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Objects · Lesson

Source (Identity Security Cloud)

Quick answer

A Source (in Identity Security Cloud) is a connected system, authoritative or target, that supplies accounts and attributes.

Key takeaways

  • What the Source / Application object represents
  • Key attributes and relationships
  • How it is created and maintained
  • Where it appears in governance

The Source object is the Identity Security Cloud term for a connected system, the cloud equivalent of IdentityIQ’s Application object. A source can be authoritative (supplying identities) or a target (supplying accounts to govern), and it carries the connector configuration and schema for that system.

Authoritative versus target sources

  • Authoritative sources (usually HR, e.g. Workday) create and update identities and supply their core attributes.
  • Target sources supply accounts and entitlements that SailPoint governs and provisions.

Designating the authoritative source correctly is critical, it decides who exists and what their attributes are, which every downstream decision depends on.

What a source holds

Connector type and connection settings, the account schema, correlation configuration, and (in the cloud model) its association with a Virtual Appliance cluster for connectivity to on-premise systems. Aggregation reads from the source; provisioning writes to it.

Onboarding a source

Configure the connection, map the schema, define correlation, aggregate, and verify, the same discipline as onboarding an application in IdentityIQ. Each governed source expands coverage; each un-onboarded system is a blind spot.

Common pitfalls

  • Wrong authoritative designation letting a target overwrite identity data.
  • Schema/correlation errors leaving accounts uncorrelated.
  • Connectivity gaps to on-premise sources via the Virtual Appliance.

Want to learn this properly?

Our live, instructor-led SailPoint Training covers this hands-on, with real projects and a certification path.

Check your understanding

  1. What is a Source?

    • A. A connected system, authoritative or target, supplying accounts and attributes.
    • B. Supplies identities and their attributes (usually HR).
    • C. Supplies accounts and entitlements to govern.
    Show answer

    A. A connected system, authoritative or target, supplying accounts and attributes.

    A connected system, authoritative or target, supplying accounts and attributes.

  2. What does an authoritative source do?

    • A. A connected system, authoritative or target, supplying accounts and attributes.
    • B. Supplies identities and their attributes (usually HR).
    • C. Supplies accounts and entitlements to govern.
    Show answer

    B. Supplies identities and their attributes (usually HR).

    Supplies identities and their attributes (usually HR).

  3. What does a target source do?

    • A. A connected system, authoritative or target, supplying accounts and attributes.
    • B. Supplies accounts and entitlements to govern.
    • C. Supplies identities and their attributes (usually HR).
    Show answer

    B. Supplies accounts and entitlements to govern.

    Supplies accounts and entitlements to govern.

Frequently asked questions

What does the term Source / Application object refer to in SailPoint?

The Source object is the Identity Security Cloud term for a connected system, the cloud equivalent of IdentityIQ’s Application object.

What is involved in setting up Source / Application object?

Connector type and connection settings, the account schema, correlation configuration, and (in the cloud model) its association with a Virtual Appliance cluster for connectivity to on-premise systems.

What is the role of aggregation in Source / Application object?

Configure the connection, map the schema, define correlation, aggregate, and verify, the same discipline as onboarding an application in IdentityIQ.

What tends to go wrong with Source / Application object?

Wrong authoritative designation letting a target overwrite identity data. Schema/correlation errors leaving accounts uncorrelated. Connectivity gaps to on-premise sources via the Virtual Appliance.
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