Replacing Entra ID & Active Directory¶

Active Directory (AD) and Entra ID provide identification services like the user directory and Single Sign On (SSO). While both can be replaced with open source technology, Nextcloud can also use them to authenticate users.

Basically, Nextcloud has an integrated user management that works without external components. However, that is meant only as Nextcloud internal user management and won’t integrate well with third-party systems. That is why an additional user management is recommended in enterprise environments. If you want to replace your AD and Entra ID completely with open source products, can run OpenLDAP and Keycloak as direct replacements and use Nextcloud’s LDAP and OpenID Connect or Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) integration to connect them to your instance. You can also have a look at ready- to-use partner products which can find at the Nextcloud Platform homepage.

If your organization depends a lot on AD and Entra ID, you can continue using them even when setting up Nextcloud. On our customer portal you can find specific guides on how to set up the integration.