LDAP AWS RDS IAM Connect

LDAP AWS RDS IAM Connect is the bridge. Done right, it lets you manage database logins with centralized identity, control access from a single source, and drop static credentials for good. AWS RDS supports IAM authentication, making it possible to sign in to your database with temporary tokens from AWS STS instead of hardcoded passwords. Layer in LDAP—via AWS Managed Microsoft AD or self-hosted directory services—and you gain one directory to rule database access and application authentication.

To set it up, start with an RDS instance that supports IAM database authentication—MySQL and PostgreSQL both do. Turn on IAM auth in the RDS console. Make sure your database parameter group enables it (rds.iam_authentication=1). Next, connect RDS to your LDAP backend. With AWS Managed Microsoft AD, you can bind IAM roles to directory users or groups, mapping them to database-level permissions via custom SQL grants.

IAM policies must allow rds-db:connect for the specific database resource ARN. Your application, CLI, or SDK will request a token from AWS using aws rds generate-db-auth-token. This token is short-lived. You pass it in place of a password when establishing a connection to the RDS host. If LDAP integration is in place, the auth chain validates against your directory, ensuring the user is legitimate and authorized.

Security improves because you never store passwords. Compliance improves because access is tied to identity boundaries in IAM and LDAP. Rotation happens automatically. Revoking access is instant by disabling a user in the directory or removing their IAM permission. Scaling up or down becomes a matter of adjusting group membership.

Performance remains high since authentication happens up front; session usage and query execution are unaffected. Setup complexity is real, but worth it if you want one login system across cloud services and databases without sacrificing AWS-native security features.

Stop worrying about credential sprawl. Build LDAP AWS RDS IAM Connect once, and your databases become part of your identity fabric. Ready to see it in action without weeks of setup? Spin it up at hoop.dev and connect in minutes.