How to Configure Active Directory (AD) Integration for DotNetNuke (DNN)?

Overview

The DNN AD Integrator connects your DNN portal with Microsoft Active Directory for authentication and synchronization. This guide walks you through installation, configuration, and using both Authentication and Sync features (AD → DNN and DNN → AD).

Pre-requisites

• DNN Administrator Access

• AD’s Service Account access

• DNN v9.6 & Above (Lower versions are also supported, please contact miniOrange team for lower version build)

Download And Installation

• Download the miniOrange AD Integrator from the DNN store.

• Upload the installation package by accessing your DNN site as Administrator and then going to Settings > Extension > Install Extension.

• Go to Installed Extensions > Authentication Systems, and verify that "miniOrange DNN AD Integration" appears in the list — this confirms a successful installation.

• Click on the Pencil icon next to it to open configuration settings.

• Navigate to the “Site Settings” tab.

Configuration Steps

Step by Step guide for DNN AD Integration.

1. AD Connection & Mapping Configurations

      A) Configure AD Connection

• Now we will start with configuring the connection with your AD first for the Authentication & Sync purpose.

• For this under the “AD Connection” tab provide the details like your LDAP Server IP/Domain, LDAP Port, Service account user principal name and password.

• Click on “Save and Test Connection” to test your AD Connection with your DNN site. You will receive a Success/Failure notification to confirm the same.

• Once you receive a Success/Failure notification, configure your User DN & Group DN to search your AD users and AD Group in the “AD Connection” tab.

      B) Profile Mapping

• Now we will configure the mapping between the DNN user profile and the AD user profile.

• For DNN the Username is a compulsion attribute to create a new user, you can use the “Advance Mapping” to map your custom DNN profile attributes with AD attributes.

      C) Group Mapping

• In the “Group Mapping” section after successful AD Connection you will be able to Map your AD Group with the DNN Roles.

• Click on the “Add Mapping” button and select your “AD Group” against the “DNN Role”.

• The specific DNN roles would be assigned when an AD user logs into DNN or during the Synchronization process

2. Sync Configuration

• For the synchronization purpose, you have the complete control to manage your Sync settings. Click on the “Sync Config” and get started with your Sync configurations.

• You can set AD to DNN sync, DNN to AD sync and the sync in both directions as well.

      A) Sync Options

• Click on the “Sync Options” tab to start with the sync configurations. These configurations are common for sync in any direction.

• Under the Basic Configuration, you will have options to enable User sync and Group sync.

• Under the Advance configuration, you have options like:
  
  
  • Delta Sync: This feature allows you sync only modified users and groups since the last sync was performed at the very first it will make a full sync.
  • Delete Missing Users: This feature on enabling will delete the users from AD on the sync flow if not present in DNN and vice versa.
  • Delete Missing Groups: This feature on enabling will delete the groups from AD on the sync flow if not present in DNN and vice versa.

      B) AD To DNN Sync

• Click on the “AD to DNN” under the “Sync Config” for the AD to DNN Synchronization.

• Here you will have 2 ways of managing the sync:
  
  
  • Manual Sync: Click on the “Start Sync” button under the Manual Synchronization section to trigger the sync from AD to DNN.
  • Scheduled Sync: Enable the Schedule Sync and select your Start Date and frequency of the sync. Click on “Save Configuration” to set the scheduler which will sync Users/Groups from AD to DNN as per the configuration done in the “Sync Option” section

      C) DNN to AD Sync

• Click on the “DNN to AD” under the “Sync Config” for the DNN to AD Synchronization.

• Here you will get 3 options to perform the Sync:
  
  
  • Manual Sync: Click on the “Start Sync” button under the Manual Synchronization section.
  • Scheduled Sync: Enable the Schedule Sync and select your Start Date and frequency of the sync. Click on “Save Configuration” to set the Scheduler which will sync Users/Groups from DNN to AD as per the configuration done in the “Sync Option” section.
  • Real-Time Sync: On Enabling this any user/group created or modified in the DNN will be applied to AD in real-time.

3. Authentication Configuration

• If you want to setup LDAP Authentication for your DNN site you can simply setup the same under the “Sign In Settings” tab and by clicking enable the “AD Login”.

• If you want to allow AD users to be created in your DNN site you must enable the “Auto Registration" as well.

• The “Override Default DNN roles” will remove all the existing DNN roles and only assign the DNN role mapped to the AD Groups in the “Group Mapping” section as done in Step 3 of General Configuration.

• Once done, you will now see a separate AD Login section on your DNN site login screen.

• Your users can now login into your DNN site using their AD Credentials.

Related Articles

• DNN 2FA Setup Guides
• DNN SAML SSO Setup Guides
• DNN OAuth SSO Setup Guides

Get in Touch

Please reach out to us at dnnsupport@xecurify.com, and our team will assist you with setting up AD Integration for DotNetNuke (DNN). Our team will help you to select the best suitable solution/plan as per your requirement.