Configuring Okta as a SAML identity provider

Benjamin KAHANE
  • Updated

Configuring Okta as a SAML identity provider

Notes:

  • This guide has been created with the assumption that users have a certain level of familiarity with SAML. Below are the steps for configuring SAML using [Okta](https://www.okta.com/) as an IdP (identity provider).
  • To configure things on the Okta side, you need to have admin Okta permissions.
  • To configure things on the Flex side, you need to have admin permissions in the Flex account to which you wish to link the IdP.
  • Refer to the IdP-agnostic information in the Obtain information from Flex section here to obtain information from Flex.

 

Configuration steps (Okta side)

The following Okta developer article is a useful reference point:
https://developer.okta.com/standards/SAML/setting_up_a_saml_application_in_okta

 

Switch to the Classic UI (drop-down in top left, from Developer Console).

Go to Applications -> Add Application -> Create New App. Select the platform Web, and Sign on method SAML 2.0. Click Create.


oktaAddApplication.png


oktaCreateApp.png


oktaCreateApp002.png

 

Provide a meaningful name e.g. `Dalet Flex`. Add a logo if you wish, and click Next.


oktaCreateAppName.png

 

Populate the SAML General settings fields according to the details of your Flex deployment, i.e:

  • SSO URL should be like https://{account}.{your-flex-deployment.com}/login/saml/SSO
  • Audience URI should be urn:ooyala:flex:flex-login-app
  • Default RelayState is only required if you want users to be able to initiate authentication from their Okta dashboard. In this case it should be the desired Flex entry point, e.g.
    https://{account}.{your-flex-deployment.com}/fmp/index/ for the MAM UI.


oktaCreateAppGeneral.png

 

If you are running Flex version 2019.7.0 onwards and have enabled global logout in account metadata settings, you need to click on Show Advanced Settings and populate the relevant fields accordingly.


oktaCreateAppAdvancedSettings.png

 

As part of this, you need to upload the certificate file (CRT file) that you downloaded earlier.

Follow the User Attributes And Claims to populate all required Attribute Statements as shown in the screenshot, and replacing the value for flexAccountUuid with the Flex account UUID you identified earlier. The login attribute is optional as per the above link.


oktaAttributeStatements.png

Since Flex 2024.7.x - IdP can configure externalUniqueUserId attribute to identify user in Flex uniquely. Follow the below steps to configure same in Okta.

1. Change the OKTA’s default profile to add an attribute by navigating to Directory > Profile Editor. Choose Okta from Filters and click on User (default) Profile.


okta-update-user-default-profile.png

2. Hit new Attribute option and fill required details as below then click on Save.


okta-click-new-attribute-btn.png


okta-fill-attribute-details.png

3. Attribute would be visible to each user’s profile for configuring user specific unique ID.


okta-variable-name-to-access.png



4. Go to user’s profile for whom you want to configure external ID. Navigate to Directory > People. Search for an user and edit it to configure unique ID as per below.


okta-navigate-to-users-profile.png

okta-navigate-to-update-users-profile.png

5. Configure externalUniqueUserId as SAML attribute claim into the Flex integrated app.​_


okta-configure-attribute-to-app.png

If you wish to enable Group Sync functionality, then set the Group Attribute Statement as shown. To make all groups available to Flex, the filter should be specified as: Matches regex = .*


oktaGroupSync.png

 

Leave everything else untouched, click on Next and then Finish.

Once the application is created & configured now assign people (users) to this application, and optionally create and assign groups.


oktaCreateGroup.png


oktaUserAssignments.png

 

Determine the IdP metadata, or metadata url. Navigate onto Sign On tab, then either:

  • click on the link Identity Provider metadata and copy the contents of the XML that is displayed (recommended)
  • right-click on the link Identity Provider metadata and click Copy Link Address.


oktaMetadataUrl.png

 

oktaMetadataXml.png

 

Configuration steps (Flex side)

  1. Log into the Flex account to which you wish to link the IdP.
  2. On the Account Details page, click the Metadata sub-tab and expand the External Authentication section.
    Specify values for both the Default Role and Default Owner fields.
  3. Expand the SAML Configuration section. Choose whether you wish to redirect to IdP login page automatically, and enter the IdP Display Name to be used on the login page (which will only be visible if IdP Redirect is set to No).
  4. Optionally, Enable IdP to Flex Group membership sync. (For this to work correctly, Groups should be configured in Flex with names matching any relevant Groups configured in Okta.)
  5. In the SAML Metadata Configuration section, provide either the static IdP metadata (recommended) or the URL from which the IdP metadata can be dynamically retrieved.
  6. Click Save, to save the configuration.
  7. Click Enable, to enable the account.
  8. In another browser, or an incognito window, navigate to Flex. The login page should either redirect to your IdP, or provide an appropriately-titled button allowing you to log in through the IdP, depending on your configuration choices above.

Additional notes

  1. After updating the certificate in Okta, the account in Flex must be disabled and then re-enabled, so its cache can be refreshed.
  2. Some issues have been encountered when using Firefox to retrieve the IdP metadata XML; use of Google Chrome is recommended.

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