Identity environments change constantly: users join and leave, group memberships update, permissions shift as work happens. In most identity systems, visibility into those changes lags behind reality.
Incremental sync is how ConductorOne closes that gap.
Let’s break down what incremental sync is, how it works under the hood, and why it matters for modern identity governance.
How traditional sync works
To understand incremental sync, it helps to start with the traditional model.
ConductorOne connects to upstream identity providers and applications like Okta, Google Workspace, and hundreds of other services using connectors. These connectors are responsible for pulling identity and access data into ConductorOne so it can be governed, reviewed, and acted on.
In a standard sync process, ConductorOne periodically asks each upstream service for its entire state. All users, all groups, all memberships, all entitlements. That data is pulled in on a fixed schedule, typically once per hour.
This approach works, but it has clear limitations:
- It only reflects the state of the world at the last sync
- Any changes made between syncs are invisible until the next run
- Large environments require scanning a lot of data even when very little has changed
For fast-moving organizations, that delay matters.
What incremental sync changes
Incremental sync flips the traditional model. Instead of repeatedly pulling the full state of an upstream system, ConductorOne listens for what has actually changed.
Many modern services expose audit logs, event feeds, or system logs that record activity as it happens. New users created. Group memberships updated. Permissions granted or revoked.
ConductorOne connectors are designed to consume these feeds.
With incremental sync enabled, connectors can ask a much simpler question: what changed since the last few minutes?
When an event comes in, ConductorOne identifies exactly what was modified and pulls only the relevant data: new group created, user added to a group, or membership removed. Those specific changes are synced immediately, without waiting for the next full hourly run.
The result is faster updates with far less overhead. Watch the video to see it in action:
Near real-time identity visibility
Incremental sync allows ConductorOne to ingest identity changes much more frequently than traditional sync schedules. Instead of waiting for a once-per-hour snapshot, ConductorOne can react to changes as they occur. That means:
- New users appear in ConductorOne faster
- Group and entitlement changes are reflected quickly
- Access decisions are based on current state, not stale data
For identity governance, freshness matters. Reviews, approvals, and policies are only as good as the data behind them.
Why it matters for governance and security
Incremental sync directly impacts security outcomes. When identity data lags behind reality, several risks emerge:
- Standing access persists longer than intended
- Recently removed access may still appear active
- Reviews are completed against outdated information
- Automation decisions rely on incomplete context
By keeping identity data current, incremental sync supports:
- More accurate access reviews
- Faster detection of risky changes
- Stronger enforcement of least privilege
- Better alignment between operational reality and governance controls
This becomes even more critical as identity environments scale and as non-human identities and automation increase the volume of change.
Designed for modern identity scale
Incremental sync reflects how identity actually works today.
Changes are constant. Waiting for periodic snapshots no longer makes sense at modern scale. By listening to event feeds and pulling only what has changed, ConductorOne delivers faster, more precise visibility into identity and access across your environment.
It is a foundational capability that enables real-time governance, not just point-in-time compliance.
Want to learn more? Book a demo.
