Managing identities across on-premises and cloud environments is a critical challenge for organizations, and Microsoft Entra Connect addresses this challenge. In this article, I will guide you through everything you need to know about Microsoft Entra Connect.
Table of Contents
What is Microsoft Entra Connect
Microsoft Entra Connect (formerly Azure AD Connect) is an application developed by Microsoft that enables customers to easily integrate Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) with their local Active Directory.
Microsoft Entra Connect allows you to:
- Synchronize users, groups, and objects from your on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID
- Enable single sign-on (SSO) across cloud and on-premises resources
- Implement password writeback, self-service password reset, and other hybrid identity features
- Maintain a consistent identity experience for users, regardless of where resources are located
Note: It will be replaced by Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync in the very near future.
It has two main components.
- Microsoft Entra Connect Sync
- Microsoft Entra Connect Health
Key Features of Microsoft Entra Connect
Password Hash Synchronization
Password Hash Synchronization (PHS) is the simplest authentication method, where a hash of the user’s password is synchronized to Microsoft Entra ID, allowing users to authenticate directly to cloud services using their on-premises credentials.
Benefits of PHS:
- Simplest to deploy and maintain
- No additional on-premises infrastructure required
- Provides cloud authentication backup if the on-premises infrastructure fails
- Enables leaked credential detection and protection
Pass-through Authentication
Pass-through Authentication (PTA) validates user passwords directly against on-premises Active Directory without storing password hashes in the cloud.
Benefits of PTA:
- Passwords are validated against on-premises Active Directory policies
- No password hashes stored in the cloud
- Simpler than federation while maintaining on-premises authentication
- Multiple authentication agents provide high availability
Federation with AD FS
For organizations with specific requirements around authentication, federation with Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) provides advanced capabilities:
Benefits of Federation:
- Complete control over the authentication process
- Support for strong authentication methods like smart cards
- On-premises enforcement of sign-in hours and account lockout policies
- Integration with third-party identity providers
Seamless Single Sign-On
Regardless of the authentication method you choose, Microsoft Entra Connect can enable Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO), which allows users on domain-joined devices to access cloud applications without having to enter their credentials repeatedly.
Device Writeback
Device writeback synchronizes device objects from Microsoft Entra ID back to on-premises Active Directory, enabling conditional access scenarios based on device compliance status.
In summary,
- It allows the user to synchronize their on-premises AD password with Microsoft Entra ID using the password hash synchronization feature.
- It provides the user with the opportunity to use the same local password in the Azure cloud with a Pass-through authentication feature that requires no additional setup.
- It helps users create groups, users, and other entities. It ensures their identity information is consistent between local and Azure cloud environments with the help of the Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync service.
- Microsoft Entra Connect Health helps you monitor overall activity, such as synchronization failures between your local Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID.
Why choose Microsoft Entra Connect?
- Users will gain a unified identity to access both local and Azure cloud environments, as well as their associated applications. This will make their jobs easier and increase their productivity.
- A cool tool for sign-in and sync experience in one place.
- Access the latest tools like Microsoft Entra Connect, Microsoft Entra Connect Health, and Microsoft Entra Connect Health.
Integrating Microsoft Entra Connect with Other Microsoft Entra Services
Microsoft Entra Connect operates as part of the broader Microsoft Entra product family, delivering comprehensive identity and access management. Key integrations include:
Microsoft Entra ID Protection
With synchronized identities, you can leverage Microsoft Entra ID Protection to:
- Detect suspicious sign-in attempts across cloud and hybrid environments
- Identify compromised credentials
- Apply risk-based conditional access policies
Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management
For administrative accounts that synchronize to the cloud, Entra Privileged Identity Management provides:
- Just-in-time privileged access
- Approval workflows for elevated permissions
- Audit trails for privileged operations
Microsoft Entra Application Provisioning
The application provisioning service extends identity management to SaaS applications, using synchronized identities to:
- Automatically provision users to third-party applications
- Update attributes when changes occur on-premises
- De-provision access when users are disabled or deleted
Best Practices for Microsoft Entra Connect Deployment
Hardware Requirements
For optimal performance,
- 4 CPU cores for organizations with fewer than 50,000 objects
- 8 CPU cores for larger directories
- 16 GB RAM minimum for production environments
- SSD storage for the database
- Windows Server 2019 or newer (though 2016 is still supported)
Security Considerations
Protect your Microsoft Entra Connect server:
- Install on a dedicated, domain-joined server
- Restrict physical and remote access to the server
- Use a service account with the least privilege permissions
- Enable Windows Defender and keep the server patched
- Implement regular backup of the configuration
- Monitor synchronization health
Is Microsoft Entra Connect free?
Yes, it is free and by default comes with your Azure subscription.
FAQS
Which service or services can you monitor by using Microsoft Entra Connect health?
Answer: You can closely monitor the sync between your on-prem Active Directory and Azure Cloud, such as synchronization failures.
Which portal should you use to access Microsoft Entra Connect health information?
Answer: Microsoft Entra Connect Health portal.
You need to implement Microsoft Enterprise Connect cloud sync. What should you create first?
Answer: Cloud-only hybrid identity administrator account.
Conclusion
As organizations continue their digital journeys, hybrid identity management remains a crucial component of a secure and productive environment.
For organizations planning their identity strategy, Microsoft Entra Connect provides the flexibility to maintain on-premises investments while using cloud services. Whether you’re synchronizing a single environment or managing a complex multi-directory environment, Microsoft Entra Connect offers the best service.
By implementing Microsoft Entra Connect in accordance with the best practices outlined in this article, you can establish a robust foundation for your security strategy, simplify user access experiences, and reap additional benefits.
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I am Rajkishore, and I am a Microsoft Certified IT Consultant. I have over 14 years of experience in Microsoft Azure and AWS, with good experience in Azure Functions, Storage, Virtual Machines, Logic Apps, PowerShell Commands, CLI Commands, Machine Learning, AI, Azure Cognitive Services, DevOps, etc. Not only that, I do have good real-time experience in designing and developing cloud-native data integrations on Azure or AWS, etc. I hope you will learn from these practical Azure tutorials. Read more.
