Let’s be clear: the problem didn’t end with the pandemic. What started as an emergency response has turned into a permanent operating model.
Today, IT and security teams manage hybrid environments, cloud infrastructure, external administrators, and third-party vendors on a daily basis.
As a result, the number of privileged users continues to grow and so does the attack surface.
Human factors remain the primary cause of security incidents — compromised or weak credentials account for 22% of breaches, while phishing is responsible for another 16%.
Privileged access is no longer limited to a small group of internal administrators. It now includes contractors, service providers, DevOps teams, and vendors who require temporary or recurring access to critical systems. This makes privileged access management (PAM) a core security control rather than an optional add-on.
Why cost-effective PAM matters more than ever
Security budgets in 2025 are under constant pressure. Organizations are expected to reduce risk, support audits, and manage complex access scenarios — without expanding headcount or overspending on tools that don’t match real usage patterns.
This is where licensing flexibility becomes critical. A PAM solution should align with how privileged access is actually used, not force organizations into rigid or oversized licensing models. Axidian Privilege was designed with this reality in mind, offering licensing options that scale with operational needs rather than theoretical maximums.
Axidian Privilege licensing models: flexibility instead of overprovisioning
Axidian Privilege offers two licensing models that reflect different privileged access patterns. Both are designed to help organizations control costs while maintaining full PAM functionality.
Option 1: licensing based on privileged users and resources
This model fits organizations with a stable group of administrators and a predictable infrastructure footprint.
The following license types apply:
- User license
Grants a specific number of users the right to access systems using privileged credentials. Licenses can be reallocated between employees or contractors, which is especially useful in environments with staff rotation. - Resource license
Covers the number of servers, hosts, or systems that privileged users can access. Resource licenses are bundled with user licenses and can be extended if infrastructure grows.
When this model makes sense
This approach works well for organizations with:
- Fixed internal admin teams
- Long-term contractors
- Clearly defined infrastructure boundaries
License reallocation ensures that onboarding and offboarding do not require constant license purchases.
Option 2: licensing based on privileged sessions
This model reflects a very different reality — one that has become increasingly common.
Instead of limiting users or systems, licensing is based on the number of simultaneous privileged sessions. The number of PAM users and registered resources is not restricted.
When this model makes sense
Session-based licensing is ideal for organizations that:
- Work with many contractors or vendors
- Grant access occasionally or on demand
- Rarely have many privileged sessions active at the same time
This approach avoids paying for dormant users or rarely used accounts, while still maintaining full control, auditing, and session recording.
Choosing the right PAM licensing model in practice
There is no “one size fits all” approach to PAM licensing in 2025. Some organizations benefit from a user-based model, others from session-based licensing — and some combine both across different environments.
The key is visibility. Understanding who needs access, how often, and under what conditions allows organizations to choose a licensing model that matches real usage, supports audits, and avoids unnecessary costs.
Axidian Privilege enables this flexibility while still providing core PAM capabilities: credential protection, session monitoring, access control, and audit readiness.
Comparison
| Licensing model based on privileged users and resources | Licensing model based on privileged sessions | |
| The number of users and resources (servers etc) | Limited by the license | Not limited |
| The number of simultaneous connections | Not limited | Limited by the license |
| How to calculate the licenses | By the number of employees who connect through PAM | By the planned number of active sessions which PAM should open (as a rule, it is required to have an experience of using PAM to correctly evaluate the number of sessions) |
| How to reallocate licenses between users | It is required to recall all access from one employee and give access to another | No reallocation is required |
If you want to have a quotation for your project, contact us.
