Create an LDAP Realm or an Active Directory Realm and Realm Directory

If you're setting up ISE/ISE-PIC without a realm, be aware there is a user session timeout that affects how users are seen by the management center. For more information, see Realm Fields.

The following procedure enables you to create a realm (a connection between the management center and an Active Directory realm) and a directory (a connection between the management center and an LDAP server or an Active Directory domain controller).

(Recommended.) To connect securely from the management center to your Active Directory server, first perform the following tasks:

Microsoft has announced that Active Directory servers will start enforcing LDAP binding and LDAP signing in 2020. Microsoft is making these a requirement because when using default settings, an elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows that could allow a man-in-the-middle attacker to successfully forward an authentication request to a Windows LDAP server. For more information, see 2020 LDAP channel binding and LDAP signing requirement for Windows on the Microsoft support site.

For more information about realm and directory configuration fields, see Realm Fields and Realm Directory and Synchronize fields.

A step-by-step example of setting up a realm with cross-domain trust is shown in Configure the Management Center for Cross-Domain-Trust: The Setup.

An Active Directory Global Catalog server is not supported as a realm directory. For more information about the Global Catalog Server, see Global Catalog on learn.microsoft.com.

Note

You must specify a unique AD Primary Domain for every Microsoft Active Directory (AD) realm. Although the system allows you to specify the same AD Primary Domain for different Microsoft AD realms, the system won't function properly. This happens because system assigns a unique ID to every user and group in each realm; therefore, the system cannot definitively identify any particular user or group. The system prevents you from specifying more than one realm with the same AD Primary Domain because users and groups won't be identified properly. This happens because system assigns a unique ID to every user and group in each realm; therefore, the system cannot definitively identify any particular user or group.

If you're setting up ISE/ISE-PIC without a realm, be aware there is a user session timeout that affects how users are seen by the management center. For more information, see Realm Fields.

Before you begin

If you're using Kerberos authentication for captive portal, see the following section before you begin: Prerequisites for Kerberos Authentication.

Note

Microsoft Azure Active Directory is not supported for captive portal.

If you are managing devices with Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO), create a proxy sequence first as discussed in Create a Proxy Sequence

Important

To reduce latency between the management center and your Active Directory domain controller, we strongly recommend you configure a realm directory (that is, domain controller) that is as close as possible geographically to the management center.

For example, if your management center is in North America, configure a realm directory that is also in North America. Failure to do so can cause problems such as timeout downloading users and groups.

Procedure

Step 1

Log in to the Secure Firewall Management Center.

Step 2

Click Integration > Other Integrations > Realms.

Step 3

To create a new realm, choose from Add Realm drop-down list.

Step 4

To perform other tasks (such as enable, disable, or delete a realm), see Manage a Realm.

Step 5

Enter realm information as discussed in Realm Fields.

Step 6

(Optional.) From the Proxy list, click a managed device or proxy sequence to communicate with ISE/ISE-PIC if CDO is unable to do so. For example, your CDO might be in a public cloud but the ISE/ISE-PIC server might be on an internal intranet.

Step 7

In the Directory Server Configuration section, enter directory information as discussed in Realm Directory and Synchronize fields.

Step 8

(Optional.) To configure another domain for this realm, click Add another directory.

Step 9

Click Configure Groups and Users.

Enter the following information:

Information

Description

AD Primary Domain

Domain for the Active Directory server where users should be authenticated. For additional information, see Realm Fields.

Base DN

The directory tree on the server where the management center should begin searching for user data.

Group DN

The directory tree on the server where the management center should begin searching for group data.

Proxy

From the list, click one or more managed devices or a proxy sequence. These devices must be able to communicate with Active Directory or ISE/ISE-PIC to retrieve user data for identity policies.

Load Groups

Click to load groups from the Active Directory server. If no groups are displayed, enter or edit information in the AD Primary Domain, Base DN, and Group DN fields and click Load Groups.

For more information about those fields, see Realm Fields.

Available Groups section

Limit the groups to use in policy by moving them to either the Included Groups and Users or Excluded Groups and Users list.

Moving one group to the Included Groups and Users list, for example, allows that group only to be used in policy but excludes all other groups.

Groups in the Excluded Groups and Users and the users they contain are excluded from excluded from user awareness and control. All other groups and users are available.

For more information, see Realm Directory and Synchronize fields.

Step 10

Click the Realm Configuration tab.

Step 11

Enter Group Attribute, and (if you use Kerberos authentication for captive portal) enter AD Join Username and AD Join Password. For more information, see Realm Directory and Synchronize fields.

Step 12

If you use Kerberos authentication, click Test. If the test fails, wait a short time and try again.

Step 13

Enter user session timeout values, in minutes, for ISE/ISE-PIC Users, Terminal Server Agent Users, Captive Portal Users, Failed Captive Portal Users, and Guest Captive Portal Users.

Step 14

When you're finished configuring the realm, click Save.

What to do next