Many businesses use the Active Directory to manage Windows users and devices. It is simple to set up an Active Directory Domain Controller (ADDC) on Windows Server. The administrators can use it to authenticate users, manage access to shared resources, etc..
That’s why you should know how Office 365 Active Directory sync and what are the purposes of processing this task. Scrolling down to know more!
Azure AD Connect
About It
It is a tool from Microsoft that intendeds to provide a hybrid environment to an organization’s IT. You can utilize many features, like health monitoring and federation integration. Today, we’ll concentrate focus on its most well-known and noticeable feature: synchronization.
In short, Azure AD Connect permits organizations to synchronize the identity of the data. Users can connect to on-premises applications and cloud services with the same credentials.
How Does It Work?
You can install this application in the on-premises center, on a domain-joined one. The default for synchronizing data uses this Express Settings installation option. It’s usually between the single on-premises forest with a single tenant and domains.
The default way to sync: starts with on-premises AD and ends at Azure. You can use the write-back function for your AD.
It can synchronize the on-premises AD’s groups, user accounts, or credential hashes. Many account attributes are synchronized, including the SID and UPN.
The below attributes and objects are NOT synchronized:
- Any ones that you choose not to sync
- User and group SidHistory attributes
- Objects of Group Policy (GPOs)
- The Sysvol folder’s contents are Computer objects. That is for devices linked to the AD environment OU structures.
Noticeable Features
Password hash synchronization – This sign-in process syncs a user’s on-premises AD password hash and the Azure AD.
Pass-through authentication – Using a similar password is acceptable when avoiding the extra infrastructure. A federated environment will require this one.
Federation integration – This is an optional part of Azure AD Connect. One use this to create a hybrid environment with on-premises AD FS infrastructure. Moreover, the AD FS management features and extra FS server deployment are also offered.
Synchronization – It creates groups, users, and others. Besides, this one ensures the information for your groups fits the one that exists in the cloud. This synchronization also includes password hashes.
Azure AD Connect Health – This one provides powerful monitoring and a centralized spot to view the activity from its Azure portal.
Providing a common distinctiveness for accessing the cloud makes your users more productive. The outstanding benefits it brings that we should consider:
- Users can connect to on-premises servers and cloud services utilizing a single one.
- Simplify the synchronization deployment and sign in with this simple tool.
- Provides the most up-to-date your scenario’s capabilities. Azure AD Connect substitutes previous tool versions, such as DirSync.
Office 365 Active Directory Sync
Download The Run Azure AD Connect
- You can download the official version at Microsoft Download Center.
- Run the installer after copying it to the server you want to use as the sync server.
- Accept the license terms and then click Continue.
- Examine the specifics of what the wizard will do when you see the Express Settings screen. Click Use Express settings for our walkthrough.
Install The Run Azure AD Connect
- The screen Connect appears. Click Next after entering your Office 365 administrator’s username and password.
- The wizard will perform some calculations before displaying the Ready to Configure tab.
- On this page: 2.1. Deselect the “Start the synchronization process as soon as the configuration is finished” checkbox. When you uncheck this box, with the directory parts that are synchronized anyway, you should make some filtering. It configures the sync service but turns off the scheduler. After you’ve finished filtering, you’ll need to re-run the installation wizard to enable the schedule.
- 2.2 You can activate a hybrid Exchange deployment if you run Exchange locally. This will allow a few more directory attributes to sync, which will come in handy when you run this wizard.
- Select install.
- When it finishes the process, you should restart your devices.
Personalize The Synchronized Content
- Run the Synchronization Service Manager.
- Select Connector, then run Active Directory Domain Services.
- Go to Configure Directory Partitions, and click on Containers. Filling in your credentials is the requirement to continue this task.
- Choose the OUs you will sync, then select OK to continue.
- Activate the scheduler: Open Task Scheduler, locate the Sync Scheduler task, and click Enable.
- Wait for it to run, and you’ll see a slew of new user accounts appear in Azure AD.
Remember to sync only the directory objects that are usable in Office 365. No one wants a slew of service accounts and other objects cluttering your system when there’s nothing you can do with them in the cloud.
Conclusion
In general, we’ve provided you with all the detailed information for Office 365 Active Directory sync. The most important factor that significantly affects the whole process is Azure AD Connect.
For that reason, you just need to download and install it properly. After that, follow the instructions step-by-step to finish this task in lest than 30 minutes!
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