Azure AD IdP for SAML Integration

Overview

This guide provides an example on how to configure Aviatrix to authenticate against Azure AD IdP. When SAML client is used, your Aviatrix controller acts as the Identity Service Provider (ISP) that redirects browser traffic from client to IdP (e.g., Azure AD) for authentication.

Before configuring SAML integration between Aviatrix and Azure AD, make sure you have a valid Azure AD Premium subscription account with administrator access.

Configuration Steps

Follow these steps to configure Aviatrix to authenticate against your Azure AD IdP:

Step 1. Create a temporary Aviatrix SP Endpoint in the Aviatrix Controller

Step 2. Create an Azure AD SAML Application for Aviatrix in the Azure Portal’s Premium Subscription Account

Step 3. Retrieve the Azure AD IdP metadata

Step 4. Update the Aviatrix SP Endpoint in the Aviatrix Controller

Step 5. Test the Integration is Set Up Correctly

Step 1. Create an Aviatrix SP Endpoint

Visit one of the following links based on your use case and follow step1 (Create temporary Aviatrix SP Endpoint for Aviatrix) from the link’s Configuration section:

If integrating Azure AD IdP with Controller Login SAML Config

If integrating Azure AD IdP with OpenVPN with SAML Authentication

This step will ask you to pick a short name to be used for the SAML application name [Endpoint Name]. In the notes below we will refer to this as aviatrix_azuread. It can be any string that will identify the SAML application you create in the IdP.

We will use the string you select for the SAML application name to generate a URL for Azure AD to connect with Aviatrix. This URL is defined below as SP_ACS_URL. This URL should be constructed as:

https://<<<your controller ip or host name>>>/flask/saml/sso/<<<aviatrix_azuread>>>

Tip

Replace <<<your controller ip or host name>>> with the actual host name or IP address of your controller and <<<aviatrix_azuread>>> with the [Endpoint Name] you chose to refer to the SAML application.

Step 2. Create an Azure AD SAML App for Aviatrix

Connect to Azure

Login to your Azure portal

Create Custom SAML Application

1. Go to the Azure Active Directory service

2. Select Enterprise Applications under Manage navigation menu item

3. Click + New application

   

   Note

   You must be an administrator to add new Enterprise Applications.

4. Click Non-gallery application

   

5. Enter a Display Name

   Note

   Custom applications requires an Azure AD Premium subscription.

   

6. Click Add

Assign Users to this Application

1. Click Users and groups below Manage

2. Click + Add user

3. Select a User and Role

4. Click Assign

   

Single Sign-on Configuration

Click Single sign-on below Manage

Application Domain and URLs

1. Select SAML-based Sign-on from the Single Sign-on Mode drop down

2. Fill out the fields

   Field	Value
   Identifier (Entity ID)	https://<<<your controller>>>
   Reply URL	SP_ACS_URL
   Show Advanced URL settings	checked
   Sign on URL	SP_ACS_URL
   Relay State	(leave blank)

The links for the SAML Identifier, Reply URL, and Sign on URL should point to the Application Gateway domain instead of the Aviatrix controller.

User Attributes

1. Enter user.mail for User Identifier

2. Click View and edit all other user attributes

3. Add the following SAML Token Attributes (please find the right values from your Azure user details to match firstname, lastname and email). You can also add “Profile” and send the profile name of a VPN profile - at this time,we only support attaching one profile per user via SAML

   NAME	VALUE	NAMESPACE
   FirstName	user.givenname	(blank)
   LastName	user.surname	(blank)
   Email	user.mail	(blank)

   

4. Verify that the Namespace URI is blank like so for each claim.

   

Step 3. Retrieve the Azure AD IdP metadata

SAML Signing Certificate

1. Find the Metadata XML link

2. Click the link to download the file

   

   The XML file contents will be provided to the Aviatrix SP endpoint later on.

Save Application

Click Save

Step 4. Update the Aviatrix SP Endpoint

Note

This step is usually completed by the Aviatrix admin. Azure AD IdP provides IdP Metadata through text obtained in Retrieve Azure AD IdP metadata (Step 3). Azure AD IdP requires a custom SAML request template.

Continue with updating Aviatrix SAML Endpoint by visiting one of the following links based on your use case:

1. If integrating Azure IdP with Controller Login SAML Config

2. If integrating Azure IdP with OpenVPN with SAML Authentication

Note

Each endpoint only supports one type of access. If you need admin and read-only access, create two separate SAML apps. Hostname is the default for Entity ID, but if you have other apps using the same hostname, use a custom Entity ID.

1. Copy the following into the Custom SAML Request Template field:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <samlp:AuthnRequest xmlns:samlp="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:protocol" ID="$ID" Version="2.0" IssueInstant="$Time" Destination="$Dest" ForceAuthn="false" IsPassive="false" ProtocolBinding="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:bindings:HTTP-POST" AssertionConsumerServiceURL="$ACS">
   <saml:Issuer xmlns:saml="urn:oasis:names:tc:SAML:2.0:assertion">$Issuer</saml:Issuer>
   </samlp:AuthnRequest>
   

   Note

   This is required to connect with Azure AD. If you don’t do this, you will receive an error message when testing.

2. Click OK

Step 5. Test the Integration

Tip

Be sure to assign users to the new application in Azure AD prior to validating. If you do not assign your test user to the Aviatrix SAML application, you will receive an error.

Continue with testing the integration by visiting one of the following links based on your use case:

1. If integrating Azure AD IdP with Controller Login SAML Config

1. Click Settings in the left navigation menu

2. Select Controller

3. Click on the SAML Login tab

2. If integrating Azure AD IdP with OpenVPN with SAML Authentication

1. Expand OpenVPN® in the navigation menu and click Advanced

2. Stay on the SAML tab

You can quickly validate that the configuration is complete by clicking on the Test button next to the SAML endpoint.