Can I connect my on-premises AD with Microsoft Entra ID?

Yes, you can connect your on-premises Active Directory (AD) with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). Here’s a simple explanation:

Imagine you have two separate identity systems—one for your company’s local network (on-premises AD) and another for the cloud (Microsoft Entra ID). Without connecting them, you'd need to manage two sets of user accounts separately. However, by connecting them, you can make things easier.

Using Microsoft Entra Connect, you can link your on-premises AD with Microsoft Entra ID. This tool keeps the user accounts in sync between both systems, so any changes made in one system (like updating a password) will also reflect in the other. Once they are connected, your users can enjoy:

• Single Sign-On (SSO): They can log in once and access both on-premises and cloud resources.
• Multifactor Authentication (MFA): Extra security measures to protect logins across both environments.
• Self-service password reset: Users can reset their passwords themselves, both for on-premises and cloud accounts.

So, connecting the two gives a seamless and unified experience for users across both environments.