Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is a cloud-based identity and access management service provided by Microsoft. It provides a centralized identity management system for cloud-based applications, services, and resources. Azure AD allows organizations to manage user identities and access to resources, enforce multi-factor authentication and conditional access policies, and integrate with on-premises Active Directory.
On-premises Active Directory (AD) is a directory service provided by Microsoft that is typically used to manage user identities and access to resources within an organization’s own network. It provides a centralized database of user accounts, computer accounts, and other directory objects. On-premises AD is used to authenticate and authorize users to access resources on-premises, such as file shares, printers, and applications.
The main differences between Azure AD and on-premises AD are:
Cloud-based vs. on-premises: Azure AD is a cloud-based service, while on-premises AD is installed on local servers.
Scope: Azure AD is designed to manage access to cloud-based resources and applications, while on-premises AD is designed to manage access to resources within an organization’s own network.
Integration: Azure AD can integrate with on-premises AD to provide a hybrid identity solution. This allows organizations to use their existing on-premises AD infrastructure to authenticate and authorize users to access cloud-based resources.
Management: Azure AD is a fully managed service, meaning that Microsoft handles the maintenance and management of the service. On-premises AD requires more management and maintenance, as organizations are responsible for managing their own servers and infrastructure.
Features: Azure AD includes additional features that are specific to cloud-based identity and access management, such as support for multi-factor authentication and conditional access policies.
In summary, Azure AD is a cloud-based identity and access management service that provides a centralized identity management system for cloud-based resources, while on-premises AD is a directory service designed to manage access to resources within an organization’s own network. Azure AD can be integrated with on-premises AD to provide a hybrid identity solution.
