# Introduction

Cirrus Managed Identities makes it easy to adapt credentials from many authentication providers, enrich them with attributes from many sources of truth, and translate the result into a standardized authentication transaction any app can understand. 

It's the lightweight data layer for authentication you've been looking for.

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/pHiuMwA.png" width="600em" />


## Common Implementation Patterns {#common-implementation-patterns}


Managed Identities is flexible by design, and can be used in many different configurations.





**Assert Standard Identifier To Applications**

If you have an application that needs multiple authentication providers, but aren't able to store and sync a standard unique user identifier between them. 






**Multi-Proxy Deployment**

Using multiple Cirrus Proxy deployments allows for a unique login experience for different sets of applications with Managed Identities powering a lightweight attribute store with distributed governance.






**Central Retiree or Alumni Attribute Management**

If you have many apps you want to allow your connected affiliate network to continue to access, but you have distributed sources of truth about them.