Modern Authentication & Web-Based Connectivity for Vault Client

[cbeer1207]

Autodesk Vault’s desktop clients rely on DCOM/RPC and Windows domain authentication, which prevents Azure AD B2B guest access and blocks modern methods like Azure AD App Proxy. Please add support for modern authentication (OAuth2 / OpenID Connect / Azure AD) and web‑based protocols (HTTPS/REST) so external partners can access Vault securely without VPN.

[ihayesjr]

@cbeer1207 

Thank you for posting the idea.

Vault already supports HTTPS and has REST APIs.

Have you seen these in the documentation?

Also, Azure AD is supported, but it heavily depends on how the environment is configured. 

[cbeer1207]

Thanks for the response. To clarify, the request is specifically about the Vault Desktop Client, which still rely on DCOM/RPC. Because the desktop client cannot use modern authentication or web‑based protocols, Azure AD B2B users and zero‑trust access methods (like Azure AD App Proxy) are not supported.

This request is for Autodesk to modernize the desktop client communication so it can use HTTPS/REST and OAuth2/OpenID Connect, enabling secure, VPN‑free access for external partners.

[ihayesjr]

The customer can integrate with their Azure AD through Autodesk Identity SSO, which Vault uses when selecting Autodesk ID as the authentication method.

Therefore, the protocols you are asking about are already supported through that method.

[mknoblauch8QMHB]

We do see that the Vault Data API documentation shows support for Autodesk Account OAuth tokens and bearer-token authorization. Is the Vault Desktop Client using these same OAuth/OIDC tokens for all subsequent communication with Vault Server, or is OAuth used only for authentication and then exchanged for a separate Vault session that communicates using DCOM/RPC or other proprietary protocols? The Vault Data API and the Vault Thin Client do not support Check-in/Check-out and Lifecycle updates are only in beta. I believe this may be where our disconnect is we need HTTPS/REST and OAuth2/OpenID Connect for Check-in/Check-out and Lifecycle updates.