

• Use CloudTrail and Access Analyzer to verify that access patterns are as expected.

• Adjust Permission Sets if usage shows over-permissioning.

Conclusion

Migrating from IAM to AWS Identity Center may take a bit more effort up front, but the payoff in security, scalability, and operational efficiency is undeniable. By centralizing human access, eliminating long-lived credentials, and separating workforce and workload identities, you build a foundation that can scale with your AWS environment while reducing risk.

From our experience as an AWS Partner, the most successful migrations are the ones that:

• Start small with a pilot group,

• Apply least privilege from the beginning,

• Communicate clearly with all stakeholders, and

• Keep human and machine access paths clearly separated.
  
  

Once in place, Identity Center simplifies user onboarding, strengthens security, and integrates seamlessly with both AWS-native and third-party identity providers. Combine this with IAM roles or OIDC providers for workloads, and you have a modern, best-practice identity strategy that keeps both your team and your infrastructure secure.

At Sufle, we’ve helped many customers make this transition successfully, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, from faster account access to stronger security postures. If you’re considering moving to AWS Identity Center, or need expert guidance for a smooth migration, we’d be happy to help you design and implement the right solution for your organization.

The end goal is simple: make access easy for the right people, and impossible for everyone else. With the right planning and execution, migrating to AWS Identity Center is not just a change in tools, it’s a significant step toward a more secure and manageable AWS environment. Get in touch with us today and let’s make your AWS access secure, scalable, and simple.

Resources

1. AWS – IAM Identity Center Documentation (AWS Docs, 2025)
   aws.amazon.com

2. AWS – IAM Documentation (AWS Docs, 2025)
   aws.amazon.com

3. AWS – Getting Started with IAM Identity Center (AWS Docs, 2025)
   aws.amazon.com

4. AWS – Integrating IAM Identity Center with an External Identity Provider (AWS Docs, 2025)
   aws.amazon.com

5. AWS – IAM Roles Anywhere (AWS Docs, 2025)
   aws.amazon.com

6. GitHub – Configuring OpenID Connect in Amazon Web Services (GitHub Docs, 2025)
   docs.github.com

7. AWS – Well-Architected Framework: Security Pillar (AWS Docs, 2025)
   aws.amazon.com