{"id":13740,"date":"2023-02-07T09:29:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-07T14:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jumpcloud.com\/?p=13740"},"modified":"2024-08-15T15:02:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T19:02:30","slug":"open-source-active-directory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/open-source-active-directory","title":{"rendered":"Open Source Active Directory\u00ae"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Microsoft\u00ae<\/sup> Active Directory\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> (AD) remains the cornerstone on-premises identity and access management (IAM) solution after over two decades of service. Times have changed, however,  and IT has shifted to cross-OS platforms and cloud Identity Provider (IdPs) that include device management features, because identity has become the perimeter to access your resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s partly why AD has been designated a legacy technology. It needs to be propped up for better security and the ability to handle identities beyond Windows endpoints and private networks. These requirements can be costly if you follow Microsoft\u2019s modernization roadmap<\/a>, which might compel some organizations to consider less costly open source alternatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article explores the available free and open source options and what they do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open Source IAM Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The identity management category<\/a> has produced a limited array of open source solutions, and they are often focused on a particular problem set. Whereas, AD has served as a general purpose directory solution that the vast majority of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can use to manage Windows devices, users, printers, services, and security groups. Neither of these options integrates cross-OS device management to protect your identities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible to assemble an open source stack to do all of these things. For instance, Microsoft requires IT shops to subscribe to its Entra ID and Intune<\/a> endpoint management services. There\u2019s a cost involved in either scenario whether it\u2019s indirect through having to manage IT infrastructure for open source servers or Microsoft\u2019s subscription fees. IT also faces the challenge of managing identities through the entirety of their lifecycle, which can be error prone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, let\u2019s examine what open source alternatives to AD are available, where Entra ID fits into the architecture, and open source projects that assist with managing users and entitlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open Source Alternatives to Active Directory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a number of open source solutions that could be helpful to your organization. OpenLDAP\u2122<\/sup> is the most well known, and there are others such as a combination of Samba and FreeIPA. Each of these solutions comes with their own set of strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OpenLDAP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

OpenLDAP<\/a> is a popular open source LDAP server that quickly became one of the leading open source directory solutions when it was introduced. It\u2019s highly flexible, scalable, and focused on providing core directory services to resources that leverage the LDAP protocol. The challenge with OpenLDAP is that many IT resources prefer other protocols such as SAML<\/a>, RADIUS<\/a>, OAuth\/OIDC<\/a>, or native integrations. OpenLDAP can be a core directory service but requires other solutions to authenticate to web apps, networking equipment, and other resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samba<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Samba<\/a> is best known as a file and print service for non-Windows platforms. It serves somewhat as a directory service\/domain controller, and is often utilized in conjunction with Active Directory to extend it to non-Windows\u00ae<\/sup> IT resources<\/a>. Samba is usually not used as a stand alone solution, so the challenge with this open source option is that IT admins still end up having AD in their environment in addition to identity management solutions for single sign-on (SSO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FreeIPA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

FreeIPA<\/a> is focused on managing Linux users<\/a> and hosts. FreeIPA is a combination of LDAP, Kerberos, DNS, and other protocols. However, FreeIPA is rarely used on its own. Much like Samba, FreeIPA is often leveraged in conjunction with Active Directory or other IAM solutions. So, FreeIPA doesn’t have a reputation for being a standalone directory service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible to use these point solutions and several protocols for a limited single sign-on (SSO) implementation. Web apps typically utilize and exclusively support web SSO standards such as SAML or OIDC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These can be extremely useful platforms for SMEs, but they\u2019ll ultimately need additional components in order to completely manage and connect users to their entire portfolio of IT resources. For instance, OpenLDAP and Samba don\u2019t include GPO-like policies<\/a> to manage your Windows fleet like AD does. It\u2019s also rare that users will be working exclusively on a Windows PC, so it\u2019s also important to somehow manage Android, Apple, and Linux devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These popular open source solutions can be cloud-hosted, but are more often than not run on-premises. Security conscious organizations would also be well served by integrating a Free and Open Source (FOSS) multi-factor authentication<\/a> (MFA) component into their stack. The downside is that having more servers and apps increases your management overhead as well as the potential attack surface area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Univention Corporate Server <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is an open source IT management platform designed for infrastructure and identity management. It integrates with Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, offering comprehensive domain services (OpenLDAP\/Samba AD) and a management console. UCS features an App Center for easy deployment of enterprise applications, supports virtualization, and can integrate with cloud services. It’s scalable for any organization size and includes some security features. UCS simplifies IT administration, enhancing control and efficiency across your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zentyal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Zentyal is an open source server solution designed for SMEs. It integrates with AD, providing essential IT services like directory management, domain control, email, file sharing, DNS, DHCP, VPN, firewall, and HTTP proxy. Zentyal offers a user-friendly web-based interface for administration, supports KVM virtualization, and includes backup and recovery tools to ensure data protection and business continuity. Its benefits are being cost-effective, reliable, and providing Windows-compatible server management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next section provides an overview of several open source device management solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Device Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Headwind MDM<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Headwind<\/a> is an open source mobile device management (MDM) platform that manages, monitors, and only supports Android devices. It\u2019s on-premises, which makes external users dependent on SASE, VPN, or ZTNA systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flyve MDM<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Flyve MDM<\/a> is another Android-only MDM that manages, monitors, and tracks your devices. The community edition is hosted on-premises with commercial editions also running in the cloud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These platforms must be integrated with a directory infrastructure and whatever SSO solution you\u2019ve adopted. The software is free, but the work will consume IT\u2019s time and resources. There\u2019s also a lack of truly cross-OS open source device management software, which could leave some of your devices unmanaged. Devices without a baseline security posture shouldn\u2019t access your resources, especially as there are more laws with penalties<\/a> for data breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identity Lifecycle Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Disparate systems and device management platforms create siloed identities and authentication mechanisms. It\u2019s important for SMEs to automate and scale identity management as much as possible. Afterall, resources, like time, are limited. There are a few standalone open source projects that focus on identity governance and managing user lifecycle events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apache Syncope<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Apache\u2019s Syncope platform<\/a> is an open source system identity lifecycle management system. It provides identity and access management, provisioning\/deprovisioning, and more. Its setup<\/a> involves many steps that could consume significant IT resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OpenIAM<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The OpenIAM<\/a> project focuses on managing the full user lifecycle with features such as auditing and access review, certification, delegated administration, workflows, provisioning\/deprovisioning, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, none of these directory, device management, and identity lifecycle management projects provides a holistic approach to identity management. They also don\u2019t come pre-integrated. This makes assembling a modern, cross-OS alternative to Microsoft challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s Not Just About Open Source <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A true AD and Entra ID alternative<\/a> not only takes on the responsibility of managing the availability, maintenance, and configuration that is part of being a directory service, but also extending user access and management to a wide range of IT resources through multiple protocols (as well as managing your endpoints). An integrated cloud directory platform can streamline work for IT admins, giving them more time to focus on higher priority organizational initiatives and the capacity to streamline identity lifecycle management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open Source Active Directory Alternative \u2014 JumpCloud<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, JumpCloud\u2019s open directory platform<\/a> unifies identity, access, and device management capabilities, regardless of the underlying authentication method or device ecosystem. JumpCloud authenticates users whether they use biometrics, digital certificates, passwords, or SSH keys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The platform treats identities as the new perimeter, and password management is one element of that. Secure, frictionless access is fundamental for IT organizations, and is why JumpCloud ensures that every resource has a best way to connect to it. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n