Jira user server

[ashleyg]

I would kike to know that what are the real benefits of using Jira user server to add applications like confluence or other Atlassian web-based applications to use jira user management?

Anyways in my organisation jira uses LDAP directory and so is used by confluence then how would here jira prove beneficial as single centralised user management/authentication server.Is it that a jira user will not count for any other license in confluence or any other benefits?

Please let me know your suggestions because i couldn't figure out exact benefits through any of Atlassian documentations.

[Peter Van de Voorde]

Hi Ashley,

When using JIRA for user and group management the biggest advantage is having one central location for all your user management needs.

But if you already have an LDAP in which you can manage the users and groups this advantage doesn't really count anymore.

When I have the combination of JIRA, Confluence and LDAP I do regulary use the LDAP for authentication only and JIRA for managing the groups users are part of (in this way I'm not filling up LDAP with all the Atlassian specific groups).

But I mostly use Crowd for user management and single sign on across the different Atlassian applications.

@Cedric Devaux: if your JIRA is down you probably have a bigger problem then people not being able to login to Confluence :)

Best regards,

Peter

[ashleyg]

Hi Peter/Cedric,

Thanks both of you for your comments.

Could you please explain how the process works.

I mean to say for e.g a user gets logged into jira ,now what he does to get to confluence if jira user server has confluence added to it.

Also please let mek now if jira-users license in jira is say 100 and confluence license is say 90 all used then can a jira user not yet in confluence be able to get to confluence through jira?

Please make me aware about all other artifacts about this jira user server so that i'll be able to get the real scene.

[Peter Van de Voorde]

Hi Ashley,

JIRA and Confluence will still be separate applications, so your user will need to login to both JIRA and Confluence separatly.

What will happen is the following: When a user wants to log in to Confluence Confluence will ask JIRA the following:

• Do you know this user?
• Is the password correct?
• Can you please provide me his/her groups so I can check if this user has the correct permissions to access Confluence.

User license limits still count separate, so a user who has access to both JIRA and Confluence will count for both user license limits. If your Confluence user limit has been reached you cannot add extra people to it by giving them access to JIRA.

Best regards,

Peter

[ashleyg]

Hi Peter,

Agreed.

So when a user logins to confluence will he have to login after logging into jira?

If not then will he have to giuve his same credentials as that of Jira? Once logged into confluece will that create this user in confluence user database or everytime will that authenticate using jira user server?

[Peter Van de Voorde]

Hi Ashley,

Yes the user will have to login twice, both times with the same credentials, If you don't want this you should take a look at implementing Single Sign On with Crowd.

I do think Confluence caches the user information in the database after their first successfull login, but it will always go back to JIRA for authentication.

Best regards,
Peter

[ashleyg]

Thanks Peter for your valuable knowledge sharing.

Will look forward to you for other questions in jira.

Have a great day!

[Peter Van de Voorde]

I'm glad I could help you out.

Don't forget to accept an answer so this question is indicated as answered :)

Have a fun day.

[Cedric DEVAUX]

Hi Ashley,

The only benefit I found to have centralize user directory between JIRA/Confluence was to use same group to add permission for JIRA project and for a space.

On the other hand, if JIRA down ... you can't access to Confluence that's I decide to separate uder directory between JIRA & Confluence.