Azure Active Directory can create operational and licensing challenges for organizations during M&A. Technology first released in 2020 could help in certain cases, but only for small acquisitions for now.

Preview capability could particularly help organizations with both US Government and Commercial tenancies.

Azure Active Directory includes numerous features to enable interoperability with Active Directory on-premises, Microsoft 365 and third-party applications, and enable administration of AAD users and groups. Some additional services can help improve AAD security, at additional cost. Each of the reports in this kit discusses different features, technologies, or additional services that help with AAD management and security.

A new lightweight synchronization model between Active Directory and Azure AD offers capabilities not possible with the traditional connect model, but with some limitations.

Windows 10 hybrid domain join offers organizations the traditional benefits of AD, like Group Policy, with additional benefits from registering PCs with Azure Active Directory.

Proper identity management requires understanding the differences between Microsoft's Active Directory Domain Services and Microsoft's hosted Azure Active Directory

Roadmap for the Identity Manager software, which synchronizes user identity data across directories and helps organizations manage user credentials for secure authentication.

Chart shows Microsoft on-premises identity infrastructure products and components

Organizations using Microsoft's hosted services, including Office 365, Intune, and Azure, should integrate Azure Active Directory with their on-premises directory to coordinate management and simplify sign-on for users

Resources for articles included in this report