Active Directory on-premise migration to Microsoft 365 made easy
Have you already decided to introduce Microsoft 365 in your company but still have concerns about a complex and therefore costly migration? Then you should definitely read on.
The migration can be roughly divided into three steps:
- migration of identities
- Migration of Exchange mailboxes
- Migration of local files (Word, Excel, etc.)
We would like to focus in particular on the first point, the migration of identities.
The point here is to get your local users into Azure Active Directory. It goes without saying that this step is essential. After all, you don't want to have to create the same accounts that already exist in your on-premise environment and thus burden your employees with additional login data.
The goal must therefore be that you can use your local Windows logins 1:1 in the cloud.
Long-time Microsoft users have probably heard of the "Azure Active Directory Connect" technology, which does exactly that. The disadvantage of this technology, however, is that it requires a very high level of configuration on the on-premises host side and even involves additional licensing costs (including for a separate SQL Server).
Recently, Microsoft has finally found a solution to this problem and has given the successor technology the name "Azure Active Directory Cloud Sync".
According to Microsoft, AAD Cloud Sync is particularly interesting for companies that want to "reduce their on-premise footprint". Translated, this means "SMEs that still use on-premise landscapes but want to gradually migrate to the Microsoft 365 world".
In practice, AAD Cloud Sync is a lightweight Windows agent that needs to be installed on your current on-premises host computer and basically only requires two settings:
- a global admin login to your Azure AD,
- a local admin account on the host computer.
All other configurations, such as mapping of AD attributes, take place entirely in the Microsoft Cloud. Aside from the Cloud Sync Agent, no other licenses/tools are required.
The Cloud Sync Agent is completely free. The same goes for synchronizing local users to AAD. All users move to your tenant as unlicensed users, and there are no costs involved. Azure Active Directory free is completely sufficient for this.
As long as the Cloud Sync Agent is running on your host computer, the users are synchronized in the AAD every 10 minutes. This means that if a user changes their password locally, this change is reflected in the AAD after 10 minutes at the latest. The Cloud Sync Agent can also be installed redundantly on several hosts, which ensures reliability.
Once you have your local identities in the cloud, you have already reached the first milestone.
Finally take a step forward in your decision-making process and let us advise you without obligation. Send us your inquiry today.
