Softerra Adaxes is a solution that simplify the management of Active Directory, Exchange and Office 365 environments reducing the load on the IT department.
Adaxes offers several features to automate time consuming and boring administrative tasks making the Active Directory environment safer, cleaner and more functional.
Key benefits
The administration of Active Directory using Softerra Adaxes brings the following benefits:
- Increased security - keeping cleanup activities, approval steps and access control under control, AD will be much more secure and less vulnerable to malicious activities
- Reduced workload - load on IT staff can be reduced using the automation eliminating monotonous routine and tasks
- Standardized environment - AD can be much cleaner and healthier enforcing standards and minimizing the number of possible mistakes
- Audit and monitoring - advanced analysis and monitoring can be performed using comprehensive tracking and reporting
This tool is a complete solution for corporate AD management and provides the following features:
- Active Directory management
- Automated user provisioning
- Active Directory web interface
- Self-Password reset
- Approval-based workflow
- Role-based access control
- Office 365 management and automation
- Exchange management and automation
For additional details about Softerra Adaxes features, check out the product review.
Offline and Offsite password reset
One of the newest features introduced in Adaxes 2017 is the Active Directory self-service password reset in Offline and Offsite mode.
Resetting forgotten users’ passwords can be a time consuming day-to-day task for the IT department, which reduces business productivity, increases costs and time losses. The overall process can be optimized by letting users to reset passwords by themselves.
With Adaxes users are able to reset their forgotten passwords through the Password Self-Service feature on laptops that are not connected to the company's domain or laptops that are offline.
Offsite Password Self Service
If a user needs to work with a domain-joined laptop not connected to the network and forgets the password, he/she can’t log in to the computer any more.
The only way to reset the password is to connect the laptop to the network to get a new password from an Active Directory Domain Controller. To login into the laptop, Windows can use only the password stored on the machine the user can't remember.
Adaxes solution allows the users to reset the password without connecting the laptop to the AD. Installing Adaxes Password Self-Service Client on the computer, a Reset Password link is added in the Windows logon screen from which the user can reset the password.
After clicking the Reset Password link, the Reset Password window is displayed with the Username of the user to process. Click Next.
The reset procedure is finalized by answering security questions and/or using SMS/email verification. Click Next.
Type the New password and click Next.
Password has been reset successfully. Click Finish to close the wizard.
Once the password is reset in AD, the Adaxes client updates the local credentials cache on the laptop allowing the user to log in.
Deploy Adaxes Password Self-Service Client
From Adaxes Administration Console, go to Configuration > Password Self-Service tab and specify the Policies and the Windows Integration settings enabling the features you need. Click Save to save the configuration.
Download Adaxes client by clicking on Self-Service Client button. You are redirected to the Adaxes website.
To reset the password, the Adaxes client must be installed on each computer by running the installer. In Active Directory environment the deployment can be easily done via GPO.
Offline Password Self Service
When an offsite user forgets the password, the log in to the laptop and the connection to a WiFi network to perform an online password reset can't be done.
Using Adaxes, the user is able to reset the password and gain access to the offline laptop by using a phone or any other device that has Internet access.
To reset a forgotten password, click on Reset password link on the Windows logon screen.
The application detects that an Internet connection is not available then switches to Offline mode. Click on Reset Password Offline button to proceed with password reset.
System provides a Request key and a link that the user needs to open on his phone.
Using any device connected to the Internet, type the URL specified in the link (Adaxes service must be reachable from Internet to use this feature) and enter the Username. Click Next.
The Verification code is sent to the user's email address configured in AD.
Open the email and write down the received code.
Enter the code in the Verification code field and click Next.
Answer the Security Questions and click Next.
Type a New password and enter the Request key displayed in the offline laptop's screen. Click Next.
Password is reset and the Response key is provided by the system.
The received Response key needs to be entered in the offline laptop along with the New password. Click Reset Password button when done.
Once entered, Adaxes validates the key and updates local credentials cache allowing the user to log in.
With Offsite and Offline password reset feature, Adaxes solved a problem companies have with remote users. The user is now able to save time for the password reset procedure without affecting the productivity.
Softerra Adaxes 2017 is available as 30-days free trial.
