# 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.

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FyoUFdcpkPHv3SpHbzSRk%2F01-Cluster-Settings.PNG?alt=media\&token=cb024753-4b00-47c5-b2b5-fefa0d9aa494)

This will open a new window.

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FtOEMGogifFq6OqSpx3uL%2F02-Cluster-Window.PNG?alt=media\&token=cfaa12e5-2047-4e0f-92ce-9a77c2245cdc)

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.

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FFXstFq0l9cOcRaiSqYvc%2F03-LDAP.PNG?alt=media\&token=c6614453-262c-4d45-a336-b93c45d97094)

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.

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2Fob1kcOEDP0SwhpdBi8Gn%2F04-Server-Browser.PNG?alt=media\&token=4ce8afe1-c379-4bfb-8dc9-04792ca81305)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FYfV3IczXvtJhKM2Lh4m6%2F06-New-User.PNG?alt=media\&token=69da162d-7376-4f82-9296-c2a62461d500)

This will open a new window.

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2F2HWDIAV7IJKrG9xSciDD%2F07-Windows-Auth.PNG?alt=media\&token=dc91315f-83d1-4438-83c3-d7151b9493b6)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FeE80KRKSdF7WrUH3MH0j%2F08-User-Search.PNG?alt=media\&token=bca07221-3e32-4480-979c-f362b808d0eb)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FHthNl3F660I06xYpIrxq%2F09-Email-ID.PNG?alt=media\&token=2b7fdacb-fd51-4f7d-9405-0dc3e61aa1a7)

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 %}

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FP8wfTpkNKYRa2d1TiShU%2F10-IDs.PNG?alt=media\&token=90703fb1-e928-40c1-ac85-1494d26d009d)

#### 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.

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FgNeiBMK0VZIzoOOhJnPz%2F11-Select-ID.PNG?alt=media\&token=62a19e1a-cec4-4c3b-87be-1747f6274493)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2F53PCbq59jTly92s2st88%2F12-IDs-Again.PNG?alt=media\&token=fe83464e-5d96-4ba0-b9e0-1802da0c8399)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FMll4AJmw6MJPPSyXOSeU%2F13-Browser.PNG?alt=media\&token=fc85e85e-6342-4840-ad39-2c1d496c16cf)

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.

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2F5h3gPnfkud2CcHJbhoZC%2F05-Login.PNG?alt=media\&token=3d89049c-4cde-4c56-aec7-19252c676da7)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2F4deQj6CtQq9VxtiO2qP6%2F9.png?alt=media)

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

![](https://3083465318-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FsR50Wa7EwZGlmPSAMkkf%2Fuploads%2FwAoYqWlpoQFX7DNYxdVx%2F15-Logged.PNG?alt=media\&token=48de88bd-1b15-477c-9210-5e0730a4bb6e)

{% 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.