InterAction’s Active Directory integration streamlines your deployment and use of InterAction. Not only can you specify which users and groups from Active Directory should be added to InterAction, but also key information on these groups that is updated in Active Directory is added to InterAction through a synchronization process.
This integration will save you valuable time. You do not need to worry about the following:
-
Adding users and groups to InterAction that you are already maintaining in Active Directory.
Your deployment time is reduced since the applicable users and groups are added to InterAction through the Active Directory Sync process, requiring only some limited, initial setup.
-
Maintaining key user account and group information in InterAction and Active Directory.
As long as the applicable user or group is marked for synchronization with InterAction, changes made to key fields in Active Directory are automatically added to InterAction the next time Active Directory synchronizes with InterAction.
What Information is Synchronized?
This is a one-way synchronization where Active Directory manages the User Account and User Group information.
The following information is synchronized between Active Directory and InterAction:
User Account Fields
- Account Name
- Status
- First Name
- Last Name
- Professional
Group Fields
- Group Name
- Status
- Group Membership
InterAction Installation Components
InterAction’s integration with Active Directory requires that you install three additional InterAction components:
- InterAction Active Directory Sync - This is a scheduled, automated process that keeps InterAction up-to-date with changes and additions made to your users and groups in Active Directory.
- InterAction Snap-in for Active Directory - The InterAction Snap-in extends the Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in to provide you with the ability to manage InterAction user accounts from within Active Directory. The InterAction Snap-in for Active Directory lets you specify which user accounts should be synchronized with InterAction as well as which of those should be active or inactive. For the InterAction snap-in to be accessible, you must have the Microsoft Active Directory snap-in installed. For details on configuring the snap-in, see Configure and Use IA Snap-in for Active Directory.
- InterAction Active Directory Sync Configuration - This updates the Active Directory schema with two InterAction objects (one for users and one for groups). For more information on this component, see the InterAction Installation Reference guide.
You will also use InterAction Administrator to configure Active Directory Sync and InterAction Process Manager to schedule the Active Directory Sync process.
Matching Active Directory and InterAction Users and Groups
Typically, matching is required when initially configuring Active Directory Sync, but can also happen on an ongoing basis. This is the process of identifying which users and groups in Active Directory should be mapped or matched with existing InterAction users and groups.
By matching users and groups, you are saying that the corresponding accounts are the same and that any update made to the account in Active Directory should also be realized in InterAction. Through matching, the synchronization process knows which user account or group to update in InterAction when they are modified in Active Directory.
When possible, user accounts that meet certain matching criteria are automatically matched. You are then given the ability to match or unmatch any user accounts manually. Groups are not matched automatically. They must be matched manually.
See Configuring Active Directory Synchronization for more information.
Scheduling Active Directory Sync
Like other processes included with InterAction (for example, User to Firm Contact Sync and Folder Dependency Analyzer), Active Directory Sync can be scheduled to run at predetermined times. For details on scheduling Active Directory Sync, see Configuring Active Directory Synchronization.
User and Group Change History
You can view all changes made to accounts and groups, including updates made through Active Directory Sync. For more information on the change history dialog boxes see Review History of Changes Made to User Accounts or Review History of Changes Made to Groups.
Preparing a Test Environment
Prior to running Active Directory Sync in your production environment, run the synchronization in a test environment using a copy of your production database. Since this process cannot easily be undone, you will want to verify that the users and groups in Active Directory match up with the users and groups in InterAction appropriately.
Active Directory Administrator Rights
In order for you to perform the Active Directory integration tasks, you must either have Schema Administrator permissions in Active Directory or be a member of the Active Directory Schema Administrators group, and you must be a member of the Domain Users group. See your Microsoft Active Directory documentation for more information.