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Image Free LDAP Server

Image by Zach DeMeyer on August 24, 2019

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Is there a free LDAP server? As one of the most popular identity management authentication protocols, LDAP servers have been in high demand, but the costs of some options make it less appealing than other methods of authentication.

Free LDAP Server

There are two sides to an LDAP server: the LDAP software that acts as the directory service and carries out the protocol’s authentications and the server that hosts said software. Unfortunately, while there are free LDAP server solutions available, the physical server hardware required to stand up an LDAP instance is generally not free. 

On average, a new server can cost an IT organization anywhere from $4K to $20K, depending on the model and capabilities. Used/refurbished servers are considerably less expensive, but bear a history of wear and tear that might reduce performance in the long run and necessitate the need for upgrades. Of course, with the advent of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) through AWS, Azure, GCP, and others, IT organizations can have their LDAP software hosted in the cloud. Per-minute compute charges for these services, however, are most certainly not free.

Ultimately, despite the fact that there seemingly aren’t any completely free LDAP server options, IT admins can leverage LDAP software for free. Let’s check out some of the free LDAP software solutions that admins can employ.

OpenLDAP™

One of the most popular free LDAP software options is OpenLDAP. The open-source solution is widely known by the IT industry. As an offering, OpenLDAP was one of the first LDAP-based software available, along with Microsoft® Active Directory®, the legacy commercial directory service. 

A main drawback of OpenLDAP is its implementation and configuration. There is a high technical bar for entry with OpenLDAP, which, for some, makes the software seem almost more trouble than it’s worth. IT admins using OpenLDAP are required to stand up the software manually, with additional tuning after the fact to ensure that everything continues to run properly (and especially securely) as needed for the organization.

389 Directory Server

Another open-source LDAP software option is 389 Directory Server. 389 was developed by open-source (Read more...)

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Blog – JumpCloud authored by Zach DeMeyer. Read the original post at: https://jumpcloud.com/blog/free-ldap-server

Zach DeMeyer ,
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Zach DeMeyer

Zach is a writer and researcher for JumpCloud with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines. He loves being on the cutting edge of new technology, and when he's not working, he enjoys all things outdoors, making music, and soccer.

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