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Apache Directory VS Microsoft Active Directory

Compare Apache Directory VS Microsoft Active Directory and see what are their differences

Apache Directory logo Apache Directory

Apache Directory is the independent directory of those tools and programs used in any LDAP server.

Microsoft Active Directory logo Microsoft Active Directory

Active Directory is a special-purpose database \ 8212; it is not a registry replacement.
  • Apache Directory Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-11-14
  • Microsoft Active Directory Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-09

Apache Directory features and specs

No features have been listed yet.

Microsoft Active Directory features and specs

  • Centralized Management
    Active Directory allows for centralized management of user accounts, groups, and devices, making it easier to manage permissions and enforce policies across the enterprise.
  • Security
    AD offers robust security features, including support for multifactor authentication, Kerberos-based authentication, and fine-grained access controls to protect sensitive data.
  • Scalability
    Active Directory is highly scalable and can handle a large number of users and devices, making it suitable for both small and large organizations.
  • Integration
    AD integrates seamlessly with various Microsoft products and services, such as Exchange Server, SharePoint, and other third-party applications, providing a cohesive ecosystem.
  • Group Policy
    The Group Policy feature in AD allows administrators to enforce specific configurations and settings across all computers and users in the network, ensuring uniformity and compliance.
  • Replicated Data Store
    Active Directory uses a replicated data store, ensuring that domain information is consistent and up-to-date across all domain controllers.

Possible disadvantages of Microsoft Active Directory

  • Complexity
    Setting up and managing Active Directory can be complex, particularly for administrators who are not well-versed in Windows Server technologies.
  • Cost
    Implementing Active Directory can be expensive due to licensing, hardware requirements, and the need for skilled IT staff to manage it.
  • Single Point of Failure
    If not properly configured with redundancy, AD can become a single point of failure, leading to significant downtime if domain controllers go down.
  • Maintenance
    Regular maintenance tasks, such as updates, patches, and backups, are required to keep the AD environment secure and operational, which can be time-consuming.
  • Compatibility
    Some non-Windows operating systems and applications may not integrate seamlessly with Active Directory, requiring additional configuration or third-party solutions.
  • Cloud Adoption
    With the shift towards cloud-based identity and access management solutions, organizations may find traditional AD less aligned with modern, cloud-first strategies.

Apache Directory videos

Apache Directory Studio

More videos:

  • Review - 3. LDAP Apache Directory Studio: Create LDAP Server and Connection in Ubuntu

Microsoft Active Directory videos

No Microsoft Active Directory videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Directory and Microsoft Active Directory)
Identity And Access Management
Identity Provider
13 13%
87% 87
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
SSO
7 7%
93% 93

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Directory seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Directory mentions (1)

  • OpenLDAP Web UI
    I used to use Apache Directory Studio to manage my previous job LDAP implementation, not web but it works pretty good. Source: over 2 years ago

Microsoft Active Directory mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Microsoft Active Directory yet. Tracking of Microsoft Active Directory recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Directory and Microsoft Active Directory, you can also consider the following products

Okta - Enterprise-grade identity management for all your apps, users & devices

JumpCloud - Cloud-based directory services. Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory.

Auth0 - Auth0 is a program for people to get authentication and authorization services for their own business use.

Oracle Identity Manager - Oracle Identity Management enables oganizations to effectively manage the end-to-end lifecycle of user identities across all enterprise resources.

OneLogin - On-demand SSO, directory integration, user provisioning and more

Atlassian Crowd - Crowd is a single sign-on and user identity solution.