Azure AD Connect Client: A Step-by-Step Guide

To set up Azure AD Connect, you'll first need to download the Azure AD Connect client from the Microsoft website. This is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few minutes.

The Azure AD Connect client is a lightweight application that can be run on a Windows Server or Windows 10 machine. Its primary function is to synchronize user identities between your on-premises Active Directory and Azure Active Directory.

Before you start the installation, make sure your system meets the minimum requirements, which include Windows Server 2012 or later, or Windows 10 with the latest updates.

To get Azure AD Connect up and running, you'll need to meet some essential prerequisites. An Azure subscription is a must-have, as it's the foundation for using Azure AD Connect.

First, you'll need an on-premises server running Windows Server 2016 or later, which should be domain-joined. This server will serve as the hub for synchronizing your on-premises Active Directory with Azure AD.

A functional on-premises Active Directory is also required, with a schema version and forest functional level of Windows Server 2003 or higher. This ensures that your directory is compatible with Azure AD.

You'll also need to ensure that the server where Azure AD Connect will be installed meets the minimum system requirements, including a compatible operating system, sufficient disk space, and adequate memory.

Here's a quick rundown of the system requirements:

Finally, ensure that you have a verified domain name and that the Azure AD domain for your AD Connect installation and syncing has a green tick with the word "Healthy" in the Status column. With these prerequisites in place, you'll be ready to proceed with the installation and setup of Azure AD Connect.

To download and install the Azure AD Connect client, start by opening the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect download link on your domain-joined Windows server. Click the Download link to get the MSI package file.

The installation process begins when you double-click the AzureADConnect.msi file. Agree to the license terms and click Continue.

You'll need to choose between customized and express settings during the installation. For most deployments, express settings are perfect, especially if you have a single AD forest and less than 100,000 objects in your AD.

Start the Azure AD Connect installation by opening the .msi file and accepting the agreement to continue.

To quickly install the Azure Active Directory Connect tool, select express settings.

The next step is to connect to Azure AD by entering your Azure AD Global Administrator account, which ends with .onmicrosoft.com.

If you're using MFA on the Global Administrator account, you might get an error that the content is blocked. Click on Add… and add the suggested URL to the trusted sites list.

You'll be prompted to log in to Microsoft 365 with the credentials of the Azure AD Global Administrator.

To create a local AD account for synchronization, log in with your local domain administrator account.

Verify that your domain is verified in Microsoft 365. If not, users will need to log in with [email protected].

Here are the steps to download and install the Azure AD Connect client:

Azure AD Connect offers a range of configuration options to tailor the synchronization process to your organization's needs.

During installation, you have the opportunity to configure various settings, including choosing the source anchor attribute and selecting user and group filtering options.

These options allow you to customize the synchronization process to fit your organization's specific requirements.

You can also define custom settings for user provisioning and password writeback to ensure seamless integration with your on-premises Active Directory.

Azure AD Connect supports advanced Active Directory deployments, including multi-forest scenarios, enabling synchronization from multiple Active Directory forests to Azure AD.

The configuration wizard guides you through the process of establishing a connection to your on-premises Active Directory, allowing you to specify the domain controllers to use for synchronization.

Synchronization schedules can be configured to ensure that changes in your on-premises Active Directory are regularly and promptly reflected in Azure AD.

Filtering options allow you to control which users and groups are synchronized to Azure AD, which is essential for organizations with large directories or complex Active Directory structures.

You can filter based on organizational units, domains, and specific attributes.

Azure AD Connect provides several configuration and customization options for more complex environments, each catering to a specific set of use cases.

Selecting the right options is crucial to ensure that your users can sign in to Azure AD using their on-premises Active Directory credentials.

The default option for user sign-in is to use userPrincipalname, but you can choose to use Password Hash Synchronization instead.

To use Password Hash Synchronization, you need to add your on-premises Active Directory domain name to your Office 365 registered domain list.

Once you've added the domain name, the Azure AD Domain column on the "Azure AD sign-in configuration" page will show as Verified.

You can also configure domain and OU filtering to sync specific containers, rather than syncing all domains and OUs by default.

Decide if you need to perform a test sync or sync all users and devices. If you're piloting your deployment of Azure AD Connect, create an AD Security group and add the users and devices you want to test to the group.

To filter users and devices, select the "Synchronize selected" option on the "Filter users and devices" page. Enter the name of the AD group and select resolve.

Alternatively, if you're ready to sync all items in the containers you selected earlier, accept the default option, "Synchronize all users and devices."

Here are the options for initial sync:

For a demo installation, you can accept the defaults and click the "Install" button.

Azure AD Connect is a versatile tool that offers a range of configuration and customization options to suit your organization's needs. These options enable you to tailor the synchronization process to specific requirements, ensuring seamless integration with your on-premises Active Directory.

You can choose the source anchor attribute, select user and group filtering options, and define custom settings for user provisioning and password writeback during installation. This flexibility is essential for organizations with complex Active Directory structures or large directories.

Azure AD Connect also provides advanced configuration and customization options for more complex environments, including filtering options to control which users and groups are synchronized to Azure AD. These options include filtering based on organizational units, domains, and specific attributes.

Here are some key configuration options to consider:

Selecting the right option for user sign-in is crucial for a seamless experience. The default option for on-premises Active Directory users is to use userPrincipalname.

You can choose from various options, but for this guide, we'll select the first option - Password Hash Synchronization. This option allows users to sign on to Azure AD using their on-premises AD username and password.

To verify the domain name, you need to add your on-premises AD domain name to the Office 365 registered domain list. Once you've done this, the Azure AD Domain column on the "Azure AD sign-in configuration" page will show "Verified".

Azure AD Connect allows you to choose which domains and OUs you want to sync to Azure AD. By default, it selects "Sync all domains and OUs", but you can customize this setting to sync only specific containers.

To configure domain and OU filtering, you can select "Sync selected domains and OUs" during the initial setup or later through the Azure AD Connect tool. This option is available in the configuration wizard, which guides you through the process of specifying the domain controllers to use for synchronization.

You can filter based on organizational units, domains, and specific attributes. This is essential for organizations with large directories or complex Active Directory structures.

Here are the steps to configure domain and OU filtering:

By configuring domain and OU filtering, you can control which users and groups are synchronized to Azure AD, ensuring that only the necessary information is synced and maintaining the integrity of your on-premises Active Directory.

Group Writeback and Device Registration allow for a seamless integration of your on-premises Active Directory with Azure AD.

Group Writeback is a feature that enables groups created in Azure AD to be synchronized back to your on-premises Active Directory. This ensures that your group structures remain consistent across both environments.

Device registration ensures that devices are integrated into your hybrid identity solution. It's a crucial aspect of maintaining a cohesive identity management system.

Azure AD Connect supports both Group Writeback and device registration, making it easier to manage your identity infrastructure. These features can be enabled as optional components.

To set up Azure AD Connect, it's essential to follow established best practices. This includes verifying network connectivity and firewall settings to ensure a secure and robust network setup.

Verify network connectivity and firewall settings by ensuring required ports and protocols are allowed through firewalls and that there is reliable communication between your on-premises Active Directory and Azure AD.

Regular backups of your Azure AD Connect configuration settings and customizations are also crucial in case of a failure or the need to reinstall Azure AD Connect.

Here's a list of best practices to keep in mind:

To troubleshoot synchronization errors, use the Azure AD Connect Health tool to find any errors. This tool can be found in Azure AD or accessed directly through a link.

First, check that your internal DNS resolves all relevant domain names in your Microsoft 365 Admin center account. To see a list of domains in your Microsoft 365 admin center, visit this link – https://admin.microsoft.com/AdminPortal/Home#/Domains.

The default Office 365 domain name should show "Health" status, as shown in the screenshot below. If it doesn't, fix it before proceeding.

To confirm that your local DNS server resolves these domain names, log in to the server you intend to install Azure AD Connect and open the command prompt. Enter the nslookup command and press enter.

Enter the domain names one at a time and press Enter. The nslookup command prompt should display the Fully Qualified domain name of the domain and its IP address, as shown in the screenshots below.

If you successfully resolve the names from the server you plan to install Azure AD Connect, proceed to the next requirement check.

Verify network connectivity and firewall settings are crucial for a successful Azure AD Connect implementation. This includes ensuring required ports and protocols are allowed through firewalls and that there's reliable communication between your on-premises Active Directory and Azure AD.

Ongoing monitoring and review of synchronization results and error reports are essential for maintaining a healthy hybrid identity environment. This helps detect and resolve issues in a timely manner, ensuring user identities and access controls remain consistent and secure.

Regular backups of your Azure AD Connect configuration settings and customizations are a must. This ensures you can quickly restore your synchronization setup in the event of a failure or the need to reinstall Azure AD Connect, minimizing disruption.

Monitoring and troubleshooting are crucial steps in maintaining a healthy hybrid identity environment. Azure AD Connect provides several tools to help you monitor performance and troubleshoot issues.

Azure AD Connect Health is a vital tool for monitoring the health and performance of your Azure AD Connect installation. It provides insights into synchronization status, alerts for potential issues, and performance data.

Synchronization logs contain valuable information about the status of your synchronization process. Understanding these logs and addressing common errors is essential for troubleshooting.

Common synchronization issues may include conflicts in attribute mapping, network problems, or issues with the Active Directory schema. These issues can prevent users from being synced correctly, leading to inconsistent identity and access controls.

You can use the Azure AD Connect Health tool to find any errors if the synchronization isn’t working or you are missing users or groups in the Azure AD. This tool can be found in Azure AD or accessed directly through this link.

In some cases, you may need to trigger synchronization outside the regular schedule. Azure AD Connect provides options to force synchronization when needed.

Here are some key things to keep in mind when monitoring and troubleshooting Azure AD Connect: