Universal Directory (UD) is the centralized identity store that allows admins to manage users, groups, devices and Realms from a single plane. Given the vast set of resources managed in one location, admins need more flexibility when carrying out search queries to get the information they need faster. To meet this need (and address multiple Okta Ideas submissions), we are excited to announce that the contains search operator is now generally available! The contains operator will allow Okta admins to do wildcard searches and provide more flexibility in how they can search for users, groups, Realms and devices. 

Users

Admins, especially help desk admins, often find themselves searching for users without knowing their exact name or email address. With the introduction of a contains search operator, admins can search for users with just a partial name, email address or username to refine their search and reduce the amount of time spent getting the information they need.  

For enterprise or customer identity use cases, a “starts with” or “exact” search may be impractical. A “contains” search enables efficient navigation of large directories without entering the exact information. 

The contains operator can be leveraged for users search via UI or API on First Name, Last Name, Email Address, or Login. Check out this video for a quick demo.

Groups

Many organizations have detailed naming conventions for their groups, putting the responsibility of knowing or remembering the group name on the admin. In these scenarios, making a “starts with” search is insufficient and may present too many results back. A “contains” search, on the other hand, ensures that even if only part of the name is known, streamlined results will be shared back, filtering to the relevant set of groups without having to memorize the full name.

The contains operator can be leveraged via UI and API on both the Name and Description attributes. Check out this video for a demo.

Realms and Devices

In many organizations, Realm structures often align with business units, subsidiaries, acquisitions or partner organizations. Just like groups, Realms can have detailed and complex naming conventions. While these names provide clarity, it can be difficult to remember the exact naming conventions while searching, especially in large organizations. With a “contains” search, administrators can narrow their search results using any fragment they remember of the name, improving search efficiency and supporting scalable search as the organization expands. The contains operator can be leveraged via API on Realm Name. 

Devices can be identified by multiple attributes, many of which are long, complex or inconsistently formatted. A “contains” search introduces the ability to find devices without needing to input the full name, serial number or exact attribute value. This helps admins efficiently find relevant devices with partial values. The contains operator can be leveraged via API on Display Name, Serial Number, IMEI, MEID, UDID and SID

The contains search operator is now Generally Available (GA) for all Commercial and FedRamp Moderate customers. To learn more about the contains operator, refer to Okta’s Help Documentation and API Documentation.