Overview

This guide is written for IT professionals designing an F5 network. These IT professionals can fill a variety of roles:

• Systems engineers requiring a standard set of procedures for implementing solutions
• Project managers creating statements of work for F5 implementations
• F5 partners selling technology or creating implementation documentation

This guide covers using single sign-on to access an SAP ERP application requiring Kerberos-based authentication.

Figure 1  Secure hybrid application access

Microsoft Azure Active Directory and F5 BIG-IP APM Design

For organizations with a high security demand with low risk tolerance, the need to keep all aspects of user authentication on premise is required.

The Microsoft Azure Active Directory and F5 BIG-IP APM solution integrates directly into AAD configured to work cooperatively with an existing Kerberos based, header based or variety of authentication methods. The solution has these components:

• BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)
• Microsoft Domain Controller/ Active Directory (AD)
• Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AAD)
• SAP ERP Application (Kerberos-based authentication)

Figure 2  APM bridge SAML to Kerberos authentication components

Figure 3  APM bridge SAML to Kerberos authentication process flow

Deploying Azure Active Directory and BIG-IP APM integration

The joint Microsoft and APM solution allow legacy applications incapable of supporting modern authentication and authorization to interoperate with Azure Active Directory. Even if an app doesn’t support SAML, and only is able to support header- or Kerberos-based authentication, it can still be enabled with single sign-on (SSO) and support multi-factor authentication (MFA) through the F5 APM and Azure Active Directory combination. Azure Active Directory as an IDaaS delivers a trusted root of identity to APM creating a bridge between modern and SAP ERP applications, delivering SSO and securing the app with MFA.

Access Guided Configuration 7.0 – Azure AD Easy Button

In version 16.0 of F5 BIG-IP, Access Guided Configuration v7.0 (AGC) for APM has added the ability for administrators to simply onboard and operationally manage mission-critical applications to Azure AD. The administrator no longer needs to go back and forth between Azure AD and BIG-IP as the end-to-end operation policy management has been integrated directly into the APM AGC console. This integration between BIG-IP APM and Azure AD delivers an automated “easy button” to ensure applications can quickly, easily support identity federation, SSO, and MFA. This seamless integration between BIG-IP APM and Azure AD reduces management overhead, meaning that the integration now also enhances the administrator experience.

Configure F5 BIG-IP APM

These instructions configure APM to be used with Azure AD SSO for SAP ERP application access.
For SSO to work, you need to establish a link relationship between APM and Azure AD in relation to the SAP ERP.

Step 1: In BIG-IP click Access > Guided Configuration > Microsoft Integration > Azure AD Application.

Step 2: Click Next.

Step 3: In the Configuration Properties page, configure the following information, leave default settings and click Save & Next.

• Configuration Name: portal
• Single Sign-On (SSO): On
• Copy Account Info from Existing Configuration: On
• Existing Configuration: portal
• Click Copy
• Click Test Connection

Step 4: In the Service Provider page, configure the following information, leave default settings and click Save & Next.

• Host: www.aserracorp.com
• Entity ID: https://www.aserracorp.com/

Step 5: In the Azure Active Directory page, double click SAP ERP Central Component

Step 6: In the Azure Active Directory page, complete the following information then click Add button in User And Groups.

• Display Name: Corporate SAP ERP
• Signing Key: www.aserracorp.com
• Signing Certificate: www.aserracorp.com
• Signing Key Passphrase: <passphrase>
• Signing Option: Sign SAML assertion
• Signing Algorithm: RSA-SHA256

Step 7: in User And Groups section, select the following click Close and then Save & Next at the bottom of the page.

• Type: User Group
• Legacy Application Users: Add

Step 8: In the Virtual Server Properties page, configure the following information, leave default settings and click Save & Next.

• Destination Address: 206.124.129.183
• Service Port: 443 HTTPS (default)
• Enable Redirect Port: Checked (default)
• Redirect Port: 80 HTTP (default)
• Client SSL Profile: Create new
• Client SSL Certificate: Client SSL Certificate
• Associated Private Key: www.aserracorp.com

Step 9: In the Pool Properties page, configure the following information, leave default settings and click Save & Next.

• Advanced Settings: On
• Select a Pool: Create new
• Health Monitors: /Common/http
• Load Balancing Method: Least Connections (member
• IP Address/Node name: /Common/172.16.60.

Step 10: In the Single Sign-On Settings page, click Enable Single Sign-On, and then click on Show Advanced Settings, configure the following information, leave default settings and click Save & Next.

• Select Single Sign-On Type: Kerberos
• Credentials Source
  • Username Source: session.saml.last.attr.name.sAMAccountName
  • SSO Method Configuration
  • Kerberos Realm: ASERRACORP.COM
  • Account Name: sapsrvacc
  • Account Password: password
  • Confirm Account Password: password
  • KDC: 172.16.60.5
  • SPN Pattern: HTTP/sapsrv.aserracorp.com@ASERRACORP.COM
  • Ticket Lifetime: 600 (default)
  • Send Authorization: Always (default)

Step 11: In the Session Management Properties page, leave default settings and click Save & Next.

Step 12: In the Your application is ready to be deployed page, click Deploy.

This completes APM configuration.

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Resources

BIG-IP Knowledge Center

BIG-IP APM Knowledge Center

Configuring Single Sign-On with Access Policy Manager

Validated Products and Versions

• BIG-IP APM 16.0