Azure AD Connect
Updated: Mar 10
Azure AD Connect is an on-premises Microsoft application that's designed to meet and accomplish your hybrid identity goals. If you're evaluating how to best meet your goals, you should also consider the cloud-managed solution Azure AD Connect cloud sync.
Azure AD Connect provides the following features:
Password hash synchronization - A sign-in method that synchronizes a hash of a users on-premises AD password with Azure AD.
Pass-through authentication - A sign-in method that allows users to use the same password on-premises and in the cloud, but doesn't require the additional infrastructure of a federated environment.
Federation integration - Federation is an optional part of Azure AD Connect and can be used to configure a hybrid environment using an on-premises AD FS infrastructure. It also provides AD FS management capabilities such as certificate renewal and additional AD FS server deployments.
Synchronization - Responsible for creating users, groups, and other objects. As well as, making sure identity information for your on-premises users and groups is matching the cloud. This synchronization also includes password hashes.
Health Monitoring - Azure AD Connect Health can provide robust monitoring and provide a central location in the Azure portal to view this activity.
Azure AD Health Connect -
Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Connect Health provides robust monitoring of your on-premises identity infrastructure. It enables you to maintain a reliable connection to Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Online Services.
Real World Azure AD Connect –
Why Azure AD connect –
Integrating your on-premises directories with Azure AD makes your users more productive by providing a common identity for accessing both cloud and on-premises resources. Users and organizations can take advantage of:
Users can use a single identity to access on-premises applications and cloud services such as Microsoft 365.
Single tool to provide an easy deployment experience for synchronization and sign-in.
Provides the newest capabilities for your scenarios. Azure AD Connect replaces older versions of identity integration tools such as DirSync and Azure AD Sync.
Why Azure AD Connect Health -
Azure AD Connect Health helps monitor and gain insights into your on-premises identity infrastructure thus ensuring the reliability of this environment. It is as simple as installing an agent on each of your on-premises identity servers.
Azure AD Connect Cost –
Using this feature is free and included in your Azure subscription however to run this tool you need a windows server with internet connectivity over HTTPS.
Azure AD Connect Health Cost –
Using this feature requires an Azure AD Premium P1 license.