Tutorial: How to Configure SAML with Google Workspace for VPN Authentication⁠

You need the following to get started:

• A Google Workspace.

• A deployed Access Server.

With Google Workspace, you must create a SAML integration application.

First, gather information about your Access Server as the service provider (SP).

1. Sign in to your Access Server Admin Web UI.

2. Select Authentication → SAML.

3. You'll need the following information:

   1. SP Identity.

   2. SP ACS.

Now that you have your SP information, you can create a new Google Workspace app and enter that information during app creation:

1. Sign in to your Google Workspace Admin Console.

2. From the hamburger menu, click Apps > Web and mobile apps.

3. Click Add app > Add custom SAML app.

4. Enter the app’s name, description, and icon, then click Continue.

5. Click DOWNLOAD METADATA under Option 1: Download IdP metadata.

6. Save the XML file to use in step 2 below and click Continue.

7. Use the SP information from Access Server to enter the following into the Google app:

   • ACS URL: Enter the Access Server SP ACS.

   • Entity ID: Enter the Access Server SP Identity.

   • Start URL: Enter ‘cws’ for the Client Web UI or ‘profile’ to provide users with a downloadable profile. (See "How to set up IdP-initiated flow" below for more details.)

   • Click Continue.

8. Configure attribute mapping (such as “Primary email” = “email”) on the next screen and click Finish.

The simplest way to set up Google Workspace SAML for Access Server is to provide the metadata to Access Server. You can do this with the downloaded metadata XML file from when you created your app.

Provide the file to your Access Server through the Admin Web UI:

1. Sign in to your Access Server Admin Web UI.

2. Click Authentication > SAML.

3. Click Configure Identity Provider (IdP) Automatically via Metadata to expand the

   section.

4. Click Choose File for Select IdP Metadata File.

5. Select your Google IdP metadata XML file, click Upload, and click Update Running Server.

   • The IdP fields are now populated under Configure Identity Provider (IdP) Manually.

You need to grant access to your SAML app from the Google Workspace admin console:

1. Sign in to the Google Workspace admin console.

2. Click Apps > Web and mobile apps.

3. Click your SAML app.

4. Click User access.

5. Select ON for everyone and click Save.

Once you’ve provided the SAML configuration for your IdP, you can enable it for users.

1. Sign in to the Admin Web UI.

2. Select Authentication → SAML.

3. Select the toggle to turn on Enable SAML authentication.

4. Select Save Settings and Update Running Server.

You can now enable SAML as the global default authentication or for specific groups and users.

You can configure an IdP-initiated flow for signing into Access Server from Google Workspace with the following steps:

1. Sign in to the Google Workspace admin console.

2. Click Apps > Web and mobile apps, and click on your custom SAML app.

3. Click the arrow to expand Service provider details.

4. Add one of the following to Start URL:

   1. cws: This directs your users to the Client Web UI after sign-in.

   2. profile: This directs your users to a profile download after sign-in.

5. Click Save.

   • Users find the app available in their Google apps.

You can automate group assignments for access control rules using a post-authentication Python script.

Refer to the steps in this tutorial:

• Tutorial: How to Set Up SAML Group Mapping with a Post-Auth Script

If you prefer, you can manually enter the Google Workspace SAML data to configure Access Server by following these steps.