From Toll Roads to Tokens: The Road Rules of Identity

Recently, I found myself comparing Identity Management to the New Jersey Turnpike—a stretch of infrastructure that demands continuous maintenance, monitoring, and support. The more I thought about it, the more the analogy seemed to hold up on multiple levels.

Consider this: when you enter the Turnpike, you're authenticated—thanks to your EZ-Pass RFID reader. You authorize yourself to use the service by paying the toll¹. Your presence on the road is uniquely identified through a combination of your EZ-Pass ID and your vehicle’s license plate. Similarly, in Identity Management, we combine multiple identifiers to authenticate users and authorize access.

There's even a form of fine-grained authorization at play. Your driver's license determines which type of vehicle you’re allowed to operate—semi-trucks, motorcycles, passenger cars—all of which come with their own set of permissions. Identity systems do the same by assigning entitlements and roles based on user attributes and context.

We can stretch the analogy further. Think about drivers from other states or countries using the Turnpike. They bring their own credentials, but the system recognizes and allows them to operate—a real-world version of Single Sign-On (SSO). Once authenticated, drivers manage their journey: choosing routes, switching lanes, adjusting speed—just like identities that evolve, shift roles, or gain new permissions over time.

But perhaps the most vital component in this infrastructure? The on-ramps and off-ramps.

In our analogy, these represent connectors to other roads—other systems. On-ramps lead drivers onto the Turnpike (onboarding), and off-ramps take them to their destination (offboarding). In identity terms, they’re links to enterprise applications. Some lead to robust, high-speed interstates (modern apps), while others connect to older, more narrow routes (legacy systems). Despite their differences, all are part of the same interconnected digital landscape.

If these ramps are blocked or broken, people can’t get where they need to go. The same is true in Identity Management. Disrupted connectors—whether due to outages, outdated protocols, or rigid infrastructure—can prevent users from accessing critical resources. That’s why flexibility is key.

Just as highways need multiple lanes, alternate routes, and regular maintenance, identity infrastructure must be resilient. It needs to support remote access, cloud redundancy, and failover mechanisms. Whether through replicated data centers, leveraging SaaS service, or just having a well-designed backup plan, your identity architecture must ensure users can always reach their destinations.

In short: smooth identity operations are just like smooth traffic flow. It's all about seamless access, clear pathways, and ensuring the road is always open.







¹ In the pre-EZ-pass era, one paid the toll on the Garden State Parkway, another important piece of infrastructure with a token, but we won’t get into yet another roadway and it’s analogies here ☺.