{"id":5854,"date":"2019-11-19T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jumpcloud.com\/blog\/?p=5854"},"modified":"2024-11-08T17:03:30","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T22:03:30","slug":"apache-directory-vs-active-directory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/apache-directory-vs-active-directory","title":{"rendered":"Apache Directory vs Active Directory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
As IT admins evaluate their choice in <\/span>directory services<\/span><\/a>, they will often consider the open-source solution Apache Directory\u2122 vs Active Directory\u00ae. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is an interesting comparison because Apache is built on a foundation of LDAP v3, but it supports Kerberos as well. Active Directory also supports both LDAP and Kerberos<\/a>. So, what is the difference between Apache Directory and Active Directory? More importantly, which is better for your organization?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we get into differences, we should first discuss some similarities. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, both offer a number of options and extensions to enable different features on top of identity management. These features can include enforcing strong passwords and executing tasks or commands.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The differences between the two platforms are largely a matter of focus.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Apache Directory<\/span><\/a> is an open-source platform and largely aimed at the developer and highly technical audience. The solution has a number of capabilities and enables developers to customize and embed the solution into their infrastructure or software. While it is likely that LDAP and Kerberos can authenticate Windows\u00ae, macOS\u00ae, and Linux\u00ae devices<\/a>, it doesn\u2019t appear to favor those capabilities. The discussion in the user documentation centers much more on applications and largely those that can leverage LDAP.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Active Directory<\/span><\/a>, on the other hand, is a commercial option for directory services aimed at Windows-based networks. AD has deep integration for Windows devices and applications. In fact, Active Directory has a feature called <\/span>Group Policy Objects (GPOs)<\/span><\/a> that enables IT admins to execute policies and tasks on Windows devices. Active Directory is by far the market share leader in on-prem directory services.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Apache Directory and Active Directory are potentially excellent solutions for very specific on-prem use cases. As the world has moved to the cloud, a third option has emerged to solve the <\/span>cross-platform cloud directory services<\/span><\/a> problem.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n Known as JumpCloud Directory Platform, this solution is a central, cloud-based identity provider. It supports a variety of protocols, including <\/span>LDAP<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>SAML<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>RADIUS<\/span><\/a>, SSH, and REST, among others. It also has native integration with <\/span>Windows<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>macOS<\/span><\/a>, and Linux devices. Integration includes full user and <\/span>device management capabilities<\/span><\/a>. Cloud platforms, for example, <\/span>G Suite\u2122<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Microsoft Office 365\u2122<\/span><\/a>, are seamlessly integrated as well. The Directory-as-a-Service solution also levels-up the authentication process by enabling <\/span>SSH keys<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>multi-factor authentication<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, a cloud-hosted directory service is a complete solution for organizations moving to the cloud that <\/span>don\u2019t want to manage on-prem, legacy directory services solutions<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nOverlap in Functionality<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Differences Between Apache Directory vs Active Directory<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Cloud-Hosted Directory Service Alternative<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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