provides users access multiple applications without the need to authenticate each one. It is a valuable solution for enhanced security, user experience, and efficiency in managing access to multiple applications.

Your instance of N-able N-central must have port 8088 TCP outbound enabled in order to communicate with the N-able’s cloud services. For more information, click here.

Converting your or your users' N-able Login to N-able Login with Entra ID will change the login process for all other N-able products that use N-able Login.

Transition to N-able Login with Entra ID

By transitioning to N-able Login with Microsoft Entra ID, your organization benefits from centralized, cloud-based identity management, stronger security through modern authentication controls, and a seamless login experience across all N-able products. This not only reduces administrative overhead but also positions your environment for future scalability and compliance.

The transition updates your authentication method from previous authentication methods to using the Microsoft cloud-based identity platform, Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory).

This process involves two key steps

  • Converts the authentication system by registering N-central as an enterprise application in Entra ID and configuring it to use Entra ID as its single sign-on provider.

  • Transitions users by linking existing N-central user accounts to their Entra ID identities, allowing them to authenticate with their cloud credentials.

Existing users to N-able Login with Entra ID: What to Expect

For existing N-central users, the configuration of N-able Login with Entra ID may affect how they log in. However, it requires the configuration of the Entra enterprise application as well as the associated users to be added to this new application as detailed in this guide.

For an existing user to be converted to N-able Login with Entra ID, the user must be a part of an Entra group added to the Provisioning application within the Entra console or the user added directly to the Provisioning application within the Entra console. The existing user is identified by their unique email address used to login to both N-central and Microsoft. Here is what to expect when an existing user is added to the User Provisioning application in Entra:

  • Existing local users will be enrolled in N-able Login and converted to use Entra ID for authentication.

  • Existing N-able Login users will be converted to use Entra ID for authentication. This will affect the login of other N-able products used with their N-able Login account. All N-able products using their N-able Login account will now use Entra ID for authentication, giving full SSO capabilities.

  • Existing legacy identity provider (IdP) users that are logging into N-central using a previously configured identity provider (legacy Azure AD, Active Directory, LDAP etc), these users will be automatically converted to use N-able Login with Entra ID for authentication. They will be automatically disconnected from the previous identity provider and linked to this new Entra ID for authentication.

These affected users are not required to take any additional action and will see the change the next time they log in. You can see what users are impacted by viewing the Recently Migrated Users section of the new Provisioned Users section in N-central. It is recommended that you add only a few users you would like to convert to Entra ID first, to the User Provisioning application. This will allow you to validate functionality before a full existing user conversion.

High-level steps in the transition

  • Enable Entra ID as an SSO provider within N-able Login.

  • Register N-central in Microsoft Entra ID to enable federated authentication.

  • Link existing users to their corresponding Entra ID accounts.

  • Test and validate user authentication via Entra ID.

  • Optionally enable automatic user provisioning to streamline account management.

What changes for users during the transition:

  • Users move from signing in with previous credentials to using their Entra ID (Microsoft 365) accounts.

  • Authentication redirects shift from any previous IdP to the Microsoft cloud login portal for Entra.

  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) policies managed through Entra ID may now apply.

  • Conditional Access Policies managed through Entra ID may now apply.

  • User access continuity is preserved by carefully linking user accounts during the transition.

Set up N-able Login with Entra ID as an external service provider in N-central

Create the N-able user provisioning application

Configure the application for auto-provisioning

Assign users to the auto-provisioning application

Start auto-provisioning Entra ID users

Provision Entra ID users in N-central

Assign roles and access groups to users