NCEdCloud RapidIdentity — Powers the NCEdCloud Platform

What Is RapidIdentity and How Does It Relate to NCEdCloud?

NCEdCloud RapidIdentity is the identity and access management (IAM) software platform developed by Identity Automation that powers NCEdCloud. NCDPI selected RapidIdentity to serve as the engine behind North Carolina’s statewide K-12 single sign-on system. When you log in to ncedcloud.mcnc.org, you are interacting with a RapidIdentity deployment managed by MCNC on behalf of NCDPI.

The platform provisions accounts, enforces authentication policies, processes SAML and OIDC SSO for connected applications, and provides the admin console that LEA Administrators use to manage users. The most important thing to know is that NCEdCloud and RapidIdentity refer to the same system from the user’s perspective — knowing the underlying platform name is useful primarily for IT administrators and technical staff.

What RapidIdentity Does in NCEdCloud?

Function	What RapidIdentity Handles
User authentication	Verifying usernames and passwords at login
SSO federation	Generating and validating SAML assertions for connected apps
Account provisioning	Creating, updating, and deprovisioning accounts from SIS data
MFA enforcement	Requiring and validating TOTP or WebAuthn second factors
Role management	Storing and enforcing admin role assignments
Password policy	Enforcing complexity rules, expiry, and reuse restrictions
Admin console	Providing the LEA Administrator interface
Audit logging	Recording authentication and admin events

Why NC Uses RapidIdentity for NCEdCloud?

North Carolina’s statewide education identity platform needs to handle:

Approximately 1.5 million student accounts
Tens of thousands of staff accounts
115 school districts with different SIS and application configurations
SAML integration with dozens of educational applications per district
Compliance with FERPA and state student data privacy requirements

NCEdCloud RapidIdentity was selected for its K-12 specialization, North Carolina’s scale requirements, and its integration support for the specific data pipelines (Home Base, PowerSchool) used by NC school districts.

What Has Changed Under the Identity Automation / RapidIdentity Branding?

Identity Automation, the company that develops RapidIdentity, has undergone branding changes over the years. Users may encounter references to:

Identity Automation (the company name)
RapidIdentity (the platform product name)
RapidIdentity Cloud (the hosted version)
NCEdCloud (the state-branded deployment name used in NC)

All of these refer to the same underlying platform. For North Carolina school users and administrators, NCEdCloud is the relevant name — RapidIdentity is the engine underneath.

Where NCEdCloud RapidIdentity Terminology Appears for Admins?

LEA Administrators working in the NCEdCloud admin console may encounter RapidIdentity-specific terminology in:

The admin portal URL and interface
SAML configuration documentation
Identity Automation support resources
NCDPI technical training materials
Error messages in authentication logs

When seeking technical help from Identity Automation support or NCDPI, using “RapidIdentity” alongside “NCEdCloud” in your support ticket helps route it to the appropriate technical team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NCEdCloud the same as RapidIdentity?

Yes, from a functional standpoint. NCEdCloud is the name of the North Carolina statewide deployment of the RapidIdentity platform by Identity Automation. RapidIdentity is the software; NCEdCloud is the implementation.

Does knowing about RapidIdentity help with everyday NCEdCloud use?

For students and most teachers, knowing the underlying platform name is not necessary. It becomes relevant for LEA Administrators who need to reference Identity Automation’s documentation, contact their support team, or configure advanced features.

Why does the NCEdCloud admin console look different than some documentation I found online?

Identity Automation has released multiple major versions of RapidIdentity over time. Documentation from older versions may show an interface that differs from what you see today. NCDPI provides NC-specific training materials that reflect the current deployed version. Contact NCDPI support for the most current admin documentation.

Is Identity Automation the same company that supports NCEdCloud?

Identity Automation develops and supports the RapidIdentity software. MCNC operates the NC infrastructure hosting. NCDPI manages the contract and state-level configuration. For support, LEA Administrators typically work through NCDPI, which coordinates with Identity Automation and MCNC as needed.

Can a district replace NCEdCloud RapidIdentity with a different identity provider?

NCDPI selects and operates the statewide identity platform. Individual LEAs cannot replace the state’s chosen IdP for statewide applications like SchoolNet. Districts that maintain their own parallel SSO infrastructure (for district-specific apps) can do so, but NCEdCloud remains the required identity system for NCDPI-operated applications.