Active Directory

• Microsoft cloud-based identity and access management service.

• Azure AD helps employees of an organization sign in and access resources:

  • External resources - Microsoft 365, the Azure portal, and thousands of other software as a service (SaaS) applications.

  • Internal resources - Apps on your corporate network and intranet, along with any cloud apps developed by your own organization.

• Provides services such as:

  • Authentication - Functionality such as self-service password reset, multi-factor authentication (MFA), a custom banned password list, and smart lockout services.

  • Single sign-on (SSO).

  • Application management - Manage your cloud and on-premises apps.

  • Business to business (B2B) identity services - Manage your guest users and external partners while maintaining control over your own corporate data.

  • Business-to-customer (B2C) identity services - Customize and control how users sign up, sign in, and manage their profiles when using your apps with services.

  • Device management - Manage how your cloud or on-premises devices access your corporate data.

• Single sign-on:

  • Users need to remember only one ID and one password.

  • Access across applications is granted to a single identity tied to a user, simplifying the security model.