How to set up an authentication system to authenticate users against an existing SQL Server database

Question

I have a pre-existing SQL Server database with login information (user names, password hashes) for thousands of users maintained by an ASP.NET website. I would like to provide an authentication service so other applications and servers can authenticate users against the same database via a common protocol like LDAP.

My first idea was to set up an Active Directory server with a custom authentication module, but so far I have found no information on how this can be done.

Is this even possible? Should I look at other solutions like OpenLDAP?

Answer 1

A Virtual Directory Server would solve your problem.

Definition of Virtual Directory Server from wikipedia:

A virtual directory or virtual directory server in this context is a software layer that delivers a single access point for identity management applications and service platforms. A virtual directory operates as a high-performance, lightweight abstraction layer that resides between client applications and disparate types of identity-data repositories, such as proprietary and standard directories, databases, web services, and applications.

A virtual directory receives queries and directs them to the appropriate data sources by abstracting and virtualizing data. The virtual directory integrates identity data from multiple heterogeneous data stores and presents it as though it were coming from one source. This ability to reach into disparate repositories makes virtual directory technology ideal for consolidating data stored in a distributed environment.

Virtual directory servers most commonly use the LDAP protocol, but more sophisticated virtual directories can also support SQL as well as DSML and SPML.