CyberArk Privileged Access Management: 5 Critical Questions to Ask

Take a step back—how’s your security team doing? Crushing it. Security strategy? Solid. IT team? Rockstars. Your hair? Perfect. But one thing’s holding you back, like cargo shorts at a 2010s throwback party: your privileged access management system. Let’s be real. We’re talking about CyberArk.

No sugarcoating—it wasn’t built for today’s fast-moving, hybrid-cloud, dev-heavy world. Juggling licenses, battling integrations, and frustrating engineers? Sound familiar? You deserve better.

From day one, StrongDM took a different approach. We get that modern environments evolve, and access needs to be just right—no more, no less.

This guide will help you assess your PAM solution, compare CyberArk to StrongDM, and map out a migration strategy with full confidence in a better way forward.

CyberArk PAM Questions: Quick Overview

1. Is Your PAM Solution Helping You Mature or Adding Complexity?
2. Are Deployment and Management Costs Draining Your Budget?
3. Is Your Access Management Environment Fragmented and Inefficient?
4. Is Poor JIT Implementation Slowing Adoption and Increasing Risk?
5. Are You Paying for Features and Licenses You Aren’t Using?

Question 1: Is Your PAM Solution Helping You Mature or Adding Complexity?

The Challenge:

• Replacing CyberArk often means swapping one legacy system for another.
• Adding more tools creates complexity, higher costs, and inefficiencies.
• Teams waste time managing tools instead of securing access.

The StrongDM Advantage:

• A unified, modern access platform—not just another PAM tool.
• Seamlessly integrates with existing systems, including CyberArk.
• Streamlines operations and improves user satisfaction.
• Provides a gradual, non-disruptive migration path.
• Reduces reliance on legacy tools while advancing your access strategy.

Bottom Line: StrongDM simplifies, streamlines, and supports your journey toward a more mature PAM strategy—without adding complexity.

Modern enterprises demand PAM solutions that enhance security, streamline operations, and adapt to evolving challenges. If your current solution is adding complexity, stalling productivity, or failing to meet today’s security requirements, it’s time to rethink your approach.

The Current Challenge

For many organizations, moving away from CyberArk feels like trading one legacy headache for another. In the scramble to modernize, teams often pile on additional tools or replace CyberArk with yet another monolithic PAM system, creating an even more tangled web of complexity. The result? Higher costs, operational inefficiencies, and teams that spend more time wrestling with their tools than securing access.

The StrongDM Advantage

StrongDM isn’t built like traditional PAM solutions. It was developed for modern environments that prioritize agility, scalability, and seamless integration across diverse systems. Unlike legacy tools, StrongDM eliminates the bottlenecks and inefficiencies that often accompany traditional PAM by providing a unified, frictionless approach to access management. Whether managing cloud infrastructure, legacy systems, or hybrid setups, StrongDM ensures security doesn’t come at the expense of productivity, enabling your team to operate with confidence and control.

Think of it as a unified access platform designed for the modern IT landscape. Instead of adding to the chaos, StrongDM simplifies your environment. It integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, including CyberArk, allowing you to streamline operations and improve user satisfaction without an abrupt overhaul.

By addressing operational inefficiencies and offering a gradual, non-disruptive migration path, StrongDM empowers you to reduce reliance on legacy tools while taking measurable steps toward a more mature, policy-driven access management strategy. No complexity. No compromises. 

Why settle for a solution that makes things harder when you can have one that works with you, not against you?

Question 2: Are Deployment and Management Costs Draining Your Budget?

The Challenge:

• CyberArk’s legacy systems come with high deployment and maintenance costs.
• Newer CyberArk offerings require significant investment but lack proven ROI.
• Complex setups burden IT teams and waste resources.

The StrongDM Advantage:

• Agentless, Cloud-Native Architecture: No agents, no expensive hardware.
• Automated Workflows: Reduces manual effort and operational overhead.
• Quick Deployment: Get up and running fast—value delivered immediately.
• Seamless Integration: Works with your existing stack without costly overhauls.

Bottom Line: StrongDM slashes deployment and management costs while delivering proven, enterprise-scale security—saving you time, money, and headaches.

Privileged access management is supposed to protect your organization, not empty its budget. Yet, with legacy solutions like CyberArk, the price tag often comes with an asterisk: hidden deployment costs, ongoing maintenance fees, and sky-high resource demands that leave you wondering if the ROI will ever materialize.

The Current Challenge

CyberArk’s legacy systems are infamous for their high costs and operational overhead. Even their newer offerings, which lack a proven track record, demand significant investments in time, money, and resources to deploy. The result? Questionable returns and IT teams stretched thin managing complicated setups instead of focusing on securing access.

The StrongDM Advantage

StrongDM offers a fresh approach that’s built for efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Unlike traditional PAM solutions, StrongDM is proven at an enterprise scale and can be fully deployed without the headache of complex, time-consuming implementation projects. Here’s how StrongDM cuts costs and boosts value:

• Agentless, Cloud-Native Architecture: No clunky agents or expensive hardware to maintain. StrongDM is lightweight and built to work seamlessly in modern environments.
• Automated Workflows: From provisioning to access reviews, automation reduces manual effort and operational overhead.
• Quick Deployment: StrongDM is designed for rapid setup, so you can start realizing value immediately—no waiting months for results.
• Seamless Integration: StrongDM integrates easily with your existing stack, eliminating the need for costly system overhauls.

With StrongDM, you’re not just saving money—you’re gaining a solution that improves security while freeing up resources to focus on what matters most. Why settle for ballooning costs and questionable ROI when you can have a solution that works smarter, not harder?

Question 3: Is Your Access Management Environment Fragmented and Inefficient?

The Challenge:

• CyberArk’s “Frankenstein” approach uses separate tools for cloud, SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid environments.
• Each tool requires its own infrastructure and resources, increasing costs and complexity.
• Fragmentation leads to inefficiencies and management headaches.

The StrongDM Advantage:

• Unified Platform: One solution for all environments—cloud, SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid.
• Simplified Deployments: Consistent setup process for all infrastructure types.
• Reduced Infrastructure Overhead: Lower resource and infrastructure demands.
• Seamless User Experience: A single, intuitive interface for users and admins.
• Lower Operational Costs: Streamlined management reduces costs and complexity.

Bottom Line: StrongDM replaces fragmented systems with a cohesive, modern platform—simplifying access management and cutting costs while boosting efficiency.

A cohesive access management strategy should simplify your environment—not splinter it into silos. Yet, many organizations find themselves navigating a maze of disconnected systems, each requiring its own infrastructure, resources, and maintenance. It’s like trying to manage a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces.

The Current Challenge

CyberArk’s approach often feels like a “Frankenstein” solution: a patchwork of tools stitched together to cover cloud, SaaS, on-premises, and hybrid environments. While each piece may function independently, the whole system struggles with inefficiencies, requiring dedicated resources for each environment. This fragmented approach drives up costs, complicates management, and leaves IT teams with more headaches than solutions.

The StrongDM Advantage

StrongDM offers a unified platform that eliminates fragmentation and inefficiency, providing a single solution for access management across all environments—cloud, SaaS, on-premises, and more. Here’s how StrongDM streamlines and simplifies access management:

• Single Platform for All Environments: StrongDM consolidates access management into one platform that works across hybrid and multi-cloud setups, SaaS tools, and legacy systems.
• Simplified Deployments: No need for separate tools or bespoke configurations—StrongDM provides a consistent deployment process regardless of your infrastructure.
• Reduced Infrastructure Overhead: By eliminating the need for multiple systems, StrongDM slashes infrastructure and resource costs.
• Unified User Experience: Both end-users and admins benefit from a seamless, intuitive interface that makes access management easier and more efficient.
• Lower Operational Costs: Streamlined operations and reduced complexity translate into significant cost savings.

With StrongDM, you can replace the patchwork of tools with a streamlined, modern platform that reduces complexity, lowers costs, and unifies your access management strategy. Why settle for inefficiency when you can have simplicity?

Question 4: Is Poor JIT Implementation Slowing Adoption and Increasing Risk?

The Challenge:

• CyberArk’s fragmented JIT capabilities create inconsistent user experiences.
• Management inefficiencies slow down JIT adoption.
• Delayed adoption leaves standing access in place, increasing security risks.

The StrongDM Advantage:

• Unified JIT Access: One consistent solution for all resources—cloud, SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid.
• Simplified Implementation: Easy to deploy and manage, encouraging faster adoption.
• Eliminates Standing Access: Time-limited permissions replace persistent access, reducing attack surface.
• Zero Trust Enablement: Achieve Zero Trust principles faster and more effectively.
• Seamless Experience: Intuitive interface improves satisfaction for both users and admins.

Bottom Line: StrongDM makes JIT access practical and scalable, eliminating standing access and reducing risks while simplifying adoption and management.

 

Just-in-Time (JIT) access is a cornerstone of modern security, designed to minimize risk by eliminating standing access. However, when implementation is clunky and inconsistent, JIT becomes more of a hurdle than a solution, leaving organizations exposed and users frustrated.

The Current Challenge

CyberArk’s fragmented approach to JIT access creates significant barriers to adoption. Different tools and systems provide inconsistent experiences for users and administrators, making JIT access cumbersome to implement and manage. This often leads organizations to delay adoption, leaving standing access in place—a major security risk. Without a streamlined way to enforce JIT, the attack surface remains unnecessarily large, putting your infrastructure at greater risk.

The StrongDM Advantage

StrongDM redefines JIT access with a unified platform that ensures consistency across all resources—cloud, SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid environments. Here’s how StrongDM makes JIT implementation seamless and effective:

• Unified JIT Access Across All Resources: No more juggling tools or piecing together fragmented solutions. StrongDM provides a single, consistent solution for every environment.
• Simplified Implementation: StrongDM’s intuitive platform makes it easy to deploy and manage JIT, encouraging faster adoption.
• Eliminates Standing Access: By removing persistent access and replacing it with time-limited permissions, StrongDM significantly reduces your attack surface.
• Zero Trust Principles Made Achievable: StrongDM’s JIT implementation helps organizations enforce Zero Trust policies quickly and effectively.
• Enhanced User and Admin Experience: A seamless, intuitive interface ensures that both users and admins can easily request and manage JIT access without frustration.

With StrongDM, JIT access becomes a practical, scalable solution rather than a barrier. Say goodbye to standing access and hello to stronger security, improved efficiency, and faster progress toward Zero Trust. Why settle for slow adoption and increased risk when the right solution is at your fingertips?

Question 5: Are You Paying for Features and Licenses You Aren’t Using?

The Challenge:

• CyberArk features like PSM access often go unused due to poor UX and high deployment costs.
• Lack of support for critical environments (cloud, databases, etc.) limits adoption.
• Organizations frequently overpay for unused licenses and underutilized tools.

The StrongDM Advantage:

• Broad Protocol Support: Seamlessly integrates with cloud, SaaS, databases, and on-prem systems.
• Frictionless User Experience: Intuitive design ensures features are fully utilized.
• Elimination of Bloat: Focuses on essential tools, avoiding unnecessary features.
• Immediate ROI: Quick deployment and intuitive workflows deliver value on day one.
• Flexible Licensing: Scales with your needs, so you only pay for what you use.

Bottom Line: With StrongDM, you avoid wasting money on unused features and licenses, investing instead in a solution that delivers real, tangible value.

Nobody likes to pay for something they don’t use, yet that’s the reality for many organizations relying on CyberArk. Whether it’s unutilized features or unused licenses, the result is wasted budget and minimal ROI—leaving you questioning the value of your investment.

The Current Challenge

CyberArk’s bloated feature set often includes tools and capabilities that go untouched. Features like Privileged Session Management (PSM) frequently see little adoption due to poor user experiences, lack of support for critical environments like cloud or databases, or the steep costs associated with deployment. To make matters worse, organizations often purchase licenses they don’t fully utilize, further driving up costs with little to show for it.

The StrongDM Advantage

StrongDM ensures you only pay for what you use by focusing on delivering immediate, practical value. Here’s how:

• Broad Protocol Support: StrongDM works seamlessly across all your environments, including cloud, SaaS, databases, and on-premises systems.
• Frictionless User Experience: A simple, intuitive interface ensures features are actually used, eliminating the waste caused by poor UX.
• Elimination of Unnecessary Features: StrongDM focuses on what matters—no bloated feature sets, just the tools you need to manage privileged access effectively.
• Immediate ROI: Quick deployment and intuitive workflows ensure you see value from day one.
• Flexible, Scalable Licensing: StrongDM scales with your needs, so you’re never stuck paying for unused licenses or overburdened by unnecessary overhead.

With StrongDM, you’re no longer throwing money at unused features or licenses. Instead, you’re investing in a solution that works where you need it, how you need it—delivering value without the waste. Why pay for what you don’t use when you can have exactly what you need?

Back to top ↑

The Bottom Line: It’s Time for a Smarter Approach to PAM

If your privileged access management system is creating more headaches than solutions, you’re not alone. Complexity, high costs, fragmented tools, and clunky integrations don’t have to be the norm.

StrongDM offers a modern, unified, and frictionless approach to access management—one that eliminates inefficiencies, reduces costs, and enhances security without disrupting your operations.

The question isn’t whether you need a better PAM solution—it’s how soon you’re ready to make the switch.

Book a demo today and see firsthand how StrongDM makes access management simple, secure, and seamless.