Compare Directory Sync with GCDS

This page is for Directory Sync. If you’re using Google Cloud Directory Sync (GCDS), go to GCDS. Directory Sync is currently in public beta.

Directory Sync is a newer version of GCDS and contains different features.

Compare features

Feature	GCDS	Directory Sync
Hardware & software installation required?	Yes, requires on-premises software.	No, Directory Sync is a cloud-based solution.
External directory support	Supports all LDAP-compliant directories, including Active Directory and OpenLDAP.	Supports Microsoft Active Directory (AD) and Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).
How it connects to the external server	Usually resides on the same network as your LDAP server.	AD—Uses Cloud VPN or Cloud Interconnect to access your on-premises LDAP server. Alternatively, you can host your LDAP server using Google Compute Engine. For more information, go to Supported network connections. Azure AD—Uses the administrator's Microsoft credentials to connect. Admin must have the Global Administrator role.
Types of data synced	Users, groups, calendar resources, external contacts, passwords. Go to What is synced?	Users and groups.
Able to sync from multiple external sources?	No	AD—Supports syncing from multiple directories. Azure AD—Supports syncing from only one directory.
Complexity of set up	Can be highly complex, depending on your organization’s needs.	Simplified setup using your Google Admin console.
Frequency of sync	Configurable by admin. Requires third-party scheduling software to automate syncs.	Full sync starts one hour after the previous sync finishes. This interval can’t be altered.
Troubleshooting & logging	Might need to compile log files from multiple servers.	Centralized reporting in the Google Admin console. You can filter, search, and set custom alerts.
User attribute mapping	You can map: Up to 35 system attributes. Custom attributes.	You can map the following attributes: First name. Last name. Email address. Recovery phone number. Recovery email address.
Organizational unit mapping	Automatically places users in designated organizational units.	Users can be mapped to a specified organizational unit.

Move from GCDS to Directory Sync

If you are currently using GCDS to sync with AD, you can switch to Directory Sync using the following steps:

1. Make sure that your LDAP server is accessible from Google Cloud

   How you manage your setup depends on whether your LDAP server is hosted directly on Google Cloud or whether you intend to connect to Google Cloud using Cloud VPN or Google Interconnect.

2. Set up a VPC access connector in Google Cloud

   You need a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) access connector to use Directory Sync.

3. Enable the Data Connectors API

   Using the same project where you set up your VPC access connector, enable the Data Connector API.

4. Add your LDAP directory to Directory Sync

   Use the Google Admin console to connect to your LDAP server using Directory Sync.

5. Set up your user and group sync in Directory Sync

   Decide how you want your users and groups to sync to your Google cloud directory. You set this up in the Admin console. Check your setup by running a simulated sync.

6. Turn off automatic syncs in GCDS

   If you use a scheduling software to automate syncs, turn off the schedule. Do not run a manual sync.

7. Run a sync in Directory Sync

   You're now ready to start syncing to your Google cloud directory with Directory Sync.

Related topic

About Google Cloud Directory Sync

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