Blazam vs Ithicos Directory Manager

Blazam is a free, open-source web interface for delegating Active Directory administration to non-IT staff. It manages users, groups, organizational units, computers, and printers, including account unlocks, password resets, group assignments, and attribute changes. Administrators can create reusable access levels for groups or individuals, with controls for individual attributes and actions. Rules can trigger Active Directory actions in response to events or on schedules, using filters, ordered processing, conditional stops, and expiration settings. Blazam also lists a REST API and webhook notifications, and offers MFA through Cisco DUO or Google Authenticator-compatible TOTP. Its documentation says passwords are encrypted at rest and in transit, connections support TLS/SSL, and the app is designed to run as an unprivileged account. Windows installation can use IIS or a standalone service; Linux installation supports Apache, nginx, or a standalone service. Blazam requires Active Directory and a domain-joined Windows host. A well-defined OU structure is needed for granular delegation, and the documentation advises against installing it on a Domain Controller. The free plan is free and is MIT licensed for personal and commercial use.

Ithicos Directory Manager is a web-based delegated administration tool for authorized staff managing Active Directory accounts. Delegates can edit contact fields, titles, departments, and custom properties, then reset passwords, unlock accounts, enable or disable accounts, and set expiration dates. The Advanced edition adds template-based user creation, delegated group management, and soft or hard deletion workflows that disable accounts and remove group access. Administrators can enforce required inputs, regular-expression rules, dropdowns, address sets, and cascading subsets. Searches and filtered user lists export to CSV or Excel. User photos can be uploaded to local Active Directory and Microsoft 365 profile pictures. Custom PowerShell scripts can run after profile or account changes, while timestamps and CSV audit records support auditing. Version 3.5 adds Secure LDAP for encrypted connections. It runs on premises on 64-bit Windows Server with IIS and .NET Framework 4.8. Evaluation builds are fully functional for 30 days.