What is Just-in-Time (JIT) Provisioning?
Understanding Just-In-Time Provisioning
Just-In-Time (JIT) Provisioning is the process of creating and assigning user accounts dynamically at the moment of need.
Instead of relying on nightly batch jobs or manual IT requests, JIT provisioning ensures that users are provisioned — or updated — exactly when they require access. JIT provisioning brings speed, automation, and compliance together by granting access when it’s needed — and removing it when it’s not.
Originally developed for federation systems like SAML and OpenID Connect (OIDC), JIT provisioning has since become essential to Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), where real-time automation ensures complete lifecycle control.
Why Just-In-Time Provisioning Matters
Traditional provisioning methods are slow and manual:
- Accounts are created in advance for every potential user.
- Updates depend on scheduled synchronization.
- Orphaned accounts often linger after employees leave.
This approach leads to inefficiency, increased risk, and compliance issues.
JIT provisioning changes that by creating or updating accounts automatically based on authentication events, business rules, or HR-driven triggers — ensuring access aligns with user state and policy in real time.
JIT provisioning is no longer just about faster onboarding — it’s about continuous lifecycle accuracy.
Two Perspectives of JIT Provisioning
JIT provisioning applies in two distinct but complementary contexts:
- Federation and Authentication – triggered by user logins (e.g., SAML or OIDC).
- Identity Governance and Lifecycle Automation – triggered by policy, HR, or event-based changes.
Together, these two models deliver both real-time access and governed lifecycle control.
1. JIT Provisioning in Federation and Authentication
In a federated identity environment, JIT provisioning happens when a user logs into an application via SAML or OpenID Connect (OIDC).
If the user does not already exist in the target application, their account is automatically created using information from the authentication assertion.
How It Works
- A user authenticates through an Identity Provider (IdP) — such as OpenIAM, Azure AD, or Okta.
- The IdP sends an assertion (SAML or OIDC) containing user attributes (e.g., name, email, department, role).
- The Service Provider (SP) or target system receives the assertion.
- If no existing account is found, the SP creates one instantly using the provided attributes.
- The user is logged in and granted access immediately — without any IT intervention.
Common Use Cases
- Federated access for partner or contractor systems.
- Cloud or SaaS apps where users are not permanently stored in the target directory.
- Environments emphasizing user convenience and speed over pre-provisioning.
Benefits
- Fast, frictionless onboarding.
- No need for pre-staging or manual user creation.
- Reduced administrative overhead.
- Seamless user experience across federated systems.
OpenIAM in the Federation Context
OpenIAM supports JIT provisioning in federation flows both as:
- an Identity Provider (IdP) — sending user attributes to external apps to create accounts on login; and
- a Service Provider (SP) — receiving authentication assertions from another IdP (e.g., Azure AD) and dynamically creating or updating local accounts within OpenIAM.
This flexibility allows OpenIAM to extend governance to environments where federated identities are used, without disrupting existing SSO infrastructure.
Limitations of Federation-Based JIT
Federation JIT handles the joiner scenario exceptionally well — accounts are created instantly when a new user logs in.
However, because it only acts during login events, it does not natively manage mover or leaver scenarios:
- When a user changes roles or departments, their entitlements may not update automatically.
- When an employee leaves, their account in the target system may remain active if no login occurs to trigger cleanup.
Without complementary governance processes, this can lead to stale or orphaned accounts, increasing compliance and security risk.
To address these gaps, federation JIT should be paired with policy-based governance controls — ensuring updates and deactivations happen automatically, even when users aren’t actively logging in.
2. JIT Provisioning in Identity Governance and Lifecycle Management
Governance-driven JIT extends the concept beyond authentication events.
Here, provisioning happens dynamically in response to business or HR triggers, ensuring that access reflects a user’s role, department, or employment state in real time.
How It Works
- A business event occurs — such as a new hire, role change, or department transfer.
- OpenIAM receives updated attributes from the authoritative source (e.g., HR system).
- Based on business rules or policies, OpenIAM automatically:
- Creates accounts in target systems.
- Assigns birthright access and role-based entitlements.
- Ensures compliance with SoD policies and access governance rules.
- If the user leaves, access is automatically revoked or end-dated across connected systems.
This JIT model delivers the agility of federation with the policy control and lifecycle awareness of governance.
Where Governance-Based JIT Complements Federation JIT
Unlike authentication-based JIT, which focuses on creating accounts during login, OpenIAM’s governance JIT manages the full lifecycle:
- Joiners are provisioned instantly based on business rules.
- Movers automatically receive updated access as attributes change.
- Leavers are deprovisioned or end-dated automatically.
Federation JIT enables fast onboarding; Governance JIT ensures ongoing compliance and clean deprovisioning.
Deprovisioning and Continuous Compliance
OpenIAM prevents orphaned access through policy-driven deprovisioning and reconciliation:
- Accounts are automatically disabled or removed after inactivity or termination.
- Scheduled reconciliation compares active accounts in target systems against authoritative data sources.
- Any mismatch (e.g., account without HR record) triggers automated cleanup or workflow escalation.
JIT provisioning in OpenIAM doesn’t just create accounts quickly — it ensures they disappear just as fast when they’re no longer valid.
JIT Provisioning vs. Traditional Provisioning
| Aspect | Traditional Provisioning | Just-In-Time Provisioning |
| Timing | Batch jobs or manual requests | Triggered by event or login |
| Scope | Primarily onboarding | Full lifecycle (joiners, movers, leavers) |
| Speed | Hours or days | Instant |
| Control | Manual enforcement | Policy-driven automation |
| Risk | Orphaned accounts | Automated deprovisioning |
| Use Cases | HR-based user creation | Dynamic workforce, federation, or partner access |
Governance JIT doesn’t replace traditional lifecycle provisioning — it enhances it with real-time responsiveness and compliance.
Example: Federation + Governance Working Together
A contractor logs into an internal application using their Azure AD credentials (SAML).
- OpenIAM (as SP) receives the assertion and provisions a local account dynamically.
- The user’s department = “Finance” triggers OpenIAM’s JIT policy engine.
- The policy automatically assigns birthright roles and time-bound entitlements.
- When HR later updates the record to “Contract Ended,” OpenIAM automatically disables all associated accounts.
Result: Immediate onboarding through federation, continuous compliance through governance.
Benefits of JIT Provisioning with OpenIAM
- Fast Onboarding: Instant access during authentication or HR-driven events.
- Lifecycle Governance: Automatically updates or revokes access for movers and leavers.
- Reduced Admin Effort: No pre-staging or manual intervention.
- Continuous Compliance: Eliminates stale accounts via reconciliation.
- Unified Model: Integrates federation and governance-based JIT into one framework.
- Security and Auditability: Full tracking of who, when, and how access was created or revoked.
- Extensibility: Works across cloud, SaaS, and on-prem environments.
OpenIAM unites federation speed and governance discipline — delivering complete lifecycle control in real time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Is JIT provisioning the same in SAML and IGA systems?
No. In SAML or OIDC, JIT creates users at login using IdP assertions. In IGA, it’s triggered by policies or HR events and manages joiners, movers, and leavers.
2) What are the limitations of federation-only JIT?
Federation JIT doesn’t handle role changes or terminations automatically. Without governance integration, accounts may stay active after users leave.
3) Can OpenIAM act as both IdP and SP in a JIT flow?
Yes. OpenIAM can issue or consume authentication assertions, supporting both creation and governance of federated identities.
4) How does OpenIAM handle deprovisioning?
Through automated policy enforcement and reconciliation, ensuring access is revoked or end-dated immediately when no longer justified.
5) Can JIT be used for partners or contractors?
Absolutely. It’s ideal for temporary or external users who require immediate access and automatic expiry.
Related Concepts
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