The DSM Explorer › Control Panel › How to Configure and Authenticate External Directories

How to Configure and Authenticate External Directories

As a desktop support analyst, you use external directories for authentication. Using the external directories in the DSM Explorer, you can do the following tasks:

• Authenticate users, including native mode Active Directory users.
• Authorize users by mapping security profiles to entities in the directory.
• Define Query Groups with targets matching computers or users held in a container on a directory.
• Target the deployment of agents.
• Produce reports using a hierarchy obtained from a directory.

To authenticate using external directories, perform the following steps:

Perform the following steps:

1. Add a Directory to the Repository
2. (Optional) Import a Certificate (LDAPS only)
3. Verify the Configured Directory
4. Authenticate the Configured Directory
5. Verify the Directory Authentication

Supported External Directories

CA ITCM supports the following directories:

• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
• Microsoft Active Directory
• Novell Directory Services (NDS)

See Compatibility Matrix for an updated list of the supported directory integration services.

Verify the Prerequisites

To authenticate using an external directory, verify the following prerequisites:

• Verify you have access permissions to configure an external directory.
• Ensure you have working knowledge of Directory Integration capability.

Add a Directory to the Repository

To authenticate users and authorize users by mapping security profiles to entities in the directory, add the external directory to the repository first.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Control Panel, Directory Integration, Add Directory to access the Add Directory Wizard, Click Next.

   The Introduction/Directory Name page appears.

2. Specify the directory name to identify the directory when connecting to Active Directory in Directory Name.
3. Select the type of directory using one of the Directory Type options. The following options are available:
   • Active Directory
   • LDAP
   • NDS

   Default: Active Directory.

4. Click Next to go to the Server Details page.