How to Check If Computer Is Azure AD Joined and Compare Active Directory

To check if a computer is Azure AD joined, you'll first need to understand the difference between Azure AD joined and domain-joined. Azure AD joined computers are connected to Azure Active Directory, while domain-joined computers are connected to an on-premises Active Directory.

Azure AD joined computers have a unique identifier, the Azure AD device ID, which can be found in the Azure portal. This ID is used to manage and monitor Azure AD joined devices.

To compare Active Directory, you can check the computer's properties in the Local Users and Groups section of the Computer Management console. Here, you'll see a list of users and groups, including the built-in Administrator account.

If the computer is domain-joined, you'll also see the domain name listed under the Computer Name tab in System Properties.

To confirm if your computer is Azure AD joined, you can follow the Azure AD join process.

First, go to Settings –> Accounts –> Work Access and click on the Join or Leave Azure AD link. This will start the Windows 11 Azure AD join process.

You need to click on the Join this Device to Azure Active Directory link from Alternate Actions to set up a work or school account window.

To complete this step manually, you must log in to Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC with a Microsoft account.

Follow the steps to provide a Work or School ID for Office 365 or any other Microsoft cloud or business solutions. You will need to enter your cloud ID (Azure AD user ID) and password and click on the Sign-in button.

If MFA is not enabled, the Azure AD join wizard will ask you to check and confirm your organization’s name and details. The user must wait some time to complete the Windows 11 Azure AD join process.

The Windows 10 or 11 machines will connect to Azure AD and complete the authentication and AAD join process. This may take some time, depending on your internet speed.

After completing the process, you must follow the Restart instructions to restart the Windows 11 PC. Once the Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC is restarted, you will be able to log in to the PC with corporate credentials.

To confirm your Azure AD join, go to Settings –> Accounts –> Access Work or School and confirm whether your organization name shows up there.

Azure AD is a powerful tool that allows you to manage and secure your devices, especially for remote users.

To understand Azure AD, it's essential to know that it provides a more modern and flexible way to manage devices compared to traditional Group Policy. Group Policy can be more challenging to manage for remote users, as they might miss out on receiving timely updates.

Azure AD can be used to manage security features using device-based Conditional Access policies, which can be a game-changer for companies that have remote workers. This feature is especially useful for companies that have already started using Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM) or third-party tools to assist with device management.

Here are the key aspects of Azure AD to keep in mind:

By understanding these key aspects, you can make informed decisions about how to implement Azure AD in your organization.

To verify your Azure AD join, check the organization name in Settings –> Accounts –> Access Work or School.

You can click on that button to see the Azure AD sync details, which will show whether policies are getting synced.

The first place to look at the results is the Windows 11 Settings page, as mentioned in the Windows 10orWindows 11 Azure AD Join Manual Process Verification.

You can also manually enrol Windows 11 devices into Intune using the method explained in the Windows 11 Intune Enrollment Process Using Company Portal Application Settings App.

Hybrid Azure AD join is a common use case where devices are AD-joined Windows endpoints synchronized from on-premises Active Directory to Azure AD.

These devices rely on on-premises Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) for Identity and Access management (IAM) and are also registered with Azure AD.

They are auto-provisioned with the Windows Autojoin feature if Azure AD Connect (AADC) is installed and synchronizing on-premises AD DS to Azure.

Chances are you already have hybrid Azure-AD-joined devices in your environment if you're using Azure AD Connect and Windows Autojoin.

Traditional Active Directory and Azure AD are two distinct infrastructure types.

There are trust types available with Azure Active Directory, which can help alleviate some of the confusion between these infrastructure types.

Azure AD offers a more flexible and scalable approach compared to traditional Active Directory.

The differences between traditional Active Directory and Azure AD need to be considered before exploring the various Azure AD device trust options.

Joining an already configured Windows 10 device to Azure Active Directory is a straightforward process. You can do this by opening Settings, then selecting Accounts, and finally clicking on Access work or school.

To start the process, select Connect, and then choose Join this device to Azure Active Directory. This will prompt you to enter your email address and password.

On the Let's get you signed in screen, type your email address and then select Next. On the Enter password screen, type your password and then select Sign in.

You will then be prompted to approve your device on your mobile device. Once you've done this, review the information on the Make sure this is your organization screen to ensure it's correct.

If everything looks good, select Join, and then click Done on the You're all set screen. This will complete the Azure AD join process for your device.

To confirm your Azure AD join, go to Settings –> Accounts –> Access Work or School and check if your organization name shows up there. This is a quick and easy way to verify the join.

You can also manually enrol Windows 11 devices into Intune using the method explained in a previous blog post. The first place to look at the results is the Windows 11 Settings page.

To verify Azure AD Joined device, open Command Prompt on the machine and run DSREGCMD /STATUS and press Enter. This command will show you whether the device is successfully joined with Azure AD.

Azure AD Join can be verified from both the user and admin perspectives. From the user's view, you can see the Azure AD Joined Windows 10 or 11 Device in Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.

Here are the steps to verify Azure AD Join from the user's perspective:

From the admin's view, you can check whether the device is Azure AD Joined in the Azure AD portal – Users or Devices pane or Intune blade.

Intune Auto-Enrollment is a feature that streamlines the enrollment process for Windows devices.

You can check the status of your Windows 11 Azure AD join and Intune Manual enrollment from two places.

To enroll your device in Intune, you'll need to follow the manual provisioning process explained in the video guide.

This involves using the settings app of Windows 11, just like the example given in the video guide.

Here are the key points to keep in mind for Intune Enrollment:

By following these steps, you'll be able to successfully enroll your device in Intune and complete the Azure AD join process.

The video guide provides a clear walkthrough of the process, including screenshots and explanations to help you along the way.

Authentication for Azure AD-joined devices is a game-changer, as it only requires access to authenticate against Azure AD in the cloud, not a domain controller.

This means remote users can access on-premises corporate resources without needing a VPN, and they can still logon locally if they have previously cached credentials.

Azure AD authentication has its own set of challenges, though, and you should ensure it supports all your critical business applications.

You may need to consider additional resources and possible server migrations to Azure for Kerberos/NTLM authentication and LDAP connections.

To manage Azure AD-joined devices, you can use device-based Conditional Access policies, which is a more secure and efficient way to manage security features.

This requires registering or joining device identities to Azure AD, and you may need to use Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM) or Intune to assist with management and monitoring.

Authentication is a crucial part of Identity and Access management (IAM) in your organization. It's what allows users to access resources transparently using Kerberos Single Sign-On (SSO).

For local Active Directory, an object is created for each device, which is used for IAM of user accounts, devices, and servers. This configuration provides users with seamless access to resources.

To logon and authenticate to an AD joined device, the device needs network access to a domain controller. Remote users must use a VPN or similar means to authenticate and connect to on-premises resources.

Without network access, users can still logon locally if they have previously cached credentials, but they won't be able to access on-premises corporate resources.

Azure-AD-joined devices only need access to authenticate against Azure AD in the cloud. This eliminates the need for a domain controller.

You can issue Primary Refresh Tokens (PRT's) to devices that are Azure-AD-joined or hybrid Azure-AD-joined to add device-specific claims and provide additional Seamless Single Sign-on (SSO) functionality to Azure AD resources.

However, Azure AD authentication has some challenges of its own, including the lack of support for Kerberos/NTLM authentication and lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) connections.

Active Directory-joined devices primarily rely on Group Policy for managing and deploying policies and settings. This setup can be more difficult to manage and secure for remote users, who might miss out on receiving timely updates if they connect to the VPN less frequently.

Group Policy can be limited in its ability to manage devices for remote users, especially as cloud applications become more common. This is because Group Policy is designed for on-premises environments.

By registering or joining device identities to Azure AD, you can start managing security features using device-based Conditional Access policies. This allows for more flexibility and control over devices, even for remote users.

Device-based Conditional Access requires tenant-wide licensing, which can add to the overall cost of management. You'll need to ensure you have the necessary licenses in place before implementing this feature.

Microsoft Endpoint Manager (MEM) is a tool that can assist with managing and monitoring devices, including Azure-AD-joined, hybrid Azure-AD-joined, and Azure-AD-registered devices. It's a good idea to determine which components of MEM are appropriate for your environment.

Transitions from Group Policy to MEM require detailed planning, testing, and implementation. This can be a significant undertaking, but it's worth it for the added security and control it provides.