Microsoft Entra ID
A cloud-based Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution for managing and securing identities across internal and external user bases.
| Category | Identity & Access Management |
|---|---|
| This page updated | a month ago |
| Pricing Details | Flexible pricing based on Monthly Active Users (MAU), with a free edition and premium tiers (P1 and P2) for additional features. |
| Target Audience | Organizations looking for secure identity and access management solutions. |
Microsoft Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), manages managing and securing identities across both internal and external user bases. This cloud-based Identity and Access Management (IAM) solution is built on an enterprise-grade secure platform, scaling to millions of identities globally.
The technical architecture of Microsoft Entra ID is designed for unified identity management, integrating with both cloud and on-premises environments. It leverages single sign-on (SSO), multifactor authentication (MFA), and conditional access policies to protect resources and data. The solution supports passwordless authentication and risk-based access controls, enhancing security without compromising user experience. The unified admin center allows administrators to manage all Microsoft Entra multicloud identity and network access solutions from a single console, improving visibility and control.
Operationally, Microsoft Entra ID offers flexible and predictable pricing based on Monthly Active Users (MAU), which helps in reducing costs and forecasting with confidence. The free edition, included with commercial online services like Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365, provides basic features such as user and group management, on-premises directory synchronization, and SSO across various SaaS apps. Premium tiers (P1 and P2) offer additional features like identity protection, privileged identity management, and advanced conditional access, with incremental pricing for these features.
Key technical details include the support for open standards in identity verification through Microsoft Entra Verified ID, and the ability to manage identity permissions across multicloud infrastructure with Microsoft Entra Permissions Management. The solution also integrates with other Azure services, providing a comprehensive security framework that includes real-time identity protection and audit capabilities.
However, it's important to note that while the solution is highly scalable, managing large numbers of external users can introduce additional costs, particularly for features like SMS/phone-based MFA and data residency options, which are billed as separate charges. Additionally, the complexity of conditional access policies and the need for careful configuration to avoid unintended access restrictions require careful planning and management.