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Set up Active Directory sync

Synchronize your Active Directory Users and Groups to enable content filter policy assignment to AD-managed people groups (rather than network devices via IP address).

1. Configure your AD server for synchronization

  • Create a User that has access to the user and groups database (should Not be a domain admin for security reasons)
  • Ensure your AD server allows LDAPS on 636 or plaintext access on port 389

Your AD server must have Security Certificates configured for LDAPS to work. See Preparing your Windows Server for LDAPS access for more information and instructions.

2. Configure the DrawBridge for AD Sync

  • Navigate to Accounts / Authentication Integration (under Apps in menu tree) / Active Directory

  • Fill out the form to create an Active Directory Server record, as illustrated here: create-ad-server--server.png create-ad-server--connection.png create-ad-server--filters.png create-ad-server--save.png

  • Test the connection with Verify Connection Settings in the hamburger menu.

    A notification will indicate whether the connection test was successful or not. ad-server-test-connection.png

  • Trigger an AD Sync run with Sync Directory Servers in the hamburger menu.

    A notification will indicate the sync run was initiated. This typically completes within a minute, however, your environment may be different. This routine does not provide any further status notifications.

    You can verify the sync is complete by visiting Accounts / People and Accounts / Groups / Directory Groups and confirm that all the Users and Groups from your AD server are now present. ad-server-trigger-manual-sync.png

4. Next Steps

This how-to guide is the prerequisite procedure to setting up filter policies for Directory Groups. For further instructions, see the articles:

  • Configure Proxy User Groups
  • Assign a Proxy User Group to an Access Policy

Troubleshooting Resources

  • Use the Directory Service event log on your Windows Server to diagnose AD-sync authentication issues.

  • Locate unsecure LDAP requests: (Source: Spiceworks Forum)

  • On all of your DC's, look at the Directory Service event log.
  • Search for event 2887.
  • If exists that means you still have clients using non-secure LDAP requests and how many.
  • If you change the diagnosting logging level for LDAP, you can find the IP address of these clients: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NTDS\Diagnostics
  • Change the value of 16 LDAP Interface Events from 0 to 2.
  • After the change you should see event 2889 logged whenever one of these requests come in.
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