Active Directory Alternative for SMBs Viami - Your cloud-based directory and identity platform
Still running on-prem Active Directory for a remote, cloud-first workforce? Viami is a Directory-as-a-Service (DaaS) that gives small and midsize businesses a modern, cloud-based Active Directory alternative with SSO, IAM, MFA, and device management built in.
Overview
What is an Active Directory alternative?
Traditional Microsoft Active Directory was designed for on-premise office networks, domain-joined Windows machines, and VPNs. Modern small and midsize businesses run on SaaS apps, remote employees, and hybrid networks. They need a cloud-based directory that matches how they actually work.
A modern Active Directory alternative like Viami Directory-as-a-Service (DaaS) provides the familiar building blocks—users, groups, policies, and authentication—but delivers them as a secure, scalable cloud directory that works anywhere, on any device.
New to DaaS? Start with our explainer: What is Directory-as-a-Service?
Who should consider an Active Directory alternative?
- • SMBs and mid-market organizations with 50–1000 employees
- • Remote and hybrid-first companies
- • IT teams tired of patching and maintaining domain controllers
- • Startups scaling quickly that need secure SSO + MFA without heavy infrastructure
Why many SMBs outgrow traditional Active Directory
- • On-prem servers and domain controllers are costly and complex to manage.
- • Remote and hybrid users don’t fit the “inside the office network” security model.
- • Integrating legacy AD with cloud SaaS apps and mobile devices can be painful.
- • Security best practices—MFA, conditional access, audit logs—require additional tools.
- • IT teams want to spend less time on plumbing and more time on strategic projects.
Why change?
Why SMBs need a cloud-based Active Directory replacement
Modern identity and access management should not depend on physical offices, VPN tunnels, or single-vendor stacks. A cloud Active Directory alternative lets you manage users, access, and devices from one place, for any network and any location.
Built for cloud & SaaS
Integrate your SaaS, internal, and custom applications into a single cloud directory with SSO, MFA, and unified access policies.
Ready for remote work
Securely connect remote and hybrid employees without forcing everything through legacy VPN and network-centric controls.
Less overhead, more control
No domain controllers to patch, fewer moving parts to maintain, and more time to focus on higher-value security and IT initiatives.
Solution
Meet Viami — a modern Active Directory alternative
Viami is a Directory-as-a-Service (DaaS) platform that delivers the core value of Active Directory—centralized identity and access—but as a cloud-native service designed for SMBs. It centralizes users, groups, and organizational units, and adds SSO, IAM, MFA, conditional access, and device management in one place.
Instead of stretching on-prem AD to support modern use cases, you can adopt Viami as a cloud Active Directory replacement or run it alongside AD during a phased migration.
Why SMBs choose Viami as their AD alternative
- • Designed specifically as an Active Directory alternative for SMBs
- • Cloud-first architecture optimized for remote and hybrid work
- • Strong SSO, MFA, and conditional access baked in
- • Support for Windows, Android, and network devices
- • Simple, predictable pricing tailored for small and midsize teams
- • Acts as both an AD replacement and a JumpCloud alternative
Use Cases
Common Active Directory alternative use cases
Viami helps IT and security teams modernize identity and access without disrupting the business. Here are some of the most common ways SMBs use Viami as an Active Directory alternative.
SMB AD replacement
Replace aging domain controllers with a managed cloud directory that reduces infrastructure cost and operational complexity.
Remote-first workforce
Securely connect fully remote or hybrid teams to SaaS and internal apps using SSO, MFA, and conditional access instead of legacy VPNs.
Onboarding & offboarding
Automate user lifecycle—provision accounts, assign groups and apps, and revoke access instantly when someone leaves.
Modernizing legacy apps
Wrap older, on-prem applications with modern SSO and MFA via Viami’s identity and access management capabilities.
Multi-site or branch offices
Instead of deploying AD infrastructure in every office, centralize identity in Viami and manage policy from one place.
MSP and multi-tenant
Managed service providers can standardize on Viami as a multi-tenant cloud directory to manage clients’ identities and devices.
Core Capabilities
Everything you expect from Active Directory — delivered as a cloud service
Viami brings together Directory-as-a-Service, Identity and Access Management, SSO, MFA, and device management in a single, integrated platform built as a modern Active Directory alternative.
Cloud Directory Services
Centralize users, groups, and organizational units with policies and audit trails—familiar AD-like concepts delivered as a secure cloud service.
Single Sign-On (SSO)
Secure, standards-based SSO (e.g., SAML 2.0) for your SaaS and internal apps with centralized session controls and attribute mapping.
Identity & Access Management
Automated provisioning and deprovisioning, role- and attribute-based access, access reviews, and least-privilege by default.
Adaptive Authentication & MFA
Conditional access by IP, device posture, group/OU, and behavior—with MFA automatically triggered when risk increases.
Device Management
Manage Windows desktops, Android devices, and network gear (routers/switches/firewalls) with inventory, posture, and policy enforcement.
Viami Wall
A secure, directory-aware company wall for announcements and internal comms, targeted by OU/group with read receipts and engagement insights.
Comparison
Viami vs Microsoft Active Directory
Deciding between extending on-prem Active Directory or moving to a cloud-based directory? This high-level comparison shows how Viami stacks up as an Active Directory alternative for SMBs.
| Capability | Viami (Cloud DaaS) | Microsoft Active Directory (On-Prem) |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Cloud-native, managed Directory-as-a-Service | On-premises directory running on domain controllers |
| Best suited for | SMBs, remote/hybrid teams, cloud-first environments | Office-based environments with domain-joined Windows machines |
| Infrastructure overhead | No domain controllers to manage; updates handled by Viami | Requires servers, patching, backups, and on-prem networking |
| Support for remote work | Built-in support for remote and hybrid users from anywhere | Primarily designed for LAN-based authentication (VPN often required) |
| SSO & cloud apps | Native SSO, MFA, and conditional access for SaaS and internal apps | Requires additional components (e.g., ADFS, Azure AD, or third-party tools) |
| Device management | Windows, Android, and network device policies in one console | Primarily Windows domain-joined endpoints; other platforms require extra tooling |
| Time to value | Days or weeks with phased migration | Longer deployment projects; ongoing maintenance required |
Migration paths from Active Directory to Viami
Replacing Active Directory doesn’t have to be a risky big-bang project. Most SMBs use a phased migration where Viami runs alongside AD until they are ready to fully cut over.
- 1. Start by syncing or importing users and groups into Viami.
- 2. Move key SaaS and internal applications to authenticate against Viami using SSO.
- 3. Roll out MFA and conditional access policies for higher-risk access scenarios.
- 4. Gradually decommission legacy domain controllers as dependencies are removed.
Our team can help you design the right migration plan for your size, risk tolerance, and compliance requirements.
FAQ
Active Directory alternative FAQ
Common questions from SMB IT and security leaders considering a cloud-based Active Directory replacement.
Can Viami fully replace Active Directory for SMBs?
For many small and midsize businesses, yes. Viami can act as the primary cloud directory for users, groups, and policies while connecting to your applications via SSO and modern authentication protocols—without domain controllers or VPNs.
Do we need to rip and replace our existing AD?
No. Most organizations start with a hybrid approach: keep AD for legacy workloads while moving new apps and remote users to Viami. Over time, you can retire AD once dependencies are removed.
How is Viami different from JumpCloud and other AD alternatives?
Viami focuses on delivering the core capabilities SMBs actually need—cloud directory, SSO, IAM, MFA, and essential device management—in a platform that is straightforward to adopt and manage, with predictable pricing. It is both an Active Directory alternative and a JumpCloud competitor optimized for small and midsize teams.
Where can I see detailed Viami features and pricing?
You can explore the full Viami Directory-as-a-Service capabilities and pricing on our Viami DaaS product page, or contact us directly for a tailored quote based on your user count and requirements.
Ready to explore an Active Directory alternative for your SMB?
Let’s map Viami to your current identity architecture and show how a cloud directory can simplify security, reduce cost, and support your remote workforce.