Simulating an Active Directory Login in Dev/Test Environment

Question

Currently building a WPF app that will run in an environment where the user logs into Windows PC which is on a domain (DC). The app will ask the user to enter their login and password again when it starts up, and the login/password will be verified against Active Directory (forgive me if my terminology is not correct here).

The login is all-or-nothing; if their password is correct, there is no (current) concern with retrieving groups, rights or anything of that nature.

The development environment is not AD-based, and is not on a domain. Are there any options for simulating this kind of login without going through the process of setting up a domain controller and adding the development and test environment machines to it?

There will be some opportunity to do deployment testing during the course of the project (IOW create a test login app, deploy it to the user and make sure the login works before final deployment). At the same time, I will need to use some sort implementation that works in the test/dev environment.

Any thoughts? Would you recommend against simulating this in lieu of setting up a DC?

Answer 1

Use ADAM (Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Application Mode)

For organizations that require flexible support for directory-enabled applications, Microsoft has developed Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM). ADAM is a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory service that runs as a user service, rather than as a system service. Active Directory Application Mode represents a breakthrough in directory services technology that provides flexibility and helps organizations avoid increased infrastructure costs.

That is, a free AD server from Microsoft that you can run on your desktop.