What is Azure Active Directory and Why You Need It |Microsoft Entra - Secure Identities and Access

What is Azure Active Directory and Why You Need It |Microsoft Entra - Secure Identities and Access

Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), now known as Microsoft Entra ID, is a cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) solution. It helps organizations manage user identities and control access to their applications, data, and resources. Azure AD provides a variety of features, including:

Single sign-on (SSO): Users can sign in once to access multiple applications, including cloud-based, on-premises, and mobile applications.
Multifactor authentication (MFA): Azure AD provides a variety of MFA methods, such as text messages, phone calls, and mobile apps, to help protect user accounts.
Conditional access: Azure AD allows organizations to implement conditional access policies to control access to resources based on factors such as user identity, device, and location.
Identity protection: Azure AD provides a variety of identity protection features, such as risk detection and remediation, to help protect user accounts from unauthorized access.
Application management: Azure AD allows organizations to manage cloud-based and on-premises applications, including provisioning and deprovisioning users, assigning roles and permissions, and monitoring application usage.
Azure AD is a powerful IAM solution that can help organizations improve security and efficiency. It is also a key component of Microsoft's Entra platform, which provides a unified experience for managing identities and access across all Microsoft cloud services.

Here are some of the benefits of Microsoft Entra ID:

Improved security: Microsoft Entra ID helps organizations protect their data and resources from unauthorized access by providing robust identity and access management features, such as MFA and conditional access.
Reduced costs: Microsoft Entra ID can help organizations reduce costs by simplifying identity and access management tasks, such as provisioning and deprovisioning users, and by automating security processes.
Increased productivity: Microsoft Entra ID can help organizations increase employee productivity by providing users with a single sign-on experience for accessing all of their applications, data, and resources.
Improved compliance: Microsoft Entra ID can help organizations comply with industry regulations and standards by providing a comprehensive identity and access management solution.
Microsoft Entra ID is a good choice for organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. It is a flexible and scalable solution that can meet the needs of any organization.


There are four different Azure AD licenses: Free, Basic, Premium 1 (P1), and Premium 2 (P2). Each license offers a different set of features and capabilities.

Azure AD Free is the most basic license and is included with all Microsoft Azure subscriptions. It provides basic identity and access management features, such as user and group management, self-service password reset, and single sign-on to Microsoft cloud applications.

Azure AD Basic is a paid license that offers additional features, such as multifactor authentication, application management, and basic reporting. It is a good choice for small businesses and organizations that need more than the basic features offered by the Free license.

Azure AD Premium 1 (P1) is a paid license that offers advanced features, such as conditional access, identity protection, and privileged identity management. It is a good choice for medium and large businesses that need to protect their data and resources from unauthorized access.

Azure AD Premium 2 (P2) is the most advanced Azure AD license and offers all of the features of the P1 license, plus additional features such as risk-based user behavior analytics and access reviews. It is a good choice for large enterprises that need to meet the most stringent security and compliance requirements.

Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between the different Azure AD licenses:

License Features
Free User and group management, self-service password reset, single sign-on to Microsoft cloud applications
Basic Multifactor authentication, application management, basic reporting
Premium 1 (P1) Conditional access, identity protection, privileged identity management
Premium 2 (P2) Risk-based user behavior analytics, access reviews
Which Azure AD license is right for your organization depends on your specific needs and requirements. If you are unsure which license to choose, you can contact Microsoft or a certified Microsoft partner for assistance.