Set up Alibaba Cloud IDaaS Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) by activating an instance, creating an application, and configuring user authentication.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure that you have:
-
An Alibaba Cloud account
-
(For RAM users) The
AliyunYundunIdaasFullAccesspermission granted by your account administrator
Step 1: Activate an instance
-
Log on to the CIAM console and click CIAM console RAM consolePurchase Instance to open the CIAM pricing page.
-
Select your Region and Specifications, then click Buy Now.
Pricing depends on your deployment model: - Online version: Charged based on monthly active users (MAU). Instance usage fees (computing resources and storage) are billed separately based on actual configuration. - On-premises deployment: One-time authorization or periodic license fees apply, plus implementation fees (deployment, system integration, and custom development) and optional Operations and Maintenance (O&M) fees for technical support. For details, see Pricing.
-
Return to the console to verify the instance appears in your instance list.
Step 2: Grant RAM user access to the IDaaS console
Skip this step if you access the console directly with your Alibaba Cloud account.
-
Log on to the RAM console and confirm the target RAM user has the
AliyunYundunIdaasFullAccesspermission. -
Log on to the CIAM console with your Alibaba Cloud account. Click the instance ID to open its management console.
-
Go to Settings > Other Settings > Administrator account and click Add administrator.
-
Fill in the Account name, RAM sub-account, External ID, and Authorized role, then save. The RAM user can now log on to the IDaaS console with the assigned role.
Step 3: Create an application
CIAM uses applications as the central unit for managing authentication. Create one application for each customer-facing service, such as a website, mini program, or mobile app, that you want to protect with CIAM.
-
In the instance management console, go to Application > Application Management and click Add an application.
-
Set the Icon, Application Name, Application Type, and SSO Protocol
. If the application is for management purposes, select the Website type. -
After you create an application, you can configure and maintain it.


Step 4: Configure logon methods
Each application supports one or more logon methods. Configure the right combination to improve user conversion rates and reduce registration drop-off.
-
On the Application Management page, find the application and click Configure in the Actions column.
-
On the Application Settings page, click the Registration And Logon Settings
tab. By default, two logon methods are available: Phone Code and Password-based Logon
. -
Set the Primary Logon Method to control which method is shown first on the logon page — either Phone Code or Password-based Logon.
Step 5: Manage accounts
CIAM supports two ways to add user accounts:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Administrator-created accounts | In the instance management console, create a user and set the account name, password, and mobile phone number. The user can then log on to the user portal with a password or verification code. |
| Self-registration | After an administrator creates an application, users can register for an account directly on the portal. |