What is Microsoft Entra Connect?
Microsoft Entra Connect is an on-premises Microsoft application that's designed to meet and accomplish your hybrid identity goals.
Important
Azure AD Connect V1 has been retired as of August 31, 2022 and is no longer supported. Azure AD Connect V1 installations may stop working unexpectedly. If you are still using an Azure AD Connect V1 you need to upgrade to Microsoft Entra Connect V2 immediately.
Microsoft Entra Connect features
- Password hash synchronization - A sign-in method that synchronizes a hash of a users on-premises AD password with Microsoft Entra ID.
- Federation integration - Federation is an optional part of Microsoft Entra 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.
Why use Microsoft Entra Connect?
Integrating your on-premises directories with Microsoft Entra ID 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. Microsoft Entra Connect replaces older versions of identity integration tools such as DirSync and Azure AD Sync. For more information, see Hybrid Identity directory integration tools comparison.
License requirements for using Microsoft Entra Connect
Using this feature is free and included in your Azure subscription.