Active Directory Azure Office 365 Configuration and Management

Configuring Active Directory with Azure and Office 365 is a straightforward process, but it does require some planning and setup. You can integrate your on-premises Active Directory with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to provide a single identity management system.

Azure AD provides a seamless experience for users, allowing them to access all their applications and services with a single set of credentials. This integration also enables features like single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and conditional access policies.

To start the configuration process, you'll need to create an Azure AD tenant and connect it to your on-premises Active Directory using Azure AD Connect. This tool synchronizes user accounts and groups between the two directories.

Azure AD also provides a feature called Azure AD Domain Services, which allows you to create a managed domain in Azure that can be used by your applications and services.

Security is a top priority in Azure AD, with features like MFA, SSO for cloud-based SaaS applications, and context-based adaptive policies to protect organizational data.

Azure AD's security features are designed to guard against common types of attacks such as phishing, password spray, and session replay.

A feature called Security Defaults in Azure AD was recently released, which blocks legacy authentication protocols, requires MFA for administrators and users, and requires MFA for valuable organizational resources.

Legacy protocols can be used by malicious attacks to bypass multifactor authentication if Security Defaults are not disabled.

Protective machine learning is also used in Azure AD to guard against stolen credentials and suspicious log-on attempts.

Azure AD's baseline access policies are designed to accommodate organizations with legacy clients and added on third-party security features, but Security Defaults are designed to better secure digital assets.

Windows AD and Azure AD are two different services from Microsoft, often confused with each other. Azure AD is designed for web-based services and supports online cloud-based apps like Office 365.

Azure AD uses different protocols than Windows AD, including SAML and OAuth.2.0, whereas Windows AD uses NTLM, Kerberos, or LDAP. This means you can't simply switch from Windows AD to Azure AD without considering these protocol differences.

Azure AD also has a flat directory structure, unlike Windows AD which uses OUs (organizational units) or forests. This can impact how you manage user access and permissions in your organization.

Windows vs Azure AD: What's the Difference?

Azure AD is designed for web-based services, supporting services that use REST APIs for online cloud-based apps like Office 365.

One key difference is that Azure AD uses different protocols than Windows AD. Specifically, it uses SAML and OAuth 2.0, whereas Windows AD uses NTLM, Kerberos, and LDAP.

Azure AD has a flat directory structure, unlike Windows AD, which organizes its directory structure with organizational units (OUs) and forests.

Azure AD uses Azure Policy, whereas Windows AD uses Group Policy. This change in policy management can affect how you manage user access and network resources.

Azure AD Join is a feature that links to PCs, but it can only be used with Windows 10.

Microsoft Entra Connect is a tool that replaces older versions of identity integration tools like DirSync and Azure AD Sync. It's designed to make identity management easier and more efficient.

Microsoft Entra Connect is a part of the Microsoft Entra suite, which includes Entra ID and Hybrid Identity. Entra ID operates over HTTPS and supports modern authentication protocols like SAML, WS-Federation, and OpenID Connect.

One of the benefits of using Microsoft Entra Connect is that it allows you to update from older tools like Azure Active Directory Sync. If you're currently using Azure AD Sync, you can upgrade to Microsoft Entra Connect by following the upgrade instructions.

Microsoft Entra Connect is designed to make directory synchronization easier, allowing you to mirror user accounts between your on-premises and online environments. This can save you time and effort by eliminating the need to create or update accounts twice.

Here are some key benefits of using Microsoft Entra Connect:

By using Microsoft Entra Connect, you can simplify your identity management process and make it easier to manage user access to cloud-based applications and resources.

Publishing applications with Entra ID is a game-changer, especially when it comes to sensitive accounts like corporate Twitter accounts.

You can publish third-party and on-premises applications to your end users, giving them single-sign-on access without ever knowing the password.

This is particularly useful for applications like Twitter, where you need to reset the password as soon as someone leaves the company.

With Entra ID, you can create an AD group to put users in that should have access, and once they're added, they'll automatically have access to the application in the My Apps portal.

Entra ID supports over 2400 applications out of the box, and for some of them, you can even configure automatic provisioning.

This means that when you add a user to the AD Salesforce group, an account is automatically created for them in Salesforce without them needing to know the password.

A popular option is using the AWS Single Sign-On app to integrate AAD and AWS, making it easy to manage access to your cloud resources.

Azure AD comes in four different licensing tiers, with the free tier being the lowest. It has a 500,000-object limit for directory objects and includes all the business-to-business, core identity, and access management features.

The free tier does not include IAM for Office 365, premium features, hybrid identities, conditional access, identity protection, identity governance, or advanced group access management. It's a good starting point for small organizations or those with limited needs.

Some of the features included in the free tier are unlimited single sign-on, user provisioning, federated authentication, and device registration. These features provide a solid foundation for identity and access management.

The free tier also includes cloud authentication, Azure AD Connect sync, self-service password change, Azure AD Join, and password protection. These features help streamline identity management and improve security.

Here's a breakdown of the features included in each tier:

The Premium P1 tier costs $6 per month, per user, and offers a robust set of features for identity and access management. It's a good option for organizations with more complex identity management needs.

Microsoft Windows is a crucial part of the Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) ecosystem. Azure AD is a cloud-based service for identity and access management (IAM).

It manages access through user accounts, which carry a username and a password. Users can be organized into different groups, which can be granted different access privileges for individual applications.

Azure AD uses Single-Sign On (SSO) to connect users to Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, allowing each user to access the full suite of applications they have permission for, without having to repeatedly log in each time.

Here's a quick rundown of some key features of Azure AD:

Microsoft Windows Azure Active Directory is a cloud-based service for identity and access management. It's a secure online authentication store for individual user profiles and groups of user profiles.

Azure AD is designed for managing access to cloud-based applications and servers that use modern authentication protocols. This includes SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and WS-Federation.

Azure AD uses Single Sign-On (SSO) to connect users to SaaS applications. This allows each user to access the full suite of applications they have permission for, without having to repeatedly log in each time.

Azure AD creates access tokens which are stored locally on employee devices. These tokens may be created with expiration dates for added security.

To configure permissions in Azure AD, you'll need to select the name of the application, then choose API permissions and add a permission. Selecting Microsoft APIs and choosing Microsoft Graph will allow you to change the access level.

Here's a step-by-step guide to modifying permissions:

Azure AD also supports multifactor authentication (MFA) for important business resources. This adds an extra layer of security to protect sensitive information.

Microsoft Windows offers seamless integration with Microsoft Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory. This guide will walk you through the process of enabling users to log in using their Microsoft Entra ID account.

To get started, you need to register your application through the Microsoft Azure portal. If you have an Office 365 account, you can use its Microsoft Entra ID instance instead of creating a new one.

To find your Office 365 account's Microsoft Entra ID instance, follow these simple steps:

This will take you to the Admin Center of the Entra ID instance backing your Office 365 account. From there, you can connect your Harmony SASE Account to Azure Active Directory.

To configure Active Directory, you'll need to start by configuring permissions for your application. This involves selecting the application name, navigating to the Settings section, and then selecting API permissions.

To do this, follow these steps:

Once you've modified permissions, you'll need to grant Admin Consent if requested. This will allow your app to read the directory, which is a crucial step in configuring Active Directory.

To connect your Identity Provider, log in to your Harmony SASE Management Platform and navigate to Settings, then IdentityProviders. From there, select + Add Provider and choose Microsoft Azure AD.

To configure the key, you'll need to create a secret password, also known as a client secret, that will be used in the Harmony SASE IDP connection.

This is done by selecting Certificates and secrets from the Application menu, then clicking + New Client Secret. Be sure to give the key a name and choose the desired duration for it.

You'll also need to copy the Secret Value field of this key before leaving the screen, as you won't be able to access it again without creating a new key. This is crucial, so don't forget to do it!

The Secret ID field is not necessary to copy, so you can skip that step. Just focus on getting the Secret Value copied into your notes or clipboard.

Here are the steps to create the key in a nutshell:

Remember, you'll need to paste the Secret Value into the Client Secret field in the Harmony SASE Admin console later on.

Configuring IDP connection is a crucial step in setting up your Active Directory. To do this, you'll need to log in to your Harmony SASE Management Platform and navigate to Settings, then IdentityProviders.

You'll then select + Add Provider, which will prompt you to choose Microsoft Azure AD. This is the platform we'll be using to connect your IDP.

To complete the setup, you'll need to fill in some information, including your Microsoft Azure AD Domain (your domain, for example harmonysase.com), Domain Aliases (optional), Client ID, and Client Secret. Make sure to enter these details accurately to ensure a smooth connection.

Here are the steps summarized in a list:

Microsoft Entra Connect is a newer tool that replaces older identity integration tools like DirSync and Azure AD Sync. If you're currently using Azure Active Directory Sync, you may need to update to Microsoft Entra Connect. Be sure to check the upgrade instructions if you're making this switch.