# Example: integrating Microsoft Active Directory Servers

A general overview of integrating Active Directory servers.

For more information about configuring the NPS, see Microsoft’s documentation at https://⁠technet.microsoft.com.

Company B has an existing Microsoft Active Directory server that stores user information. They decide to use this existing information for user authentication.

The administrators:

1. Define an Active Directory Server element.
2. Add the SMC-specific classes and attributes into the Active Directory server’s configuration to be able to fully manage the user accounts through the SMC Client.
3. Define the Management Server as an LDAP client for the Active Directory server.
4. Define the Engine as an authentication client for the NPS.
5. Add an LDAP Domain element for the Active Directory server in the SMC Client.
6. Add an Access rule with authentication defined as shown here.

   Table 1. Example Access rule for NPS authentication
   Source | Destination | Authentication
   --- | --- | ---
   IP addresses of authenticated hosts. | IP addresses of network services that require authentication. | Some User or User Group elements from the AD’s LDAP Domain. Require authentication with “Network Policy Server” Authentication Method.