PAM Evaluation Guide
A privileged access management (PAM) evaluation compares products on a written requirements list, scores each product, and then proves the leaders in a proof of concept (POC). This guide describes the method most large buyers use and how to evaluate the AIC Enterprise Privilege Suite™ with it.
Step 1: Build the requirements list
List every requirement, then tag each one by priority. Most buyers group requirements into these areas:
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Discovery | Systems, accounts, service accounts, SSH keys, cloud keys, and where each account is used |
| Vault and rotation | Storage, rotation, propagation to dependencies, check-out, and password rules |
| Sessions | Brokered SSH, RDP, and VNC, recording, approvals, and command restriction |
| Endpoint privilege | Elevation on Windows, macOS, and Linux, application control, and sudo |
| Identity and governance | Directory integration, multi-factor authentication, roles, and access reviews |
| Integration and audit | REST API, SIEM, ticketing, and reports |
| Deployment and operations | Hosting options, high availability, disaster recovery, and upgrades |
| Commercial | Licensing, support, training, and references |
Start with the PAM requirements checklist. Its 127 rows describe how the suite addresses each requirement and identify planned extensions.
Step 2: Weight the requirements
A common method uses two 3-point scales and multiplies them.
| Priority | Weight |
|---|---|
| Must have | 5 |
| Should have | 3 |
| Nice to have | 1 |
| Fit score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Meets the requirement |
| 3 | Partial coverage |
| 1 | Little or no coverage |
Each cell is the weight times the fit score. A product's total is the sum of its cells. A must-have the product fully meets counts 25. A nice-to-have counts at most 5. Winning the must-haves decides the result.
Step 3: Score from evidence
Ask each vendor for a status on every row, and ask for proof on the must-haves. Score only what the vendor can show. A row with no evidence scores 1.
AIC Enterprise Privilege Suite™ answers each row with one of four words:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Available now | Ships today. We can show it |
| Available now, wider scope planned | Ships today for the scope described. Broader coverage is planned |
| Planned | Not in the product yet |
| Organization | Your organization owns this, such as a policy or a physical control |
Step 4: Run the proof of concept
Take the top two or three products into a POC against your own systems. Test the scenarios that carry the most weight:
- Discover a test network and bring the accounts under management.
- Rotate a service account and confirm every dependency still runs.
- Open a brokered RDP and SSH session, record it, and block a restricted command.
- Elevate a standard user on a workstation, with and without approval.
- Send audit events to your SIEM and find them.
- Restore after a server failure.
AIC Enterprise Privilege Suite™ offers a free cloud demo environment and a 30-day on-premises evaluation. See Demo options.
Step 5: Plan the move
If you already run a PAM product, plan the migration as part of the evaluation. AIC Enterprise Privilege Suite™ imports accounts from other vault products. See Partners and migration.
Send us your RFP
Send your requirements list. We return it with the AIC Enterprise Privilege Suite™ status and evidence for every row.