As organizations grapple with the rise of unauthorized SaaS applications in remote and hybrid work environments, shadow IT has become a pressing concern for IT administrators.

In an exclusive VMblog interview, Serhat Can, co-founder and director of product management at JumpCloud, reveals how 84% of IT admins are worried about shadow IT risks. Following JumpCloud's acquisition of Resmo, Can discusses how unified SaaS management is helping organizations tackle security challenges, reduce costs, and manage the complexities of AI adoption in the workplace. The conversation explores how JumpCloud's integrated approach to identity, device, and SaaS management is enabling businesses to achieve up to 80% reduction in total cost of ownership compared to traditional point solutions.

VMblog:  There's a lot of industry buzz around shadow IT right now. What's behind the rising interest, and what unique approach is JumpCloud taking to address it?

Serhat Can: I think it's a number of things. Moving from on-prem IT to cloud environments, the move to remote and hybrid workplace models and of course, now AI. Employees are turning to unauthorized SaaS apps-not with any ill intent-but to meet their specific needs quickly. This is especially the case with remote work, where employees are less bound to corporate networks, and SaaS apps offer convenience and fast deployment. While offering operational inefficiencies, most employees aren't thinking of the security and compliance risks, or the ballooning IT costs of unmanaged IT. But their IT admins are clearly worried. Our research shows that 84% of admins are concerned about shadow IT. 

The JumpCloud platform unifies SaaS management along with identity and device management, giving IT teams full visibility over both authorized and unauthorized applications. This integrated view helps organizations get a handle on SaaS sprawl and shadow IT-securing and optimizing app use across the board, reducing both costs and security risks.

VMblog:  How does SaaS management fit into the broader IT Asset Management (ITAM) landscape, and what trends do you expect to see in the next year?

Serhat Can: SaaS management complements traditional ITAM by focusing on visibility and control of SaaS applications, something that's become increasingly important as organizations lean more on cloud-based software. It involves tracking app usage, managing licenses, and ensuring security across all apps in use, all critical pieces of a broader ITAM approach.

I think over the next year, we're likely to see more organizations adopt comprehensive tools that integrate SaaS management into a broader IT management strategy. IT centralization is the future. Every new SME IT Trends Report we release reveals the same finding, that IT admins want a single tool to manage IT over a variety of point solutions. It's easy to understand why-centralized, simplified IT helps companies handle the complexities of SaaS sprawl, improve cost management, and maintain compliance. These are critical issues as more SaaS tools enter the workplace.

VMblog:  JumpCloud acquired Resmo, the company you founded, to bring in asset management capabilities. Can you tell us more about how Resmo has been integrated and what it adds for both Resmo and JumpCloud customers?

Serhat Can: With Resmo's integration, JumpCloud users gain deeper visibility into their SaaS assets, helping them understand how and where apps are used across the organization. For existing customers of both companies, JumpCloud's platform now offers expanded tools and resources for managing SaaS, devices, and identities all in one place. The result is a more efficient, unified IT management approach that simplifies oversight and strengthens security. It also provides serious cost-savings. Our customers have found a 80% reduction in TCO by using JumpCloud's unified platform over a comparable patchwork of AD, Jamf, and Okta or similar point solutions.

VMblog:  AI is rapidly reshaping many industries. How has the rise of AI applications influenced SaaS management, and what does JumpCloud bring to the table?

Serhat Can: AI applications are now a major component of SaaS, but bring new layers of data and security challenges. Maybe an employee uses an unapproved AI tool to analyze customer data to spot trends, potentially violating regulations like GDPR or CCPA. Or an employee uploads internal meeting recordings with confidential discussions to an AI transcription tool. If this tool stores data externally or shares it with third parties, it can lead to data leaks and/or potential intellectual property theft.

JumpCloud's approach to SaaS management includes tools for monitoring usage and enforcing security policies on AI-driven applications, so IT teams can ensure compliance and manage access in line with security best practices. By giving admins visibility into AI app usage and the ability to control access at a granular level, JumpCloud helps organizations adopt AI safely within their SaaS environments.

VMblog:  Which organizations or types of businesses are best positioned to benefit from SaaS management?

Serhat Can: Really, any organization that uses SaaS apps, and especially those with distributed teams or remote work environments. As enterprises try to address shadow IT or SaaS sprawl, SaaS management can help reduce redundant tools, optimize spending, and improve overall security. For SMEs looking to scale, SaaS management helps keep costs predictable and usage organized as they grow.

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