- Key benefits of integrating GitHub and AD
- How to integrate GitHub with AD using LDAP
- Why use ADManager Plus for GitHub-AD integration?
As your teams grow, so can the complexity of managing identities and permissions, especially if you're using GitHub and Active Directory (AD) separately. Integrating the two allows for seamless scaling, giving developers instant access to the necessary resources and tools while ensuring IT teams retain control, saving time for everyone.
The GitHub-AD integration ensures that access management remains streamlined, secure, and consistent. However, setting up this integration using native tools like Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and PowerShell can be cumbersome, requiring technical expertise and ongoing maintenance.
In this blog, we’ll break down why this integration matters, how you can set it up manually, and how to make the process a whole lot easier with ADManager Plus.
Key benefits of integrating GitHub and AD
When not integrated, GitHub and AD operate in silos, making access management and centralized control more difficult to achieve. That means:
- Every time someone joins or leaves your team, you’re updating permissions in both GitHub and AD .
- Missed updates can leave orphaned GitHub accounts floating around, potentially exposing your repositories.
- Instead of focusing on critical tasks, your IT team is stuck in a never-ending loop of access updates.
Integrating the two eliminates these issues by centralizing user management. Once connected, any changes made in AD, whether adding, modifying, or removing users, are automatically reflected in GitHub.
How to integrate GitHub with AD using LDAP
If you're ready to integrate GitHub with AD manually, LDAP is a common starting point. Here’s how to perform the integration manually:
- Configure your LDAP server
Ensure that AD is configured and accessible to your GitHub Enterprise Server instance. Verify the LDAP hostname, port, and necessary user credentials.
- Connect GitHub to your LDAP server
On GitHub, navigate to your organization's settings and enable LDAP authentication. GitHub supports LDAP for enterprise authentication, so you’ll need to configure it by entering the details of your LDAP server, such as the hostname, port, and SSL settings. You’ll also need to specify the Distinguished Name (DN) for your LDAP server and user base.
- Map AD groups to GitHub teams
The next step is to map your AD groups to GitHub teams or repositories. This step requires ensuring that your AD groups are structured to match your access requirements in GitHub.
- Test the configuration
You can use GitHub’s test functionality to verify that LDAP authentication works and that users can log in using their AD credentials. Make sure the permissions align properly—users should only have access to the repositories that correspond to their AD group memberships.
- Perform ongoing maintenance
Once everything is set up, you’ll need to maintain the connection between GitHub and AD. This involves regularly updating LDAP configurations, adding and removing users from AD, and ensuring that changes in AD groups are reflected in GitHub teams. You'll also need to monitor for any authentication errors or security issues.
For a comprehensive guide on integrating LDAP with GitHub Enterprise Server, refer to the official documentation here.
While manually integrating AD with Github is possible, it’s not exactly user-friendly. Even IT pros will find themselves dealing with steep learning curves and limited visibility.
Besides being a time consuming process, misconfigurations can create security holes or break workflows. Furthermore, LDAP doesn’t offer an intuitive way to track who has access to what. You’ll need scripts or additional tools to generate meaningful insights.
Why use ADManager Plus for GitHub-AD integration?
ADManager Plus helps you go beyond integration—it streamlines user management, enhances security, and automates critical tasks between GitHub and AD. Here's why it's the ideal choice:
- Effortless setup: No need for complex LDAP configurations or scripts.
- Automated updates: Sync user and group changes from AD to GitHub automatically.
- Centralized control: Manage permissions for both platforms from a single interface.
- Enhanced security: Eliminate orphaned accounts and ensure real-time updates.
- Scalable solution: Handles teams of all sizes without added complexity.
Streamline your GitHub-AD integration today. Start your free trial of ADManager Plus and explore our marketplace for more powerful integrations.