Aloha, my friends. We’re back with another What’s New blog.

As a student and friend of mine, I strongly suggest that the best way to learn any technology or to be an expert is to stay connected with it. Keeping an eye on related news, watching technical interviews, reading blogs, and following up on the company’s new features, announcements, and releases is essential. As a result, you will have a lot of information about the product, which eventually gives you the confidence to discuss it with your customers in an interview or meeting.

As I am also following these IT news headlines, I came across the exciting news that Microsoft is rebranding Azure AD to Microsoft Intra ID, which fascinated me. I started reading about it and understanding what was actually added by Microsoft. I thought I would share the same with you too, as I believe that knowledge grows by sharing, not by saving.

Here we go!! Let’s get started!

Azure AD renamed to Microsoft Entra

The Announcement

Microsoft announced on July 11, 2023, that Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) would now be known as Microsoft Entra ID. There is no need for customers to take any action.

This change will come into effect by the end of the year, and there is no need for customers to take any action at this time.

Microsoft Intra ID is the new name for Azure AD, and it is expected to bring about significant benefits for users. This announcement comes after months of speculation about a possible rebranding of the popular identity management service.
This change is part of Microsoft’s ongoing efforts to provide a seamless experience for users across its products. The rebranding is also intended to make it easier for customers to identify Microsoft’s various products and services.

Microsoft Azure AD, the cornerstone of identity and access management solutions, has recently undergone a significant transformation, marked by its new name and branding. Azure AD has been officially renamed “Microsoft Entra ID,” ushering in a fresh era of identity security and management. As part of this rebrand, Microsoft has also taken the opportunity to clarify the pronunciation of “Azure” (pronounced “azh-yoor”). Furthermore, users can now explore the Microsoft Entra Certification program, which provides comprehensive training and validation of skills in utilizing this revamped identity platform to its full potential. Embracing these changes, businesses can ensure they are equipped with the latest tools and knowledge to safeguard their digital identities effectively.

What is Microsoft Entra?

An identity and access solution offered by Microsoft under a single portal, Microsoft Entra, is the name of the family of identity and access technologies. It is Microsoft’s vision for securing millions of connections that are made between people, machines, apps, and devices every minute with the help of Microsoft Entra.
The Microsoft Entra family was introduced in 2022.

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“Microsoft ENTRA Training: Navigate Your Career”

In the dynamic realm of technology, Microsoft’s ENTRA (Enterprise Networking Training) emerges as a beacon for career advancement. ENTRA training delves into network architecture, security, and cloud connectivity, catering to novices and experts alike. With hands-on simulations, it bridges theory and practice, fostering a global community of networking professionals. Microsoft’s renowned certifications validate your expertise, ensuring industry recognition and prospects. ENTRA training is your compass in navigating evolving tech landscapes, offering a direct path to staying current and propelling your career to new heights.

Microsoft Entra family:

Identity and access management New identity categories Network access
Microsoft Entra ID (currently known as Azure AD) Microsoft Entra Verified ID Microsoft Entra Internet Access
Microsoft Entra ID Governance Microsoft Entra Permissions Management Microsoft Entra Private Access
Microsoft Entra External ID Microsoft Entra Workload ID

Microsoft Entra currently offers 5 IAM products:

  1. Azure AD
  2. Permissions Management
  3. Verified ID
  4. Workflow Identities
  5. Identity Governance

During the May of 2022 launch of Microsoft’s Entra program, three products were introduced: Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), Microsoft Entra Permissions Management, and Microsoft Entra Verified ID. Later on, they also added Microsoft Entra ID Governance into the Microsoft Entra family as well as Microsoft Entra Workload ID into the Microsoft Entra family.

Today, as part of the Microsoft Entra product family, Microsoft aims to provide a solution that unifies multi-cloud identity and network access solutions to protect identities and secure access to any resource – whether it is on-premises, across cloud, or anywhere in between – regardless of whether it is on-premises or across the cloud.

What is Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)?

Microsoft azure active directory is Microsoft’s solution for providing IAM It allows organizations to manage user identities and access to cloud applications and services.
With Azure AD, users can enjoy features like single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access policies, and many others. Azure AD also integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, such as Office 365, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Azure AD’s functionalities are critical for maintaining an organization’s security posture, and with its cloud-based approach, it is highly scalable and flexible, making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes.

You might find this interesting: Azure Active Directory interview questions and answers

Microsoft Azure Active Directory is becoming Microsoft Entra ID

The name of Azure AD has been changed to Microsoft Entra ID as part of Microsoft’s effort to simplify the naming of its products. There will be no change to capabilities and licensing plans, sign-in URLs, or APIs, and all existing deployments, configurations, and integrations will continue to work. Your Azure AD account will start receiving notifications today on the administrator portal, on Microsoft’s website, in documentation, and in many other places. By the end of 2023, Azure AD will become Microsoft Entra ID.

No action is required from you Only the Name is Changing

It won’t affect your organization’s use of Azure AD today or if you are now deploying Azure AD in your organization. You will not need to take any action to continue using your existing deployments, configurations, and integrations.

There are no changes to the product’s features or capabilities. Licensing, terms, service-level agreements, product certifications, support, or pricing all remain the same.

The display names of service plans will change on October 1, 2023. All features included in the current Azure AD plans will remain the same, including Microsoft Entra ID Free, Microsoft Entra ID P1, and Microsoft Entra ID P2. A Microsoft 365 license, including Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5, will include Microsoft Entra ID – currently known as Azure AD. Pricing and free trials can be found on the pricing and free trials page.

Why is the name being changed?

The renaming of Azure AD to Microsoft Entra ID is designed to simplify the user’s experience with the unified and expanded Microsoft Entra product family and make it easier to navigate the additional products that are part of the Microsoft Entra family as part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to simplify secure access experiences to everyone.

Features of Microsoft Entra have been renamed to Microsoft Entra. For example:

  • Azure AD tenant -> Microsoft Entra tenant

  • Azure AD account -> Microsoft Entra account

  • Azure AD joined -> Microsoft Entra joined

  • Azure AD Conditional Access -> Microsoft Entra Conditional Access

Apart from the name, all the features and capabilities of the product remain the same. There will be no interruption to the use of all the features by the customer.

Microsoft Azure Active Directory is becoming Microsoft Entra ID

Conclusion

  • The Azure Active Directory has been renamed Microsoft Entra ID.
  • In order to simplify access experiences, there has been a rebranding.
  • There will be no interruption to the work and configurations.
  • It is expected that the new name will start appearing in August 2023.
  • The Azure AD capabilities can continue to be accessed as usual by users.
  • Users do not need to take any action on their part.

That’s all for the day! See you in the next blog.