Chapter 19.

Synchronizing Red Hat Directory Server with Microsoft Active Directory

The Windows Sync feature allows synchronization of adds, deletes, and changes in groups, users, and passwords between Red Hat Directory Server and Microsoft Active Directory. It provides an efficient and effective way to maintain consistent information across directories.

1. About Windows Sync

Synchronization allows the user and group entries in Active Directory to be matched with the entries in the Red Hat Directory Server. As entries are created, modified, or deleted, the corresponding change is made to the sync peer server, allowing two-way synchronization of users, passwords, and groups.

The synchronization process is analogous to the replication process: the synchronization is enabled by a plug-in, configured and initiated through a sync agreement, and record of directory changes is maintained and updates are sent according to that changelog. This synchronizes users and groups between Directory Server and a Windows server.

Windows Sync has two parts, the sync service for directory entries and the sync service for passwords:

Directory Server Windows Sync. The Directory Server leverages the Multi-Master Replication Plug-in to synchronize user and group entries. The same changelog that is used for multi-master replication is also used to send updates from the Directory Server to Active Directory as an LDAP operation. The server also performs LDAP search operations against its Windows server to synchronize changes made to Windows entries to the corresponding Directory Server entry. This is illustrated in Figure 19.1, “Active Directory - Directory Server Synchronization Process”.

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HP UX Red Hat Direry Server Software manual About Windows Sync, Chapter