> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.astera.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.astera.com/astera-data-stack-v10/setting-up/user-roles-and-access-control/windows-authentication.md).

# Windows Authentication

Windows authentication is a security feature that allows users to log into a system using their Windows credentials.

Astera Data Stack leverages this authentication method and provides the option to register new users using Windows authentication through its Server Browser interface.

### Configuring LDAP path

Before a new user can be registered through the security section of the Server Browser, the LDAP path needs to be configured.

1. To start, right-click on the server’s name node and select *Cluster Settings* from the context menu.

![](/files/O8bKUvswcXQzrn5CHLeb)

This will open a new window.

![](/files/VeWqmDvgCsIn1KNM2LRB)

2. Click on the LDAP path and provide the LDAP path.

The LDAP path is the IP address provided by the user from where authentication is being done.

![](/files/l4Qswv4sSAhiaPmhIoBz)

Once done, save and close the *Cluster Settings* window.

### Registering user using Windows Authentication

1. To register a user using Windows Authentication, open the security filter of the Server Browser.

![](/files/3n9DUNGeHIHmNz3ROU8O)

2. Right Click on Users and Select *Register User*

![](/files/IbPgdf8AGocbYt8M1JK0)

This will open a new window.

3. Select *Windows Authentication* from the *Registration* drop-down menu.

![](/files/VMXCk4F88LPeF8Spt778)

4. After selecting Windows Authentication, a new screen will appear in which the server is retrieving a list of users.

![](/files/8erRO15CvcqhFsjE0QO8)

5. Here, you can see a search bar and a grid with a column of *User Email Id*

![](/files/TCUJ9AP0rL9yCoFZ3cGc)

There are two ways to specify the user we want to register.

#### Search bar dropdown

Here, we can specify a user by selecting from the dropdown given in the textbox of the search bar.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** The drop-down will get the list of users that exist in that active directory.
{% endhint %}

![](/files/QsSgozcAL3XTTa4sEVEJ)

#### Manual Search

We can also fetch a user by using the search textbox to look for a specific user.

Clicking on the user will select them.

![](/files/oq4cGFzsrNKQX81oCNyh)

6. After the user has been selected, the email id will be displayed in the grid of *User Email Id*.

![](/files/naQGWJ9PpBxGMML2VxpI)

7. Click Register and we can see that the selected users have been added.

![](/files/hyuvzq08imjWlvpXsIBa)

The users can now be activated or assigned roles, as is the current way in Astera.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** Users that have been registered using windows authentication can only be activated, deactivated, and deleted.
{% endhint %}

#### Login Using Windows Authentication

Once users have been registered with Windows authentication, they can login with the same authentication credentials.

To log in, select the *Log In* option from the top right of the client window.

![](/files/Dtg0mpo8YAAevsPl4eSb)

Selecting this will open a new window.

In the authentication Dropdown, there are three options:

1. *Centerprise*: For Users that are created by using a simple/existing registration method.
2. *Windows Authentication:* For users that are created by using the Windows authentication method.
3. *Azure Authentication:* For users that are created using the Azure authentication method

![](/files/RpB9nyrNfk5iHbC5DWhh)

8. By Selecting Windows Authentication, It will autofill the username and lock both text boxes.

![](/files/uEc41JJ3n55vSYGVgPN8)

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** If a user is activated, then they can click directly on *Log* *In*, and they will log in without entering any additional information.
{% endhint %}

This concludes the working of Windows Authentication in Astera Data Stack.


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