What Is IAM?

Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a centralized system that controls who can access your Vultr resources, what actions they can perform, and under what conditions. With IAM, you can manage:

• Users and service accounts (identities)
• Roles and permissions (access levels)
• Organizations and teams (access boundaries)

IAM ensures that only the right users and systems have the appropriate level of access to your infrastructure.

How IAM Works in Vultr?

Vultr IAM provides a unified access control framework across all products and services. It enables you to:

• Assign roles (Assigned or Assumable) to users and groups
• Enforce least-privilege access, so users only have the permissions they need
• Manage access at the organization level for teams and enterprises
• Control both human users and automated workloads (service users with API keys)

IAM and ACL Compatibility

Vultr IAM is designed to work seamlessly with existing access controls. If you are using legacy ACLs:

• Existing ACL permissions are mapped to equivalent IAM permission policies to preserve current access behavior
• IAM operates under the hood while existing ACL-based workflows continue to function
• No immediate action is required to continue using your current access controls

As IAM capabilities expand, you can transition from ACL-based access to more flexible and fine-grained IAM policies.

Why IAM Matters?

IAM is foundational for:

• Security: Restrict access to sensitive resources
• Compliance: Meet regulatory and audit requirements
• Scalability: Manage access efficiently as your team grows

By centralizing access control, IAM helps reduce risk, improve visibility, and simplify operations across your Vultr environment.