title: Integrating with client's existing active directory
body: <p>I have a running website which has its own set of users and have an authentication system which does a basic database lookup to authenticate the users to login to the site. A client of ours is interested in the website and has a requirement that instead of registering all their existing users with us again they have an Active Directory and I should use it to authenticate them. This prevents the client from registering all their users with us and from remembering another set of username and password.</p>
  
  <p>My website is built with Java and I am looking at a solution where in I can integrate with active directory.</p>
  
  <p>I am new to Active Directory and have been searching through the web but failed to find an optimum solution. My understanding of Active Directory is that it would have a set of username and passwords and if I am successfully able to integrate with it, in addition to having my own database of users I will have to look up in client's Active Directory as well and if a match is found, I can authenticate the user.</p>
  
  <p>Please correct me if my understanding is wrong and could you please point me to the right direction? </p>
  
  <p>Thanks,</p>
  
  <p>Mayank</p>