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Understand your current IAM system

Before you can migrate smoothly, you need a complete picture of how your identity management system works today. This step ensures nothing gets missed—from everyday login flows to rare edge cases—and sets the foundation for mapping existing functionality to Ory Network's equivalent capabilities.

Why it matters

Mapping your full login lifecycle is the best way to de-risk migration. Your current IAM system may be abstracting away key functionality without you realizing it. With Ory Network, you gain full control to shape and optimize every flow to your needs.

Identify your IAM scenario​

Below are example IAM scenarios supported by Ory Network. Use them to identify which scenario best fits your specific IAM needs and understand the unique requirements of each approach. Each scenario differs in complexity and implementation needs. Use these IAM scenarios to map the identity flows for your application.

CIAM (Customer Identity and Access Management)​

Your company sells products or services directly to individual consumers.

Key IAM requirements​

  • Self-service registration, login, and profile management for end users
  • Social login, multi-factor passwordless options, and robust account recovery
  • Privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA)
  • High-scale performance for millions of users

Map all identity flows in your application​

Document every identity-related (authentication and authorization) process in your system. Use your IAM scenario’s Key IAM requirements to identify these flows. This ensures you don’t miss critical flows during migration.

  1. Identify all entry points where an identity-related process occurs (e.g., web app login, mobile app sign-in, API tokens, social or enterprise sign-ins).
  2. Create a comprehensive inventory of flows, for example:
    • Registration
    • Sign-in and sign-out
    • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
    • Password reset and account recovery
    • Account linking (social, enterprise logins)
    • User profile management
    • Token refresh and session handling
    • Recovery flows, consent screens, or partner-specific integrations
  3. Create flow diagrams (sequence diagrams or flow charts) to surface dependencies and hidden complexity.
  4. Note where identity-related processes interact with other systems (databases, CRMs, partner apps, or external APIs).

At the end of this process you should have a living document (one that you'll update as you discover more) with diagrams that capture:

  • All identity-related flows
  • Your system's existing functionality
  • Any existing dependencies on external systems
  • Edge cases requiring special handling

This will serve as your blueprint for planning, designing, testing, and validating your migration.

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