Azure Active Directory: How to manage corporate identities

What is Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory is Microsoft Azure's cloud service dedicated to managing user identities and access. It was designed to allow authentication, authorization, and resource management in the Azure environment and other cloud applications with maximum data security. Let's see together how it works.

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) allows you to manage identities and accesses in the Microsoft cloud. Consequently, it simplifies an organization's access to cloud resources, but also on-prem, while ensuring data security and privacy. To perform its function, Azure AD supports several standard protocols, including:

• OAuth 2.0
  An open-standard identity management protocol, providing secure access for websites, mobile apps, IoT and other devices.
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• OpenID Connect
  OIDC was designed to work with native and mobile apps using REST/JSON protocols.
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• JSON Web Token
  An open standard, which defines a compact and autonomous way to transmit information between parties as a JSON object.
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• SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)
  An open standard, which uses XML to transmit data.
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• Web Services Federation (WS-Fed)
  The standard developed by Microsoft that defines how security tokens can be transported between different entities to exchange identity and authorization information.
  

These make it possible to integrate a company's custom applications with the identities and authorization methods that the system manages.

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Possible Azure Active Directory integrations

Azure AD natively integrates with Microsoft 365. Starting from the first, Azure AD is able to integrate its functionality with the applications of the suite to allow unified identity management. Users of the corporate digital workplace based on Microsoft 365 can then use the same credentials to access their work apps, while IT admins will be able to control their use from a single interface. In addition, it is possible to establish conditional access policies.

In this way, access to apps is adjusted based on factors such as geographical location or the device used by the user. Azure AD can also automate user account provisioning And groups.
This means that when a new user is created in the system, an account in Microsoft 365 is automatically created that already has the permissions granted by the organization.

Finally, Azure AD allows you to invite external users to participate in a project, managing their access to sensitive information and avoiding the inconvenience for the company to create new accounts just for this purpose.

What licenses are available for Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory has two main types of licenses:

1. Licenses for organizations
2. Free.
3. Office 365 apps.
4. P1 Premium.
5. P2 Premium.
   
6. Licenses for external users
7. Azure Active Directory B2C.
8. Azure Active Directory B2B.
   

It therefore differs in the type of user, between internal and external (B2C and B2B) to which the organization addresses. Find more details below.

• P1 Premium: The license for organizations that have more complex needs related to identity and access management. This first Premium version of Azure AD allows users of hybrid environments to access advanced cloud and local functionality.
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• P2 Premium: The second Premium version of Azure Active Directory includes all the functionality of the other editions of the product, adding:
  • Advanced identity protection.
  • Privileged Identity Management.
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• Azure Active Directory B2C: This offer is aimed at companies that provide public access services, such as e-commerce sites, mobile apps or customer portals. In the latter case, Azure Active Directory B2C simplifies the management of the identities of its customers, allowing them to register, access and manage the information contained in their personal account. It also allows you to personalize the user experience, from registration to access the resources made available, adapting each phase to the brand and the needs of the organization.
  

• Azure Active Directory B2B: Azure Active Directory B2B is used for connect users from different organizations. Specifically, it allows the host company to invite external users and manage their identities in its Azure environment. Unlike the B2C offer, it is not possible in this case to personalize the user experience. This is because the objective of the B2B license is to simplify collaboration between professionals, putting all aspects related to aesthetics and branding in the background.

What are the main features of Azure Active Directory

As already mentioned, Azure AD is used to manage user identities in a simple and secure way. So let's see what features allow it to achieve its purpose.

1. Centralized identity management: One of the distinctive features of Azure Active Directory is the ability to manage user identities in a centralized manner. Companies can create and manage the identities of their users from a single administration console, thus greatly simplifying user management operations. In addition, Azure AD allows user identities to be synchronized with local Active Directory, allowing organizations to easily integrate existing environments.
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2. Single Sign-On Authentication: Another key feature of Azure AD is Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication, which unifies the user login experience. With SSO, users can access different enterprise cloud applications and services using a single authentication, greatly improving usability and security.
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3. Conditional access: Azure AD also offers the ability to configure conditional access to business resources. This means that access to business assets can be managed based on specific criteria such as the user's role, group, location, or device. This functionality allows organizations to implement customized security policies and track access activities to identify any anomalies or suspicious behavior.
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4. Create groups and directories: Azure AD makes it easy to create user groups to simplify the assignment of access permissions to resources. Organizations can easily configure user groups according to their needs and assign them the necessary access permissions with a few clicks. In addition, Azure AD also allows the creation of external directories to integrate partner or vendor identities, allowing for more efficient and secure collaboration.
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5. Monitoring: Azure AD offers IT administrators advanced tools to monitor user activities and create detailed reports on the use of business resources. These tools allow administrators to promptly identify and respond to any threats or security breaches, ensuring the protection and integrity of business data.”
   

In conclusion, Azure Active Directory confirms itself as an indispensable solution for managing corporate identities, offering a series of advanced features to simplify and ensure the security of business operations.

With its ability to centrally manage identities, Single Sign-On authentication, conditional access, group and directory creation, and advanced monitoring tools, Azure AD provides organizations with the tools they need to protect business resources and ensure compliance with security regulations.

Implementing Azure Active Directory not only improves business security, but it also optimizes operational efficiency and simplifies the management of user identities. Therefore, investing in Azure Active Directory represents a strategic choice for any organization that aims to protect and optimize its digital assets.