Configure FreeIPA

If your organization uses FreeIPA for user authentication, you can configure Rancher to allow your users to login using their FreeIPA credentials.

Prerequisites:

• You must have a FreeIPA Server configured.
• Create a service account in FreeIPA with read-only access. Rancher uses this account to verify group membership when a user makes a request using an API key.
• Read External Authentication Configuration and Principal Users.

1. Sign into Rancher using a local user assigned the administrator role (i.e., the local principal).

2. In the top left corner, click ☰ > Users & Authentication.

3. In the left navigation menu, click Auth Provider.

4. Click FreeIPA.

5. Complete the Configure an FreeIPA server form.

   You may need to log in to your domain controller to find the information requested in the form.

   Using TLS?

   If the certificate is self-signed or not from a recognized certificate authority, make sure you provide the complete chain. That chain is needed to verify the server’s certificate.

   User Search Base vs. Group Search Base

   Search base allows Rancher to search for users and groups that are in your FreeIPA. These fields are only for search bases and not for search filters.

   • If your users and groups are in the same search base, complete only the User Search Base.
   • If your groups are in a different search base, you can optionally complete the Group Search Base. This field is dedicated to searching groups, but is not required.

6. If your FreeIPA deviates from the standard AD schema, complete the Customize Schema form to match it. Otherwise, skip this step.

   Search Attribute

   The Search Attribute field defaults with three specific values: uid|sn|givenName. After FreeIPA is configured, when a user enters text to add users or groups, Rancher automatically queries the FreeIPA server and attempts to match fields by user id, last name, or first name. Rancher specifically searches for users/groups that begin with the text entered in the search field.

   The default field value uid|sn|givenName, but you can configure this field to a subset of these fields. The pipe (|) between the fields separates these fields.

   • uid: User ID
   • sn: Last Name
   • givenName: First Name

   With this search attribute, Rancher creates search filters for users and groups, but you cannot add your own search filters in this field.

7. Enter your FreeIPA username and password in Authenticate with FreeIPA to confirm that Rancher is configured to use FreeIPA authentication.

8. Click Enable.

Result:

• FreeIPA authentication is configured.
• You are signed into Rancher with your FreeIPA account (i.e., the external principal).