Installation & Setup

This guide walks you through installing and configuring IdentityCenter.

Prerequisites

Before installing IdentityCenter, ensure you have:

Server Requirements

• Windows Server 2019 or later
• .NET 8.0 Runtime installed
• SQL Server 2019 or later (local or remote)
• Administrative access to the server

Network Requirements

• Network access to your Active Directory domain controllers
• LDAP ports open (389 for LDAP, 636 for LDAPS)
• Internet access for Entra ID connectivity (if applicable)
• SMTP server access for email notifications

Accounts Required

• SQL Server account with db_owner permissions
• Service account for running IdentityCenter
• AD account with read permissions to directory (for sync)

Installation Steps

Step 1: Download IdentityCenter

Download the latest release from your organization's software repository or the official download portal.

Step 2: Install Prerequisites

If not already installed, run the following:

# Install .NET 8.0 Runtime
winget install Microsoft.DotNet.Runtime.8

# Or download from:
# https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0

Step 3: Create the Database

Connect to SQL Server and run:

-- Create the database
CREATE DATABASE IdentityCenter;
GO

-- Create a login for the application
CREATE LOGIN IdentityCenterApp WITH PASSWORD = 'YourSecurePassword';
GO

-- Grant permissions
USE IdentityCenter;
CREATE USER IdentityCenterApp FOR LOGIN IdentityCenterApp;
ALTER ROLE db_owner ADD MEMBER IdentityCenterApp;
GO

Step 4: Configure Application Settings

Edit appsettings.json with your settings:

{
  "ConnectionStrings": {
    "DefaultConnection": "Server=YOUR_SERVER;Database=IdentityCenter;User Id=IdentityCenterApp;Password=YourSecurePassword;TrustServerCertificate=True"
  },
  "SyncOptions": {
    "CommandTimeoutSeconds": 300,
    "DefaultBatchSize": 50,
    "DefaultLdapPageSize": 1000
  },
  "Email": {
    "SmtpHost": "smtp.yourcompany.com",
    "SmtpPort": 587,
    "EnableSsl": true,
    "FromAddress": "identitycenter@yourcompany.com"
  }
}

Step 5: Run Database Migrations

The application automatically runs migrations on first startup. Alternatively, run manually:

dotnet ef database update --project DataAccessLibrary

Step 6: Start the Application

# Navigate to the application directory
cd C:\IdentityCenter

# Start the application
dotnet IdentityCenter.WebPortal.dll

Or configure as a Windows Service:

# Install as Windows Service
sc create IdentityCenter binPath="C:\IdentityCenter\IdentityCenter.WebPortal.exe" start=auto
sc start IdentityCenter

Step 7: Access the Web Portal

Open your browser and navigate to:

https://localhost:5001

Or if configured with a hostname:

https://identitycenter.yourcompany.com

Post-Installation Configuration

1. Create Your First Admin User

On first launch, you'll be prompted to create an administrator account.

2. Configure SMTP Settings

Navigate to Administration > Email Settings and configure your SMTP server for notifications.

3. Create Directory Connections

Navigate to Administration > Connections and create connections to your directory services.

See Creating a Connection for detailed instructions.

Troubleshooting Installation

Database Connection Failed

• Verify SQL Server is running
• Check connection string in appsettings.json
• Ensure the SQL login has proper permissions

Port Already in Use

• Check if another application is using port 5001
• Modify appsettings.json to use a different port

Cannot Connect to AD

• Verify network connectivity to domain controllers
• Check firewall rules for LDAP ports (389/636)
• Ensure the service account has read permissions

Next Steps

• Quick Start Guide - Get up and running quickly
• Creating Your First Connection
• Creating Your First Sync