Which directory service is compatible with Sophos Firewall when using STAS?

When utilizing Sophos Transparent Authentication Suite (STAS), Microsoft Active Directory is the compatible directory service that facilitates seamless integration for user authentication and identification. STAS enables Sophos Firewall to interact directly with Active Directory, allowing for high-efficiency user identification.

This integration allows the firewall to apply policies based on user identities rather than just IP addresses, enhancing the granularity of control over network traffic. By linking with Active Directory, STAS can fetch user/group information and authenticate users as they log into their machines, ensuring that bandwidth and security policies are appropriately applied based on each user's role within the organization.

While OpenLDAP, Microsoft Azure Active Directory, and Novell Directory Services are valuable directory services in their own right, they do not provide the same level of seamless integration and specific support for STAS functionality as Microsoft Active Directory does. Consequently, for organizations using STAS, relying on Microsoft Active Directory strengthens their identity management and policy enforcement capabilities within the Sophos Firewall environment.