Chapter 12: Configuring Ldap; Selecting A User Authentication Option - Avocent AMWorks Installer/User Manual

CHAPTER
12
The AMWorks software enables you to configure LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)
user login authentication on your AMX switching system (provided the firmware on your AMX
switches supports LDAP). The LDAP Configuration menu option will only be enabled if the
AMWorks software discovers AMX switches that support LDAP; otherwise, the menu option will
be disabled. The LDAP Configuration interface enables you to select either LDAP or Matrix user
login authentication, or both (providing a backup login authentication if one fails). This interface
also allows you to set any required LDAP server parameters and set search and query parameters
for use with a specific server.
LDAP enables users to log in to the AMX switching system remotely using their default Windows
Authentication usernames and passwords; however, these users will not have server-access rights
on the AMX switching system, since the users have not been created in the AMWorks software.
Once users have been created and access rights have been assigned, a user who is remotely logged
into the system will be authenticated against the remote authentication server, and server access
permissions will be granted from the local AMX switching system. Refer to the following topics to
create a user and then assign server-access rights:
• Adding and Removing Users on page 31
• Editing and Viewing Users on page 34

Selecting a User Authentication Option

The AMWorks software enables you to select LDAP and/or Matrix user authentication.
NOTE: The LDAP Configuration interface is enabled only if at least one of your AMX switches supports LDAP.
To select an authentication option:
1. From the AMWorks software main menu, click Users - User Authentication. The LDAP
Configuration dialog box displays.
2. From the Options list, click the desired option for user authentication. If you select Matrix
user-login authentication only, the authentication setup tabs for LDAP will be disabled. If you
select any of the other options, you will have to enter LDAP setup details in the Server
Parameters and Search and Query Parameters setup-tabs.
3. Click OK to save changes and exit the dialog box.
Configuring LDAP
79