L.D.A.P?? What’s That All About??
Tags: servicenow, learning, discuss, cloud
Published: 2024-01-24 18:49:22

**LDAP – not just initials, but the master of "Linking Data, Acing Precision" in the symphony of ServiceNow! 🎯🎯**

Okay, pause! I know you might be rolling your eyes at another corny pun, I’m sorry I can’t help it🤭. But hey, let's dive into the LDAP world because I sense you're still wondering, "What the heck is it?"

**LDAP** stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. It's the backstage pass for ServiceNow, allowing you to fetch data from different servers. Think of it as the VIP access to keeping tabs on all the cool users in an organization, offering a cross-platform authentication protocol for directory services.
Now, let's talk magic🪄🪄 ! ServiceNow administrators utilize LDAP for automating administrative operations – creating users, assigning roles, and speeding up the user login process.

**Why is LDAP so 🆒 ?** Well, it plays a crucial role in ServiceNow integration. LDAP Integration lets your ServiceNow instance tap into an existing LDAP server (we're talking Microsoft, Active Directory, Novell, Domino, Open LDAP) as the master source of user data. The result? User-data auto-populated like magic! 🪄
 
But hold on, it's not just about data auto-population, LDAP Integration brings Single Sign-On (SSO)👩🏽‍💻 into the spotlight. Imagine one password ruling them all – that's SSO, and LDAP is a key player🗝️. It uses LDAP Service account credentials, ensuring a smooth ride for users accessing multiple services/identity providers.
And here's the trick – LDAP Integration is a one-way street to data town🚏. It reads from the LDAP server but never writes on Active Directory🚫. Change your password on LDAP? It reflects on ServiceNow. Change it on ServiceNow? Nope! LDAP remains untouched.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4vul7h0pc3u20e485jw4.png)

But wait, I know you’re itching to try this out, right? No LDAP server? No problem! Google "Test LDAP Server," and voila – thousands of online LDAP test servers are ready for your testing pleasure to see how LDAP Integration works.

Now, for the grand finale – how to perform LDAP Integration in ServiceNow. Buckle up🥋🤓:

1. Log into ServiceNow as a system administrator.
2. Type "LDAP" in the filter navigator and click "Create New Server."
3. Choose Active Directory or another directory type.
4. Fill in Server Name (e.g., DemoLDAP) and Server URL (e.g., ldap://ldap.forumsys.com).
5. Submit and save the form.
6. Navigate to the bottom of the form which has a Related list of LDAP OU Definitions, which has a list of Users & Groups. 
7. Define your filter condition for Users/Groups.
8. Save the Users/Groups form.
9. Test the connection and browse to see the fetched data.
10. Celebrate – you've got data from the LDAP server!🙌🏾

But the show doesn't end there! Push that data to your ServiceNow instance with Transform Maps. Automap Assist is your friend – it helps map fields to target fields effortlessly. Once done, transform the data to the •target• table. Check the table, and voilà – you've nailed LDAP Integration!

Now, take a bow, and here's a virtual round of applause for your LDAP powers! 🎉👏. You Rock !!😎

Until next time 👋🏾. Here are some links to help you get started with LDAP & Integration: 

•What is ServiceNow Integration: 
https://www.servicenow.com/content/dam/servicenow-assets/public/en-us/doc-type/success/enablement/integration-implementation-faq.pdf

•ServiceNow LDAP : https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/vancouver-platform-security/page/integrate/ldap/concept/c_LDAPIntegration.html

•Understanding ServiceNow LDAP :
https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/vancouver-platform-security/page/integrate/ldap/reference/r_LDAPIntegrationFAQs.html

•LDAP Test Servers : https://www.google.com/search?q=ldap+test+server&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

•Configure LDAP in ServiceNow : https://youtu.be/e4c0MgJzwu4?si=GN70OLjLRKIDzvxG