diff --git a/docs/security/shiroauthentication.md b/docs/security/shiroauthentication.md
index 348c43889a..e608a141e6 100644
--- a/docs/security/shiroauthentication.md
+++ b/docs/security/shiroauthentication.md
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ Change the following values in the Shiro.ini file, and uncomment the line:
 
 ### LDAP
 
+Two options exist for configuring an LDAP Realm. The simpler to use is the LdapGroupRealm. How ever it has limited 
+flexibility with mapping of ldap groups to users and for authorization for user groups. A sample configuration file for
+this realm is given below.
+
 ```
 ldapRealm = org.apache.zeppelin.realm.LdapGroupRealm
 # search base for ldap groups (only relevant for LdapGroupRealm):
@@ -137,6 +141,46 @@ ldapRealm.userDnTemplate = uid={0},ou=Users,dc=COMPANY,dc=COM
 ldapRealm.contextFactory.authenticationMechanism = simple
 ```
 
+The other more flexible option is to use the LdapRealm. It allows for mapping of ldapgroups to roles and also allows for
+ role/group based authentication into the zeppelin server. Sample configuration for this realm is given below.
+ ```
+[main] 
+ldapRealm=org.apache.zeppelin.realm.LdapRealm
+
+ldapRealm.contextFactory.authenticationMechanism=simple
+ldapRealm.contextFactory.url=ldap://localhost:33389
+ldapRealm.userDnTemplate=uid={0},ou=people,dc=hadoop,dc=apache,dc=org
+# Ability to set ldap paging Size if needed default is 100
+ldapRealm.pagingSize = 200
+ldapRealm.authorizationEnabled=true
+ldapRealm.contextFactory.systemAuthenticationMechanism=simple
+ldapRealm.searchBase=dc=hadoop,dc=apache,dc=org
+ldapRealm.userSearchBase = dc=hadoop,dc=apache,dc=org
+ldapRealm.groupSearchBase = ou=groups,dc=hadoop,dc=apache,dc=org
+ldapRealm.groupObjectClass=groupofnames
+# Allow userSearchAttribute to be customized
+ldapRealm.userSearchAttributeName = sAMAccountName
+ldapRealm.memberAttribute=member
+# force usernames returned from ldap to lowercase useful for AD
+ldapRealm.userLowerCase = true 
+# ability set searchScopes subtree (default), one, base
+ldapRealm.userSearchScope = subtree;
+ldapRealm.groupSearchScope = subtree;
+ldapRealm.memberAttributeValueTemplate=cn={0},ou=people,dc=hadoop,dc=apache,dc=org
+ldapRealm.contextFactory.systemUsername=uid=guest,ou=people,dc=hadoop,dc=apache,dc=org 
+ldapRealm.contextFactory.systemPassword=S{ALIAS=ldcSystemPassword}
+# enable support for nested groups using the LDAP_MATCHING_RULE_IN_CHAIN operator
+ldapRealm.groupSearchEnableMatchingRuleInChain = true
+# optional mapping from physical groups to logical application roles
+ldapRealm.rolesByGroup = LDN_USERS: user_role, NYK_USERS: user_role, HKG_USERS: user_role, GLOBAL_ADMIN: admin_role
+# optional list of roles that are allowed to authenticate. Incase not present all groups are allowed to authenticate (login). 
+# This changes nothing for url specific permissions that will continue to work as specified in [urls].
+ldapRealm.allowedRolesForAuthentication = admin_role,user_role
+ldapRealm.permissionsByRole= user_role = *:ToDoItemsJdo:*:*, *:ToDoItem:*:*; admin_role = *
+securityManager.sessionManager = $sessionManager
+securityManager.realms = $ldapRealm
+ ```
+
 ### PAM
 [PAM](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluggable_authentication_module) authentication support allows the reuse of existing authentication 
 moduls on the host where Zeppelin is running. On a typical system modules are configured per service for example sshd, passwd, etc. under `/etc/pam.d/`. You can
diff --git a/zeppelin-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/realm/LdapRealm.java b/zeppelin-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/realm/LdapRealm.java
index 3381a516c5..97c223c2fc 100644
--- a/zeppelin-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/realm/LdapRealm.java
+++ b/zeppelin-server/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/realm/LdapRealm.java
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ import javax.naming.ldap.PagedResultsControl;
  * <p># optional mapping from physical groups to logical application roles
  * ldapRealm.rolesByGroup = \ LDN_USERS: user_role,\ NYK_USERS: user_role,\
  * HKG_USERS: user_role,\ GLOBAL_ADMIN: admin_role,\ DEMOS: self-install_role
+ *
+ * <p># optional list of roles that are allowed to authenticate
+ * ldapRealm.allowedRolesForAuthentication = admin_role,user_role
  * 
  * <p>ldapRealm.permissionsByRole=\ user_role = *:ToDoItemsJdo:*:*,\
  * *:ToDoItem:*:*; \ self-install_role = *:ToDoItemsFixturesService:install:* ;
@@ -176,6 +179,7 @@ public class LdapRealm extends JndiLdapRealm {
   private String memberAttributeValueSuffix = "";
 
   private final Map<String, String> rolesByGroup = new LinkedHashMap<String, String>();
+  private final List<String> allowedRolesForAuthentication = new ArrayList<String>();
   private final Map<String, List<String>> permissionsByRole = 
       new LinkedHashMap<String, List<String>>();
 
@@ -202,6 +206,29 @@ public class LdapRealm extends JndiLdapRealm {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * This overrides the implementation of queryForAuthenticationInfo inside JndiLdapRealm.
+   * In addition to calling the super method for authentication it also tries to validate
+   * if this user has atleast one of the allowed roles for authentication. In case the property
+   * allowedRolesForAuthentication is empty this check always returns true.
+   *
+   * @param token the submitted authentication token that triggered the authentication attempt.
+   * @param ldapContextFactory factory used to retrieve LDAP connections.
+   * @return AuthenticationInfo instance representing the authenticated user's information.
+   * @throws NamingException if any LDAP errors occur.
+   */
+  @Override
+  protected AuthenticationInfo queryForAuthenticationInfo(AuthenticationToken token,
+                                                          LdapContextFactory ldapContextFactory)
+      throws NamingException {
+    AuthenticationInfo info = super.queryForAuthenticationInfo(token, ldapContextFactory);
+    // Credentials were verified. Verify that the principal has all allowedRulesForAuthentication
+    if (!hasAllowedAuthenticationRules(info.getPrincipals(), ldapContextFactory)) {
+      throw new NamingException("Principal does not have any of the allowedRolesForAuthentication");
+    }
+    return info;
+  }
+
   /**
   * Get groups from LDAP.
   * 
@@ -231,6 +258,23 @@ public class LdapRealm extends JndiLdapRealm {
     return simpleAuthorizationInfo;
   }
 
+  private boolean hasAllowedAuthenticationRules(PrincipalCollection principals,
+                                                final LdapContextFactory ldapContextFactory)
+      throws NamingException {
+    boolean allowed = allowedRolesForAuthentication.isEmpty();
+    if (!allowed) {
+      Set<String> roles = getRoles(principals, ldapContextFactory);
+      for (String allowedRole: allowedRolesForAuthentication) {
+        if (roles.contains(allowedRole)) {
+          log.debug("Allowed role for user [" + allowedRole + "] found.");
+          allowed = true;
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    return allowed;
+  }
+
   private Set<String> getRoles(PrincipalCollection principals, 
         final LdapContextFactory ldapContextFactory)
       throws NamingException {
@@ -524,6 +568,10 @@ public class LdapRealm extends JndiLdapRealm {
     this.memberAttributeValueSuffix = suffix;
   }
 
+  public void setAllowedRolesForAuthentication(List<String> allowedRolesForAuthencation) {
+    this.allowedRolesForAuthentication.addAll(allowedRolesForAuthencation);
+  }
+
   public void setRolesByGroup(Map<String, String> rolesByGroup) {
     this.rolesByGroup.putAll(rolesByGroup);
   }