Microsoft Active Directory Alternatives
Microsoft Active Directory is described as 'Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that Microsoft developed for Windows domain networks and included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services' and is an app in the network & admin category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Microsoft Active Directory for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Windows, Self-Hosted, Mac and Web-based apps. The best Microsoft Active Directory alternative is Zentyal. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Samba or Univention Corporate Server (UCS). Other great apps like Microsoft Active Directory are FreeIPA, Microsoft Entra ID, SambaBox and pGina Fork.
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Microsoft Active Directory alternatives are mainly Identity Management Tools but may also be Linux Distros or Operating Systems. Other popular filters includes Linux + Open Source. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Microsoft Active Directory.- Paid • Proprietary
26 Zentyal alternativesZentyal is a native Microsoft Active Directory implementation on Linux incorporating all the network services required in a small and medium business environment: Directory & Domain Server, Mail Server, Gateway and Infrastructure Server.
Zentyal Features
Zentyal VS Microsoft Active Directory
Comments about Zentyal as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
pitouIt's free and easy to use.
14 Samba alternativesSamba is the standard Windows interoperability suite of programs for Linux and Unix.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Platforms
- Mac
- Linux
- BSD
Samba Features
Samba VS Microsoft Active Directory
Comments about Samba as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
Samba's main prupose is usage of SMB protocol on linux computers than managing ones through a LDAP
It's literally a reimplementation of AD on Linux. Samba has been around for many years and is trusted by thousands of admins to provide seamless Windows interoperability.
96 Univention Corporate Server (UCS) alternativesUCS is an open platform for central Identity & Access Management, IT Management, and Active Directory, with a web portal for easy access to applications.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Country of Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
Univention Corporate Server (UCS) Features
Univention Corporate Server (UCS) VS Microsoft Active Directory
Comments about Univention Corporate Server (UCS) as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
it works flawless and it's free as long you don't need commercial support. Companies can get professional support from UCS or UCS Partners. It is the most complete alternative to MS ADS.
19 FreeIPA alternativesFreeIPA is an integrated security information management solution combining Linux (Fedora), 389 Directory Server, MIT Kerberos, NTP, DNS, Dogtag (Certificate System). It consists of a web interface and command-line administration tools.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Country of Origin
United States
Platforms
- Linux
FreeIPA Features
FreeIPA VS Microsoft Active Directory
Comments about FreeIPA as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
soyatam443They explicitly state that they don't intend to be a drop in replacement for active directory.
not only completely free its the only one i implimented and joined linux hosts to it. all the rest failed to deliver.
30 Microsoft Entra ID alternativesMicrosoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is a comprehensive identity and access management cloud solution that provides a robust set of capabilities to manage users and groups.
License model
- Freemium • Proprietary
Application type
Country of Origin
- United States
Platforms
- Online
Microsoft Entra ID Features
Microsoft Entra ID VS Microsoft Active Directory
18 SambaBox alternativesSambaBox is an enterprise directory appliance with Web based management interface. SambaBox also offers integrated domain name (DNS), dynamic computer configuration (DHCP), certificate authority (CA), Microsoft Exchange compatible and also supports up to 2016 Functional Level...
License model
- Paid • Proprietary
Application types
Platforms
- Self-Hosted
SambaBox VS Microsoft Active Directory
Comments about SambaBox as an Alternative to Microsoft Active Directory
Most Recent Commentsudo-supeI like SambaBox as an alternative to Microsoft AD for its robust GPO management and sleek web interface. It excels with secure, extensive API integrations and efficient bulk operations, making it effective for handling large user data and policies.
I tried with demo license. It was worked with my windows and mac enviroment.
SambaBOX offers more tools than standart Microsoft Active Directory like CA, DHCP, SNMP. Best part is installation takes just minutes.
4 pGina Fork alternativespGina is a replacement for the default Windows Credential Provider. Through plugins, pGina allows you to configure the login process from authentication and authorization through Radius, SSH, Kerberos, POP, IMAP,... remote servers.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Platforms
- Windows
pGina Fork Features
pGina Fork VS Microsoft Active Directory
8 389 Directory Server alternativesEnterprise-class open source Linux LDAP server. Hardened by real-world use, full-featured, supports multi-master replication. 389 DS can be downloaded for free and set up in less than an hour using the graphical console.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Country of Origin
- United States
Platforms
- Linux
- CentOS
- Fedora
389 Directory Server VS Microsoft Active Directory
14 OpenLDAP alternativesOpenLDAP Software is an open source implementation of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Platforms
- Mac
- Linux
- BSD
OpenLDAP VS Microsoft Active Directory
100% drop-in replacement, tried and tested by yours truely.