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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Classic Mode Vs Claims Based Authentication in SharePoint 2010

Classic Mode: This is nothing but Windows Authentication. If any web application is created with Classic Mode Authentication then it cannot applicable to configure forms based authentication. But, to configure this application to use Forms Based Authentication then you can convert from Classic Mode to Claims Based. But, there is no UI exist for doing this conversion. The only way around is through PowerShell.

$app = get-spwebapplication "URL"

$app.useclaimsauthentication = "True"

$app.Update()

But, if an application is created using Claims based and if you want to convert from Claims based to Classic Mode then it is not possible either through UI or through PowerShell. So, remember this.

Claims Based: In SharePoint 2010 for a web application we can enable both windows, forms authentication. In earlier implementation to do this, we have to create two web applications which has different zones and different authentication. But, with the new claims based authentication a single application can have the capability to configure both windows and forms under single URL. All this is possible because of the authentication framework is built on Microsoft Identify Foundation. And it uses “Geneva” framework to handle this authentication.

8 comments:

  1. It begs the question, why did Microsoft include the Classic Mode as an option? I can't see any circumstance you would want to use it - there is no advantage? Strange.

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  2. Hi there, Seems like you didn't understand what classic mode means. Classic mode means windows authentication enable sites. So, you should need it. In fact most of the application on SharePoint web are windows enabled.

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  3. I guess what they meant was, what is the advantage of choosing CMA over CBA. If Claims Based can handle windows authentication as well as FBA and trusted identity providers, why would anyone choose Classic Mode for their authentication in a web application?

    I wonder if this is another "Standalone install" option, where it makes no sense to choose this. Well, at least you don't have to rebuild the farm in this case...

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  4. If you want to leverage PowerPivot, you must use Classic Mode. Claims Based authentication does not support PowerPivot.

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  5. I would assume Microsoft left in the classic option due to backward compatibility with migrated sites from SP2007.

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  6. It is possible to convert from Claims based to Classic Mode using powershell:

    For Claim:

    $webApp = Get-SPWebApplication "http://url"
    $webApp.UseClaimsAuthentication = 1;
    $webApp.Update()

    For Claim to Classic:

    $webApp = Get-SPWebApplication "http://url"
    $webApp.UseClaimsAuthentication = 0;
    $webApp.Update()

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  7. No, You cannot. there is no way you can change Claims to Classic as far as I know.

    -Praveen.

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