From Entra ID to the DMS: Closing the Last Gap in Cloud Legal Governance
Most legal organizations consider their cloud migration complete once Microsoft 365 is live, the DMS is in the cloud, and identity is managed via Microsoft Entra ID. However, a critical governance gap often remains, forcing teams to operate as if they are still on-premises.
When cloud identity and cloud content move independently, they rarely stay in sync on their own. This misalignment creates a structural gap where users wait for access, departed employees retain privileges, and audit trails require manual reconstruction. This article explores why closing this gap is essential for a true cloud-first operating model.
What Is The Identity-to-Content Gap?
The identity-to-content gap occurs when user identity changes in one system do not automatically propagate to content repositories in another. While native identity tools manage users within Microsoft 365 effectively, and DMS tools handle content well, neither is designed to bridge the governance void between them.
This gap manifests in practical, disruptive ways:
- Delayed Access: New hires wait for manual permission setups in the DMS
- Inconsistent Role Changes: Promotions or lateral moves do not update permissions across all systems
- Security Risks: Departed users retain access to sensitive documents longer than necessary
- Audit Fragmentation: Compliance teams must piece together scattered logs to prove who had access and when
These issues are not the result of negligence but are structural side effects of partial cloud adoption. IT teams are often forced to bridge this gap with manual csv imports, complex scripts, or maintaining on-premises systems—approaches that do not scale in a modern cloud environment.
Why Does Identity-Driven Governance Matter?
Identity is the single source of truth in a modern legal environment. When a user joins, moves, or leaves, that change should instantly control access wherever sensitive content resides.
Failure to align governance with identity in real time exposes organizations to four significant risks:
- Security Exposure: Access windows remain open, increasing the attack surface
- Operational Drag: IT teams waste valuable cycles on manual permission management rather than strategic initiatives
- Compliance Risk: Proving historical access becomes difficult, jeopardizing audit success
- Productivity Delays: Fee-earners cannot bill hours while waiting for document access
How Does CAM Close the Gap?
CAM automates the connection between cloud identity and cloud content. It acts as a governance control plane that listens to identity providers and enforces changes across content systems.
CAM performs three critical functions:
- Reads Identity Changes: It monitors Entra ID for any user or group modifications
- Applies Consistent Changes: It automatically updates permissions in the DMS (such as iManage or NetDocuments) to match the new identity status
- Logs Every Action: It maintains a complete, unified audit trail for accountability
How Cloud-Native Governance Works with CAM
When an identity event occurs in Entra ID, CAM responds immediately without manual intervention:
- Onboarding: A new user is added to Entra ID; CAM automatically provisions the user, ensuring the user has correct access and permissions for the DMS workspace
- Role Changes: A user changes departments; CAM adjusts their access rights to reflect their new role
- Offboarding: A user is disabled in Entra ID; CAM instantly revokes DMS access and initiates downstream data governance protocols
Who Benefits from Automated Governance?
Automated governance is critical for organizations committed to a cloud-forward strategy. This includes large and mid-sized law firms moving off on-premises infrastructure, corporate legal departments standardized on Microsoft 365, and any organization subject to strict regulatory requirements.
For these teams, the goal is no longer just managing individual systems but ensuring consistent control across them.
Cloud migration is not finished until governance keeps pace with both identity and content. By connecting Entra ID directly to cloud DMS platforms, organizations move from reactive, manual management to automated, identity-driven governance. Identity changes once, access updates everywhere, and risk stays contained.
Ready to close the gap? Request a demo to see CAM in action.
