Integration of an LDAP server in servicenow

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)

LDAP is a popular protocol for storing and accessing directory services, it is frequently used to store and manage data about individuals, groups, and resources within an organization. LDAP servers can be integrated with ServiceNow, to facilitate directory synchronization, user authentication, and easy access control, so let's see how to create a LDAP server in ServiceNow.

This is especially helpful if you wish to use your current LDAP infrastructure azure AD) for ServiceNow user provisioning, authentication, or access.

First, sign in to the ServiceNow instance and make sure you have administrator access to your ServiceNow instance before you start. After logging in else you would need an LDAP admin role.

In the all, select the Application Navigator.

Enter LDAP in the filter and choose LDAP Servers under System LDAP. You will set up the connection to your LDAP server here. like the image below.

After opening it fill in the required fields to get started.

1. Name: Give the LDAP server a relevant name (such as "Demo LDAP").
2. Type: Select the proper LDAP server type (Active Directory, OpenLDAP, etc.) to connect to.
3. Host Name: Type your LDAP server's hostname or IP address (for example, ldap://ldap.example.com). this is more like an endpoint from here you are going to get the data
4. Port: Type the port number, which is usually 636 for LDAPS if SSL is being used or 389 for traditional LDAP.
5. Base DN: Specify the base Distinguished Name (DN) that will serve as the starting point for the LDAP search (dc=example,dc=com, etc.). DN is a domain name that mostly contains read-only access.
6. Bind DN: Enter the DN of the user account (cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com) that ServiceNow will use to bind to the LDAP directory.
7. Password: Enter the Bind DN user's password, which is mostly given by the client.

Now Set up the authentication settings

These actions should be taken if you are configuring LDAP for authentication, meaning that users will utilize their LDAP credentials to access ServiceNow.

Navigate to the LDAP server configuration form's Authentication tab.

1. Authentication Type: Depending on your situation, choose the appropriate authentication type. Typical kinds include.
2. Easy: Authentication with a regular username and password.
3. SSL: An authenticated secure LDAP connection.
4. LDAPS: Choose LDAPS and port 636 for an encrypted LDAP connection.
5. Authentication DN: Usually the Bind DN, such as cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com, is the DN of the person who will authenticate LDAP queries.

Test the LDAP connection, Before continuing, it is essential to confirm that ServiceNow can connect to your LDAP server.

1. Click the Test Connection button at the bottom of the form once all required fields have been filled in.
2. ServiceNow will show a success message if the connection is successful. Verify the host, port, and Bind DN credentials again to make sure they are accurate if it doesn't work.
3. Check the error message to troubleshoot any errors that may have occurred, mostly due to wrong credentials or endpoints.
   
4. Start Configuring the Data Synchronization for LDAP
5. Configuring LDAP Data Synchronization to import users and groups from your LDAP server into ServiceNow comes next after the LDAP connection has been verified as successful.
6. Look for LDAP Data Sources in the Application Navigator.
7. To add a new data source, click New.

Set up the data source.

1. Name: Give the data source a meaningful name (for example, "Import Users from Active Directory").
2. LDAP Server: Choose the LDAP server that you set up in the last step.
3. Table: Choose Group [sys_user_group] for group synchronization or User [sys_user] for user synchronization.
4. Configure the filters: You can apply filters to choose the users and groups you wish to import from LDAP. For example, you may choose to use organizational units as a filter. Step 6: Execute an LDAP synchronization
5. It's time to execute the LDAP sync after configuring the data source.
   
6. In the LDAP server configuration, select LDAP Synchronization.
7. Select the kind of sync you wish to execute:
8. Complete Sync: Transfer all users and groups to ServiceNow from the LDAP server.
9. Only users and groups that have been created or changed since the last sync are synced using incremental sync.
10. To start the synchronization process, click Run Sync. Using the filters and field mappings you have set up, ServiceNow will import user data.

Make sure that LDAP Authentication is turned on in ServiceNow if you wish to use it for user authentication.

Now create a transform map table and import the users and groups from the LDAP, by running transform. map the fields and once its successful the re-cords will be inserted into your target table inside ServiceNow.

Select Authentication under System Security.

In the section on LDAP authentication, turn it on, Once the authentication and sync configuration are complete, you may test the following to make sure everything functions as it should.

1. User Login: To make sure LDAP authentication is working, try logging in using an LDAP user account.
2. User Data: Confirm that ServiceNow has accurately imported user data, such as name, email, and group memberships.
3. Group Memberships: Verify that any pertinent LDAP groups are linked to the appropriate users and synchronized into ServiceNow.

After successfully importing from the LDAP server, the data should reflect in your ServiceNow instance.

Workflows for user administration and authentication within your company can be greatly enhanced by integrating LDAP with ServiceNow. You may set up an LDAP server in ServiceNow for user authentication and synchronization by following the instructions in this article. This will allow for automated user provisioning and smooth access control. Hope this was helpful, thanks, and bye until nect time.