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Univention Corporate Server VS 389 Directory Server

Compare Univention Corporate Server VS 389 Directory Server and see what are their differences

Univention Corporate Server logo Univention Corporate Server

Univention Corporate Server UCS with Active Directory functions and App Center is the cost-efficient and popular successor to Microsoft's server solutions.

389 Directory Server logo 389 Directory Server

Enterprise-class open source Linux LDAP server.
  • Univention Corporate Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-18

Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is a free platform designed to operate and manage server applications, user identities, and complete IT infrastructures. Whether you are aiming to deploy Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X or Linux systems: UCS is suited perfectly for the management of distributed, heterogeneous and virtualized IT environments. Its integrated identity management system allows the simple administration of users, identities, applications. Firthermore, the central management of server and desktop systems can be managed via an intuitive web interface. UCS has its own App Center where users find multiple applications (like Nextcloud, ownCloud, Collabora, ONLYOFFICE, Jitsi and many others). These apps can easily be integrated into the IDM of UCS. Users can easily access these applications via an online portal via single sign-on. Another prominent feature is that UCS offers AD functionality and an AD Connector to operate UCS parallel to a Windows Server.

  • 389 Directory Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-20

Univention Corporate Server features and specs

  • Open Source
    Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is open source, which means it is freely available to use, modify, and distribute. This allows organizations to customize the server to fit their unique needs without incurring additional licensing costs.
  • Scalability
    UCS is designed to be highly scalable, which means it can efficiently handle the growth of an organization. It supports the management of multiple servers and services from a central interface, making it suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises.
  • Integrated Management
    UCS offers a comprehensive management system that includes tools for user and identity management, as well as capabilities to administer apps and services through a centralized web interface. This integration simplifies administrative tasks.
  • Extensive App Ecosystem
    UCS provides an App Center with a wide range of pre-packaged applications that can be easily installed and integrated into the ecosystem. These include office productivity, collaboration, and groupware solutions.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    With its support for various operating systems and devices, UCS ensures seamless integration and interoperability within diverse IT environments, enhancing its flexibility for administrators.

Possible disadvantages of Univention Corporate Server

  • Learning Curve
    Despite its comprehensive features, newcomers to UCS might find its management and configuration tools challenging at first, requiring time to fully understand and utilize effectively.
  • Resource Intensiveness
    Running UCS can be resource-intensive, particularly when scaling up or using multiple services concurrently, which might necessitate more robust hardware infrastructure.
  • Community Support Limitations
    While UCS is open source, support primarily relies on community forums and documentation, which might not be as prompt or comprehensive as dedicated support services available with commercial solutions.
  • Customization Complexity
    Customizing UCS beyond its standard capabilities may require a deeper understanding of its architecture and Linux systems, potentially complicating deployments for users without advanced technical skills.
  • Initial Setup Time
    The setup process for UCS can be time-consuming, especially for organizations with complex environments or specific requirements. This might entail extended setup or migration phases.

389 Directory Server features and specs

  • Open Source
    389 Directory Server is open source, providing transparency and community-driven development. This allows for more extensive peer review and potentially faster iteration.
  • Multiplatform Support
    The server runs on multiple platforms, including Linux distributions such as CentOS, Fedora, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, increasing its versatility across different environments.
  • Scalability
    389 Directory Server is designed to handle large directories with millions of entries, making it suitable for enterprise-level deployments.
  • Rich Feature Set
    It offers a comprehensive set of features including replication, SSL/TLS encryption, and a powerful access control mechanism, which are crucial for robust directory management.
  • Active Community and Support
    An active community and commercial support options are available, providing resources for troubleshooting and improving the software.
  • Role-Based Access Control
    Provides detailed access management through role-based access control, improving security and flexibility in user management.

Possible disadvantages of 389 Directory Server

  • Complex Setup
    Initial setup and configuration can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a good understanding of directory services.
  • Limited Windows Integration
    Integration with Windows environments may not be as seamless compared to solutions specifically designed for Windows, such as Active Directory.
  • User Interface
    The administrative user interface may not be as intuitive or mature as some commercial alternatives, potentially increasing the learning curve for new administrators.
  • Documentation Quality
    While documentation exists, it might not always be comprehensive or up-to-date, which can pose challenges for deployment and troubleshooting.
  • Resource Intensive
    The server can be resource-intensive, requiring substantial system resources for high-performance situations, which may be a concern for larger deployments.

Analysis of Univention Corporate Server

Overall verdict

  • Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is generally considered a robust and flexible solution for businesses looking for an open-source alternative to server management.

Why this product is good

  • UCS provides comprehensive identity and infrastructure management, integrates easily with other software and services, and offers a user-friendly web-based interface. It supports a wide range of applications and services, making it suitable for various IT environments. It also offers strong community support and ongoing updates, which contribute to its reliability and adaptability.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized businesses looking for cost-effective server management
  • Organizations seeking open-source alternatives for identity and infrastructure management
  • IT departments requiring a scalable and customizable server solution
  • Educational institutions and research organizations that benefit from open-source community support
  • Businesses looking to integrate with cloud services and applications

Univention Corporate Server videos

Univention Corporate Server (UCS) 4.2 Installation + Review + VMware Tools on VMware Workstation

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Install Univention Corporate Server 4.1.4 + Review + VMware Tools on VMware Workstation [HD]
  • Review - Univention Corporate Server (UCS) running and managing Nextcloud - Install, Config and Use

389 Directory Server videos

Central Authentication with 389 Directory Server - I

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Univention Corporate Server and 389 Directory Server)
Cloud Computing
69 69%
31% 31
Cloud Storage
83 83%
17% 17
Identity And Access Management
Storage
100 100%
0% 0

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Univention Corporate Server and 389 Directory Server, you can also consider the following products

Zentyal - Linux directory, domain, mail, gateway and infrastructure server for SMBs.

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Microsoft Active Directory - Active Directory is a special-purpose database \ 8212; it is not a registry replacement.

OpenMediaVault - OpenMediaVault is the next generation network attached storage (NAS) solution based on Debian Linux.