Nelnet Onboards Identity Applications 2X Faster with Regatta Solutions Group

Nebraska-based student loan servicer Nelnet has no shortage of funds to juggle — representing 20 different businesses across 4 divisions as the nation’s largest and most respected student loan services. With so many customers depending on them, Nelnet knew they needed to ensure their information remained in the right hands. So when it came down to keeping data secure, Regatta Solutions Group had them covered. With Regatta on their side, Nelnet was able to successfully implement and advance SailPoint IdentityIQ^TM, the industry’s best-in-class on-premises and identity and access management solution — giving 42% of U.S. students one less thing to worry about when it comes to who is managing their data.

Discovering IAM

The first step of any access management journey is selecting the right IAM solution. After a presentation at the SailPoint Navigate Conference, Nelnet knew SailPoint IdentityIQ was the best set of solutions for them. Going into the partnership, Nelnet felt an immediate trust with Regatta based on their vast experience working with SailPoint — especially since the technology is a significant investment of time and resources. With Regatta’s help, Nelnet implemented SailPoint AI Services in 2021 and continues to evolve the technology to make waves across the company.

Not only has Regatta been instrumental in implementing IdentityIQ, but they also set Nelnet on a course for success with their proprietary Identity FastTrack methodology. Over the last year alone, Regatta significantly improved the number of applications Nelnet was able to implement. Along the way, the Discovery step of the process proved especially critical. Discovery gave Nelnet visibility into which applications needed implementation, what their employees needed access to, and what they didn’t — all in priority order.

Earning an A+ IAM Implementation

At Nelnet, identity success once seemed more like a daydream than a reality. “We were basically told to do everything you’re not supposed to do,” said Nelnet IT Director, Dane Paulsen. Luckily for Nelnet, Regatta was there to part the sea of chaos and confusion. Regatta made Nelnet’s SailPoint IdentityIQ implementation a breeze with dashboards and insights for real-time results, Identity Factory for reaching new integration highs, and agile methods and tools for accelerated production and development.  With Regatta’s help, Nelnet can now enable more complex applications than ever, providing structure and guidance on identity implementation across the board. With the process broken down into guided, manageable steps, Nelnet was able to see IAM to the finish line and continue driving impact for the long haul.

A Bright Future for Identity Security

Nelnet has its sights set on transitioning their current systems to the Cloud with IdentityNow. As a more modern form of data management, the Cloud can seem a little intimidating. But with Regatta’s guidance, Nelnet is confident that shifting access management securely to the Cloud will be an easy A.

Beyond the IAM basics, Regatta continues to help Nelnet master all that identity and access management has to offer. The Nelnet team plans to leverage Regatta’s experience and relationship with SailPoint to fortify their IAM program through role-based access control (RBAC). With role-based access control, Nelnet and Regatta will ensure both that sensitive information remains secure, and that Nelnet employees stay aligned across the entire organization, stopping confusion and access ambiguity before it even arises. Nelnet has also significantly integrated Regatta with its internal team, ensuring further security and ease of communication — not to mention no more awkward vendor relationships to manage.

Managing the financial data of hundreds of thousands of college students is no small undertaking and requires only the best in identity and access management. With Regatta on their team, Nelnet is able to manage access like a pro, implement applications more efficiently than ever, and keep their customers’ data as secure as possible. Together, Nelnet has student loans covered, and Regatta has Nelnet covered — serving as a partner in implementation, delivery, and success in all things identity management. Ready to begin your own IAM journey. Our experts are ready to become your partner in implementation, delivery, and success in identity management.

Ready to begin your own IAM journey? Our experts are ready to become your partner in implementation, delivery, and success in identity management.