November 8, 2019

• Added the following information to the "Choose Active Directory Objects to Synchronize" section:

  • If you want to synchronize just users in a certain group, for example, you must enter an LDAP filter in the Users LDAP filters field. If you want to sync users that are in the Example-manager group, use a filter like this one:

    (&(sAMAccountName=*)(memberOf=cn=Example-manager,ou=Example,ou=Security Group,dc=COMPANY))

• Added more account permission details and screenshots to the "Installation Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector" section.

October 29, 2019

Added Windows Server 2019 support in Windows and Active Directory Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector.

October 18, 2019

Added new section Sizing Information for Cisco Directory Connector.

October 8, 2019

• Added new section: Send Email Reports on Directory Synchronization Results (release 3.5).

• Updated Run an Incremental Synchronization with more information about how an incremental synchronization works (compared to a full synchronization). Also updated the default interval from 30 minutes (releases prior to 3.5) to 4 hours (release 3.5 onward).

• Updated Enable Troubleshooting for Cisco Directory Connector to mention the new location of log files (release 3.5).

• Added new section: Active Directory Group Recommendations for Automatic License Assignment

• Updated Choose Active Directory Objects to Synchronize with guidance for using groups for auto license assignment in Control Hub. Enhanced information on LDAP filters and moved the task to the main deployment chapter.

• Updated Conflicting User Email Accounts with a link to the Convert User steps in Control Hub.

• Added new section: Cisco Directory Connector Crashes During SSO Sign In

June 26, 2019

• Added a new section: Recover Accidentally Deleted Users.

• Updated Map User Attributes with attributes that are connected to people insights and contact cards in Webex Teams.

• Updated Active Directory and Cloud Attributes in Cisco Directory Connector with "Extra Notes" about each attribute.

May 20, 2019

We released Cisco Directory Connector version 3.4. For an existing installation, you'll see an upgrade prompt. For a new installation, use the steps and links at the top of the release notes.

This release contains the following feature updates and enhancements (and corresponding documentation updates):

Diagnostic Tool

You can use the built in diagnostic tool to troubleshoot your Cisco Directory Connector deployment. If synchronization didn't work properly, you may have a configuration or network error. This tool tests your connection to Active Directory so that you can diagnose errors yourself before contacting support. See Run the Diagnostic Tool for more information.

Secure LDAP (LDAPS)

Cisco Directory Connector now supports LDAPS as a communications protocol between your Active Directory and a Domain Controller. LDAP is the default, but you can choose LDAPS in the general settings for secure and encrypted communications. See Configure General Settings for Directory Connector for more information.

Enhancement to Attribute Verification Messages

Cisco Directory Connector verifies the attribute value of uid in the cloud identity service and retrieves 3 available users under the filter options that you chose. If all of these 3 users have a valid email format, the software shows you a verification pop up. If any errors appear during this test, you'll see a warning message. See Map User Attributes for more information.

February 18, 2019

Cisco Directory Connector 3.3 contains the following new features:

Customized Attributes

Directory Connector can now support expression-based attribute customization. Previously, the application had several predefined hard-coded combinations to support customer requests such as "GivenName SN". When customers had different requests for the attribute combination, engineering needed to add it manually. This feature gives more flexibility by letting you define your own attribute combination.

See the following sections of the documentation for further guidance:

• Map User Attributes (Updated)

• Expressions for Customized Attributes (New)

• Active Directory and Cloud Attributes in Cisco Directory Connector (Updated)

• Change Cisco Webex Teams Username Format After Directory Synchronization (Updated)

Kerberos Proxy Support

Directory Connector can read the proxy configuration in the local network proxy. In Windows system, the app leverages the configuration in the internet network options.

Embedded Avatar profile synchronization

The new connector application can read the avatar raw image binary data and sync to the Cisco Webex cloud.

See the following documentation updates:

• Synchronize Directory Avatars From an Active Directory Attribute to the Cloud (New)

• Synchronize Directory Avatars From a Resource Server to the Cloud (Updated)

More AD attributes can map to UID

More and more customers want to manage the AD attributes to map to the cloud uid. In this version, you can freely map an attribute to the uid. Our recommendations are still to use email or UserPrincipleName. When you choose attribute instead of the proposed ones, the app pops up an alert to remind you that the value to map from must be in email format.

See the following documentation updates:

• Map User Attributes (Updated)

• Active Directory and Cloud Attributes in Cisco Directory Connector (Updated)

Automatically Upgrade to the New Version

It's important to keep your Cisco Directory Connector updated to the latest version. In 3.3, you can let the application do an automatic upgrade when a new version is ready. You just check a checkbox and then the app can do the installs silently. If you change your mind, you can go back to the configuration setting to uncheck the function.

See the following documentation updates:

• Set Automatic Upgrades for Cisco Directory Connector (New)

• Upgrade to the Latest Cisco Directory Connector (Updated)

Credentials to access URL based avatar files

You may manage avatar resources in a web resource server where credentials are required. In the new version, you can provide the credentials before synchronization and then the Directory Connector can sync up all avatar data to the cloud.

See the following documentation updates:

• Synchronize Directory Avatars From a Resource Server to the Cloud (Updated)

November 29, 2018

• In Windows and Active Directory Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector, added Windows 2012 R2 to the supported Windows servers.

• In Map User Attributes, added a paragraph explaining that admins can choose an Active Directory attribute to map to any given cloud attribute.

• In Cisco Webex Organization Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector and Do a Full Synchronization of Active Directory Users Into the Cloud, corrected statements Webex Teams users in active state. Now, the section state that after doing a synchronization along with verifying/claiming domains, integrating single sign-on, and suppressing email invitations, Webex Teams are activated before they sign in (but they still appear as Invite Pending in Control Hub until they sign in).

November 20, 2018

• In the troubleshooting chapter, added No Sign In Page Appears section.

• Removed this entry from the known issues: "When a user uses a Webex Room or Webex Board to search and call a Room that only has a synchronized SIP URI, the “sip:” prefix must be lowercase at this time. Otherwise, calls will not complete."

• In Multiple Domain Requirements, removed the text that said to open a TAC case to add your organization to a large org list. (This step is now done automatically.)

October 29, 2018

• Updated Avatars not Synchronized with the steps to delete local avatar cache.

• Updated steps in Convert Free Cisco Webex Teams Users in a Directory Synchronized Organization to make clear when to disable and enable Cisco Directory Connector and the importance of matching user accounts in Active Directory and Webex Control Hub.

• In Windows and Active Directory Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector, added the following note:

  Note	To address a cookie issue, we recommend that you upgrade your domain controller to a release that contains the fix—Windows Server 2012 R2 or 2016.

September 12, 2018

Added new sections:

• Check SafeDllSearchMode in Windows Registry (Prepare Your Environment Chapter.)

• Upgrade to the Latest Cisco Directory Connector (Troubleshoot Chapter.)

Moved Manage New and Departing Employees and Their Cisco Webex Teams Accounts and AD LDS and Cisco Directory Connector to an Appendix.

August 17, 2018

• Updated Avatars not Synchronized troubleshooting with the local caching issue.

August 7, 2018

• Removed the requirement for large organizations (10,000+ users) to open a case. This step now happens automatically.

July 20, 2018

• Added Converted User Marked as Inactive to the troubleshooting section.

• Added Multiple Domain Requirements to the "Prepare Your Environment" chapter.

July 13, 2018

• Added Active Directory 2016 to the list of supported AD services in Windows and Active Directory Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector.

July 6, 2018

• With the room sync feature, you can use Cisco Directory Connector to synchronize on-premises room information into the Cisco Webex cloud. Updated Synchronize On-Premises Room Information to the Cisco Webex Cloud with information about how this feature works.

• In Known Issues with Cisco Directory Connector, added a known issue about the SIP prefix needing to be lowercase at this time.

June 21, 2018

• Restructured the Troubleshooting and Fixes for Cisco Directory Connector in the troubleshooting chapter: replaced the table with subsections for each issue.

June 5, 2018

Added Known Issues with Cisco Directory Connector.

May 21, 2018

Changed terminology to reflect the rebranding of Cisco Spark:

• Cisco Spark Hybrid Directory Service is now Cisco Webex Hybrid Directory Service, but this document will still refer to the Cisco Directory Connector.

• The Cisco Spark app is now the Cisco Webex Teams app.

• The Cisco Collaboration Cloud is now the Cisco Webex cloud.

• Other product names, documents, and images may not immediately reflect these changes.

April 23, 2018

We released Cisco Directory Connector version 3.0. For an existing installation, you'll see an upgrade prompt; for a new installation, get the latest version by going to the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, clicking Users, and then choosing Manage Users > Enable Directory Synchronization.

This release contains the following feature updates and enhancements (and corresponding documentation updates):

Support for Active Directory deployments with multiple domains under a single forest or multiple forests

Cisco Directory Connector now supports multiple domains either under a single forest or under multiple forests (without the need for AD LDS). You can install a Cisco Directory Connector for each domain, bind each domain to your organization, and then synchronize each user base into Cisco Webex. Cisco Webex Control Hub reflects the status by showing the synchronization state for multiple Cisco Directory Connectors, allows you to turn off synchronization for a specific domain, and deactivate a Cisco Directory Connector in a high availability deployment. The dry run synchronization helps you match the on-premises Active Directory user data with the user data in the Cisco Webex cloud, and any mismatched user objects are flagged so you can make a decision.

For steps to deploy Cisco Directory Connector in a multiple domain environment, see the procedures in the Deploy Cisco Directory Connector chapter.

NTLM support

Cisco Directory Connector now supports NT LAN Manager (NTLM). NTLM is one approach to support Windows authentication among the domain devices and ensure their security. For more information, see NTLM Proxy.

userPrincipalName (Active Directory attribute) can be mapped to uid (cloud attribute)

As an alternative to the mail Active Directory attribute, we added userPrincipalName as an option to map to the uid cloud attribute for user email addresses. For more information, see Map User Attributes.

TLS 1.2 support

Cisco Directory Connector now supports and requires TLS 1.2. TLS 1.0 support was removed. For more information, see Windows and Active Directory Requirements for Cisco Directory Connector.

We also moved some sections to simplify the deployment chapter.

• "Configure General Settings," "Select the Connector Object," "Configure the Connector Policy", and "Set the Connector Schedule" were moved to the Manage Directory Connector section.

• "Run an Incremental Synchronization" was moved to the Manage Synchronized User Accounts in Control Hub chapter.