Tutorial: Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO) integration with Springer Link

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to integrate Springer Link with Microsoft Entra ID. When you integrate Springer Link with Microsoft Entra ID, you can:

  • Control in Microsoft Entra ID who has access to Springer Link.
  • Enable your users to be automatically signed-in to Springer Link with their Microsoft Entra accounts.
  • Manage your accounts in one central location.

Prerequisites

To get started, you need the following items:

  • A Microsoft Entra subscription. If you don't have a subscription, you can get a free account.
  • Springer Link single sign-on (SSO) enabled subscription.

Scenario description

In this tutorial, you configure and test Microsoft Entra SSO in a test environment.

  • Springer Link supports SP and IDP initiated SSO

To configure the integration of Springer Link into Microsoft Entra ID, you need to add Springer Link from the gallery to your list of managed SaaS apps.

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a Cloud Application Administrator.
  2. Browse to Identity > Applications > Enterprise applications > New application.
  3. In the Add from the gallery section, type Springer Link in the search box.
  4. Select Springer Link from results panel and then add the app. Wait a few seconds while the app is added to your tenant.

Alternatively, you can also use the Enterprise App Configuration Wizard. In this wizard, you can add an application to your tenant, add users/groups to the app, assign roles, as well as walk through the SSO configuration as well. Learn more about Microsoft 365 wizards.

Configure and test Microsoft Entra SSO

Configure and test Microsoft Entra SSO with Springer Link using a test user called B.Simon. For SSO to work, you need to establish a link relationship between a Microsoft Entra user and the related user in Springer Link.

To configure and test Microsoft Entra SSO with Springer Link, perform the following steps:

  1. Configure Microsoft Entra SSO - to enable your users to use this feature.
  2. Configure Springer Link SSO - to configure the Single Sign-On settings on application side.
  3. Test SSO - to verify whether the configuration works.

Configure Microsoft Entra SSO

Follow these steps to enable Microsoft Entra SSO.

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a Cloud Application Administrator.

  2. Browse to Identity > Applications > Enterprise applications > Springer Link > Single sign-on.

  3. On the Select a single sign-on method page, select SAML.

  4. On the Set up single sign-on with SAML page, click the edit/pen icon for Basic SAML Configuration to edit the settings.

    Edit Basic SAML Configuration

  5. On the Basic SAML Configuration section, if you wish to configure the application in IDP initiated mode, enter the values for the following fields:

    a. In the Identifier text box, type the URL: https://fsso.springer.com

    b. In the Reply URL text box, type the URL: https://fsso.springer.com/federation/Consumer/metaAlias/SpringerServiceProvider

    c. Click Set additional URLs.

    d. In the Relay State text box, type the URL: https://link.springer.com

  6. If you wish to configure the application in SP initiated mode, perform the following step:

    In the Sign-on URL text box, type a URL using the following pattern: https://fsso.springer.com/saml/login?idp=<entityID>&targetUrl=https://link.springer.com

    Note

    The Sign-on URL value is not real. Update the value with the actual Sign-On URL. <entityID> is the Microsoft Entra Identifier copied from the Set up Springer Link section, described later in tutorial. You can also refer to the patterns shown in the Basic SAML Configuration section.

  7. On the Set up Single Sign-On with SAML page, in the SAML Signing Certificate section, click the copy icon to copy App Federation Metadata Url and save it on your computer.

    The metadata download link

Create a Microsoft Entra test user

In this section, you'll create a test user called B.Simon.

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a User Administrator.
  2. Browse to Identity > Users > All users.
  3. Select New user > Create new user, at the top of the screen.
  4. In the User properties, follow these steps:
    1. In the Display name field, enter B.Simon.
    2. In the User principal name field, enter the username@companydomain.extension. For example, B.Simon@contoso.com.
    3. Select the Show password check box, and then write down the value that's displayed in the Password box.
    4. Select Review + create.
  5. Select Create.

Assign the Microsoft Entra test user

In this section, you'll enable B.Simon to use single sign-on by granting access to Springer Link.

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least a Cloud Application Administrator.
  2. Browse to Identity > Applications > Enterprise applications > Springer Link.
  3. In the app's overview page, select Users and groups.
  4. Select Add user/group, then select Users and groups in the Add Assignment dialog.
    1. In the Users and groups dialog, select B.Simon from the Users list, then click the Select button at the bottom of the screen.
    2. If you are expecting a role to be assigned to the users, you can select it from the Select a role dropdown. If no role has been set up for this app, you see "Default Access" role selected.
    3. In the Add Assignment dialog, click the Assign button.

To configure single sign-on on the Springer Link side, you need to send the copied App Federation Metadata Url to the Springer Link support team. The Springer link support team uses this URL to set up the SAML SSO connection properly on both sides.

In this section, you create a user called Britta Simon in Springer Link. Work with Springer Link support team to add the users in the Springer Link platform. Users must be created and activated before you use single sign-on.

Test SSO

In this section, you test your Microsoft Entra single sign-on configuration with following options.

SP initiated:

  • Click on Test this application, this will redirect to Springer Link Sign on URL where you can initiate the login flow.

  • Go to Springer Link Sign-on URL directly and initiate the login flow from there.

IDP initiated:

  • Click on Test this application, and you should be automatically signed in to the Springer Link for which you set up the SSO

You can also use Microsoft Access Panel to test the application in any mode. When you click the Springer Link tile in the Access Panel, if configured in SP mode you would be redirected to the application sign on page for initiating the login flow and if configured in IDP mode, you should be automatically signed in to the Springer Link for which you set up the SSO. For more information about the Access Panel, see Introduction to the Access Panel.

Next Steps

Once you configure Springer Link you can enforce session control, which protects exfiltration and infiltration of your organization’s sensitive data in real time. Session control extends from Conditional Access. Learn how to enforce session control with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.