# LDAP Configuration

This guide explains how to implement LDAP authentication using an external server. User authentication will fall back to built-in Django users in the event of a failure.

## Install Requirements

### Install System Packages

```no-highlight
sudo apt install -y libldap2-dev libsasl2-dev libssl-dev
```

### Install django-auth-ldap

=== "Release archive or Git"

    Activate the Python virtual environment and install the `django-auth-ldap` package using pip:

    ```no-highlight
    source /opt/netbox/venv/bin/activate
    pip3 install django-auth-ldap
    ```

    Once installed, add the package to `local_requirements.txt` to ensure it is re-installed during future rebuilds of the virtual environment:

    ```no-highlight
    sudo sh -c "echo 'django-auth-ldap' >> /opt/netbox/local_requirements.txt"
    ```

=== "Python package (experimental)"

    Install NetBox's `ldap` optional dependency group, pinned to the installed NetBox version:

    ```no-highlight
    sudo /opt/netbox/venv/bin/python -m pip install "netbox[ldap]==X.Y.Z"
    ```

    Specify the `ldap` extra again when upgrading the NetBox package. See the [Python package upgrade procedure](upgrading.md#upgrade-a-python-package-installation-experimental).

## Configuration

First, enable the LDAP authentication backend in `configuration.py`. (Be sure to overwrite this definition if it is already set to `RemoteUserBackend`.)

```python
REMOTE_AUTH_BACKEND = 'netbox.authentication.LDAPBackend'
```

Next, create a file named `ldap_config.py` in the same directory as the active `configuration.py`. This is typically `/opt/netbox/netbox/netbox/` for a release archive or Git installation, or `/opt/netbox/conf/` for a Python package installation. Define all of the parameters required below in `ldap_config.py`. Complete documentation of all `django-auth-ldap` configuration options is included in the project's [official documentation](https://django-auth-ldap.readthedocs.io/).

For a Python package installation, protect the file while allowing the NetBox service account to read it:

```no-highlight
sudo chown root:netbox /opt/netbox/conf/ldap_config.py
sudo chmod 640 /opt/netbox/conf/ldap_config.py
```

### General Server Configuration

!!! info
    When using Active Directory you may need to specify a port on `AUTH_LDAP_SERVER_URI` to authenticate users from all domains in the forest. Use `3269` for secure, or `3268` for non-secure access to the GC (Global Catalog).

```python
import ldap

# Server URI
AUTH_LDAP_SERVER_URI = "ldaps://ad.example.com"

# The following may be needed if you are binding to Active Directory.
AUTH_LDAP_CONNECTION_OPTIONS = {
    ldap.OPT_REFERRALS: 0
}

# Set the DN and password for the NetBox service account.
AUTH_LDAP_BIND_DN = "CN=NETBOXSA, OU=Service Accounts,DC=example,DC=com"
AUTH_LDAP_BIND_PASSWORD = "demo"

# Include this setting if you want to ignore certificate errors. This might be needed to accept a self-signed cert.
# Note that this is a NetBox-specific setting which sets:
#     ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_REQUIRE_CERT, ldap.OPT_X_TLS_NEVER)
LDAP_IGNORE_CERT_ERRORS = True

# Include this setting if you want to validate the LDAP server certificates against a CA certificate directory on your server
# Note that this is a NetBox-specific setting which sets:
#     ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_CACERTDIR, LDAP_CA_CERT_DIR)
LDAP_CA_CERT_DIR = '/etc/ssl/certs'

# Include this setting if you want to validate the LDAP server certificates against your own CA.
# Note that this is a NetBox-specific setting which sets:
#     ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_CACERTFILE, LDAP_CA_CERT_FILE)
LDAP_CA_CERT_FILE = '/path/to/example-CA.crt'
```

STARTTLS can be configured by setting `AUTH_LDAP_START_TLS = True` and using the `ldap://` URI scheme.

### User Authentication

!!! info
    When using Windows Server 2012+, `AUTH_LDAP_USER_DN_TEMPLATE` should be set to None.

```python
from django_auth_ldap.config import LDAPSearch

# This search matches users with the sAMAccountName equal to the provided username. This is required if the user's
# username is not in their DN (Active Directory).
AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH = LDAPSearch("ou=Users,dc=example,dc=com",
                                    ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE,
                                    "(sAMAccountName=%(user)s)")

# If a user's DN is producible from their username, we don't need to search.
AUTH_LDAP_USER_DN_TEMPLATE = "uid=%(user)s,ou=users,dc=example,dc=com"

# You can map user attributes to Django attributes as so.
AUTH_LDAP_USER_ATTR_MAP = {
    "first_name": "givenName",
    "last_name": "sn",
    "email": "mail"
}
```

### User Groups for Permissions

!!! info
    When using Microsoft Active Directory, support for nested groups can be activated by using `NestedGroupOfNamesType()` instead of `GroupOfNamesType()` for `AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_TYPE`. You will also need to modify the import line to use `NestedGroupOfNamesType` instead of `GroupOfNamesType` .

```python
from django_auth_ldap.config import LDAPSearch, GroupOfNamesType

# This search ought to return all groups to which the user belongs. django_auth_ldap uses this to determine group
# hierarchy.
AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_SEARCH = LDAPSearch("dc=example,dc=com", ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE,
                                    "(objectClass=group)")
AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_TYPE = GroupOfNamesType()

# Define a group required to login.
AUTH_LDAP_REQUIRE_GROUP = "CN=NETBOX_USERS,DC=example,DC=com"

# Mirror LDAP group assignments.
AUTH_LDAP_MIRROR_GROUPS = True

# Define special user types using groups. Exercise great caution when assigning superuser status.
AUTH_LDAP_USER_FLAGS_BY_GROUP = {
    "is_active": "cn=active,ou=groups,dc=example,dc=com",
    "is_superuser": "cn=superuser,ou=groups,dc=example,dc=com"
}

# For more granular permissions, we can map LDAP groups to Django groups.
AUTH_LDAP_FIND_GROUP_PERMS = True

# Cache groups for one hour to reduce LDAP traffic
AUTH_LDAP_CACHE_TIMEOUT = 3600

```

* `is_active` - All users must be mapped to at least this group to enable authentication. Without this, users cannot log in.
* `is_superuser` - Users mapped to this group will be granted superuser status. Superusers are implicitly granted all permissions.

!!! warning
    Authentication will fail if the groups (the distinguished names) do not exist in the LDAP directory.

## Authenticating with Active Directory

Integrating Active Directory for authentication can be a bit challenging as it may require handling different login formats. This solution will allow users to log in either using their full User Principal Name (UPN) or their username alone, by filtering the DN according to either the `sAMAccountName` or the `userPrincipalName`. The following configuration options will allow your users to enter their usernames in the format `username` or `username@domain.tld`.

Just as before, the configuration options are defined in the file ldap_config.py. First, modify the `AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH` option to match the following:

```python
AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH = LDAPSearch(
    "ou=Users,dc=example,dc=com",
    ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE,
    "(|(userPrincipalName=%(user)s)(sAMAccountName=%(user)s))"
)
```

In addition, `AUTH_LDAP_USER_DN_TEMPLATE` should be set to `None` as described in the previous sections. Next, modify `AUTH_LDAP_USER_ATTR_MAP` to match the following:

```python
AUTH_LDAP_USER_ATTR_MAP = {
    "username": "sAMAccountName",
    "email": "mail",
    "first_name": "givenName",
    "last_name": "sn",
}
```

Finally, we need to add one more configuration option, `AUTH_LDAP_USER_QUERY_FIELD`. The following should be added to your LDAP configuration file:

```python
AUTH_LDAP_USER_QUERY_FIELD = "username"
```

With these configuration options, your users will be able to log in either with or without the UPN suffix.

### Example Configuration

!!! info
    This configuration is intended to serve as a template, but may need to be modified in accordance with your environment.

```python
import ldap
from django_auth_ldap.config import LDAPSearch, NestedGroupOfNamesType

# Server URI
AUTH_LDAP_SERVER_URI = "ldaps://ad.example.com:3269"

# The following may be needed if you are binding to Active Directory.
AUTH_LDAP_CONNECTION_OPTIONS = {
    ldap.OPT_REFERRALS: 0
}

# Set the DN and password for the NetBox service account.
AUTH_LDAP_BIND_DN = "CN=NETBOXSA,OU=Service Accounts,DC=example,DC=com"
AUTH_LDAP_BIND_PASSWORD = "demo"

# Include this setting if you want to ignore certificate errors. This might be needed to accept a self-signed cert.
# Note that this is a NetBox-specific setting which sets:
#     ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_REQUIRE_CERT, ldap.OPT_X_TLS_NEVER)
LDAP_IGNORE_CERT_ERRORS = False

# Include this setting if you want to validate the LDAP server certificates against a CA certificate directory on your server
# Note that this is a NetBox-specific setting which sets:
#     ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_CACERTDIR, LDAP_CA_CERT_DIR)
LDAP_CA_CERT_DIR = '/etc/ssl/certs'

# Include this setting if you want to validate the LDAP server certificates against your own CA.
# Note that this is a NetBox-specific setting which sets:
#     ldap.set_option(ldap.OPT_X_TLS_CACERTFILE, LDAP_CA_CERT_FILE)
LDAP_CA_CERT_FILE = '/path/to/example-CA.crt'

# This search matches users with the sAMAccountName equal to the provided username. This is required if the user's
# username is not in their DN (Active Directory).
AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH = LDAPSearch(
    "ou=Users,dc=example,dc=com",
    ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE,
    "(|(userPrincipalName=%(user)s)(sAMAccountName=%(user)s))"
)

# If a user's DN is producible from their username, we don't need to search.
AUTH_LDAP_USER_DN_TEMPLATE = None

# You can map user attributes to Django attributes as so.
AUTH_LDAP_USER_ATTR_MAP = {
    "username": "sAMAccountName",
    "email": "mail",
    "first_name": "givenName",
    "last_name": "sn",
}

AUTH_LDAP_USER_QUERY_FIELD = "username"

# This search ought to return all groups to which the user belongs. django_auth_ldap uses this to determine group
# hierarchy.
AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_SEARCH = LDAPSearch(
    "dc=example,dc=com",
    ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE,
    "(objectClass=group)"
)
AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_TYPE = NestedGroupOfNamesType()

# Define a group required to login.
AUTH_LDAP_REQUIRE_GROUP = "CN=NETBOX_USERS,DC=example,DC=com"

# Mirror LDAP group assignments.
AUTH_LDAP_MIRROR_GROUPS = True

# Define special user types using groups. Exercise great caution when assigning superuser status.
AUTH_LDAP_USER_FLAGS_BY_GROUP = {
    "is_active": "cn=active,ou=groups,dc=example,dc=com",
    "is_superuser": "cn=superuser,ou=groups,dc=example,dc=com"
}

# For more granular permissions, we can map LDAP groups to Django groups.
AUTH_LDAP_FIND_GROUP_PERMS = True

# Cache groups for one hour to reduce LDAP traffic
AUTH_LDAP_CACHE_TIMEOUT = 3600
AUTH_LDAP_ALWAYS_UPDATE_USER = True
```

## Troubleshooting LDAP

`systemctl restart netbox` restarts the NetBox service, and initiates any changes made to `ldap_config.py`. If there are syntax errors present, the NetBox process will not spawn an instance, and errors should be logged to `/var/log/messages`.

For troubleshooting LDAP user/group queries, add or merge the following [logging](../configuration/system.md#logging) configuration to `configuration.py`:

```python
LOGGING = {
    'version': 1,
    'disable_existing_loggers': False,
    'handlers': {
        'netbox_auth_log': {
            'level': 'DEBUG',
            'class': 'logging.handlers.RotatingFileHandler',
            'filename': '/opt/netbox/local/logs/django-ldap-debug.log',
            'maxBytes': 1024 * 500,
            'backupCount': 5,
        },
    },
    'loggers': {
        'django_auth_ldap': {
            'handlers': ['netbox_auth_log'],
            'level': 'DEBUG',
        },
    },
}
```

Ensure the file and path specified in logfile exist and are writable and executable by the application service account. Restart the netbox service and attempt to log into the site to trigger log entries to this file.
