CyberArk Privileged Access Manager and ACF2 compete in the privileged access management (PAM) space. CyberArk has the upper hand in offering comprehensive integration and advanced security features, while ACF2 shines in the realm of mainframe security with cost-effectiveness for mainframe-centric environments.
Features: CyberArk Privileged Access Manager includes advanced credential protection, session isolation, and detailed monitoring capabilities. It supports diverse IT environments through robust integration features. ACF2 is notable for its granular access controls specifically tailored for mainframe environments, with seamless integration with IBM z/OS, providing strong security in that domain.
Room for Improvement: CyberArk can enhance its ease of use and cost structure, providing more competitive pricing options and user-friendly interfaces. It could also expand its support for legacy systems. ACF2 might improve its scalability for broader IT deployments and integrate more modern security enhancements. Additionally, boosting third-party integration capabilities could enhance its offering beyond mainframe environments.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: CyberArk supports hybrid and cloud environments and provides extensive documentation to ease deployment. Its customer service is lauded for its knowledge and responsiveness. ACF2 facilitates quick deployment within mainframe systems, boasting mainframe-specific expertise. Both vendors offer robust support, but CyberArk is noted for its broader IT landscape support.
Pricing and ROI: CyberArk Privileged Access Manager usually involves significant initial investments, justified by its comprehensive security framework and ROI in complex environments. It focuses on long-term value but can be costly upfront. ACF2 offers a more cost-effective solution for mainframe-centric infrastructures, with its ROI driven by low setup costs and high reliability, making it appealing for budget-conscious mainframe-focused organizations.
CA ACF2™ for z/OS provides innovative, comprehensive security for your business transaction environments—including Linux, UNIX and z/OS on System z—helping you realize the reliability, scalability and cost-effectiveness of the mainframe. CA ACF2 provides an Advanced Authentication Mainframe feature, system entry validation, resource control, auditability, accountability, and administrative control. In conjunction with distributed security solutions from CA Technologies, CA ACF2 provides mobile-to-mainframe enterprise class security and compliance management.
ACF2 offers some of the following features:
Authentication: ACF2 is used for authenticating users and granting them access to profiles and various resources on the mainframe.
Access Control: The solution provides resource control, allowing administrators to control who can access specific mainframe resources.
Logging and Monitoring: Organizations can easily track and monitor activities on the mainframe. This feature enables the creation of audit trails for follow-up and helps with security analysis.
Metrics and Reporting: ACF2 allows the configuration of tools to produce different types of metrics and reports. These can then be used by senior management for making informed security decisions.
Comprehensive Security: The solution provides comprehensive security for mainframe environments, ensuring the protection of valuable data assets. It offers advanced authentication, system entry validation, and administrative control.
Streamlined Administration: It simplifies the administration of mainframe security by providing streamlined management capabilities. ACF2 also enables administrators to monitor and adjust security policies and accommodate various organizational structures.
Scalability: ACF2 offers reliable and scalable security, allowing businesses to expand their mainframe environments while maintaining a high level of protection.
Compliance Management: Organizations can meet compliance requirements by providing auditability, accountability, and comprehensive security controls.
Integration: ACF2 can integrate with distributed security solutions from CA Technologies, providing enterprise-class security and compliance management for mobile-to-mainframe environments.
Flexibility: ACF2 allows flexibility in adapting security policies to accommodate different organizational structures and requirements.
Some of the benefits that ACF2 provides are:
Enhanced security and resilience
Streamlined administration
Reliable and scalable security
Comprehensive audit capabilities
Cost-effectiveness
Integration with other security solutions
Simplified identity and access management
Compliance management
Efficient monitoring and reporting
According to an IT Examiner at a financial services firm with 10,000+ employees, "ACF2 is extremely beneficial for the mainframe environment, and it is at the forefront for security and resilience."
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is a next-generation solution that allows users to secure both their applications and their confidential corporate information. It is extremely flexible and can be implemented across a variety of environments. This program runs with equal efficiency in a fully cloud-based, hybrid, or on-premises environment. Users can now protect their critical infrastructure and access it in any way that best meets their needs.
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager possesses a simplified and unified user interface. Users are able to manage the solution from one place. The UI allows users to view and manage all of the information and controls that administrators need to be able to easily access. Very often, management UIs do not have all of the controls and information streamlined in a single location. This platform provides a level of visibility that ensures users will be able to view all of their system’s most critical information at any time that they wish.
Benefits of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager
Some of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager’s benefits include:
Reviews from Real Users
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager’s software stands out among its competitors for one very fundamental reason. CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is an all-in-one solution. Users are given the ability to accomplish with a single platform what might usually only be accomplished with multiple solutions.
PeerSpot users note the truly all-in-one nature of this solution. Mateusz K., IT Manager at a financial services firm, wrote, "It improves security in our company. We have more than 10,000 accounts that we manage in CyberArk. We use these accounts for SQLs, Windows Server, and Unix. Therefore, keeping these passwords up-to-date in another solution or software would be impossible. Now, we have some sort of a platform to manage passwords, distribute the inflow, and manage IT teams as well as making regular changes to it according to the internal security policies in our bank."
Hichem T.-B., CDO & Co-Founder at ELYTIK, noted that “This is a complete solution that can detect cyber attacks well. I have found the proxy features most valuable for fast password web access.”
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