When configuring authentication settings, should SAML be used for LDAP lookups?

Using SAML for LDAP lookups is not appropriate because SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is primarily designed for Single Sign-On (SSO) and federated identity management. It facilitates the transmission of authentication and authorization data between an identity provider and a service provider. On the other hand, LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a protocol used for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services, such as user directories for authentication and role management.

LDAP lookups are more directly related to querying user credentials, attributes, and organizational roles from a directory service, while SAML operates at a higher level of abstraction, optimizing the process of exchanging identity information across security domains.

In practical terms, using LDAP specifically enables more efficient and direct access to user data as it directly communicates with directory services without the overhead of SAML's SSO mechanisms. This clear delineation of roles between the two technologies underscores why SAML is not suitable for LDAP lookups.