Azure Rebranding: What You Need to Know About Microsoft Entra

Microsoft is shaking things up with a new name for its identity and access management service: Microsoft Entra. This change is part of the broader Azure rebranding effort.

Microsoft Entra is the new name for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). This rebranding aims to simplify the identity and access management experience for users.

The change to Microsoft Entra is not just a name change, but also a reorganization of the service's features and functionality. This includes the introduction of a new identity and access management platform.

Microsoft Entra will continue to provide the same features and functionality as Azure AD, including authentication, authorization, and conditional access.

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The name change from Azure AD to Microsoft Entra ID is designed to simplify the user experience with the unified and expanded Microsoft Entra product family.

Microsoft realized that the name Azure Active Directory no longer accurately reflects the scope and capabilities of the service. As Microsoft's cloud platform evolved, so did AAD. It's not just a directory service for Azure anymore, but a comprehensive identity platform that works across multiple clouds, hybrid environments, and devices.

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The renaming of Azure AD to Microsoft Entra ID is designed to make it easier to use and navigate the additional products that are part of the Microsoft Entra family. This change is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to simplify secure access experiences for everyone.

Features of Microsoft Entra have been renamed to Microsoft Entra. For example, Azure AD tenant is now Microsoft Entra tenant, Azure AD account is now Microsoft Entra account, and Azure AD joined is now Microsoft Entra joined.

Here are some examples of feature name changes:

The change is not just about renaming features, but also about creating a path to deliver a simpler way to protect every identity and secure every access point as Microsoft expands the Microsoft Entra identity and network access portfolio.

Azure AD is being rebranded as Microsoft Entra ID, which might seem like a minor change, but it actually reflects a significant shift in the service's capabilities.

The name change is a result of Azure AD's evolution into a comprehensive identity platform that works across multiple clouds, hybrid environments, and devices.

Microsoft Entra ID will continue to be available within Microsoft 365 enterprise and business premium offers, just like Azure AD was before.

The Azure AD for Office 365 apps will now be available to all Microsoft customers in Microsoft Entra ID Free, which means they'll have access to unique capabilities like company branding and self-service sign-in activity search.

Identity developer and devops experiences aren't being renamed, and all existing login URLs, APIs, PowerShell cmdlets, and Microsoft Authentication Libraries (MSAL) will remain the same.

This means that developers won't have to worry about updating their code or tooling to accommodate the name change.

Here are some features that will have new names:

All the features and capabilities of the product will remain the same, and there will be no interruption to the use of all the features by the customer.

The Azure AD PowerShell module is planned for deprecation in March 2024, and it's recommended to start using the Microsoft Graph PowerShell module instead.

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Microsoft Entra is the new name for the product family that helps protect all identities and secure network access everywhere. It's a unified and expanded portfolio that includes identity and access management, new identity categories, and network access.

The Microsoft Entra product family includes several products, such as Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Entra Verified ID, Microsoft Entra Internet Access, Microsoft Entra ID Governance, Microsoft Entra Permissions Management, and Microsoft Entra Private Access. These products aim to provide a solution that unifies multi-cloud identity and network access solutions to protect identities and secure access to any resource.

Here are some of the key products in the Microsoft Entra family:

Microsoft Entra ID, previously known as Azure AD, continues to be available within Microsoft 365 enterprise and business premium offers. This means that users will still have access to the same features and capabilities they're familiar with.

For those who were using Office 365, you'll be happy to know that the unique capabilities in the Azure AD for Office 365 apps, such as company branding and self-service sign-in activity search, are now available to all Microsoft customers in Microsoft Entra ID Free.

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Microsoft Entra ID is designed to simplify the user's experience with the unified and expanded Microsoft Entra product family. This change is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to simplify secure access experiences for everyone.

Some key features have been renamed to Microsoft Entra, including:

Don't worry, apart from the name, all the features and capabilities of the product remain the same, and there will be no interruption to the use of all the features by the customer.

As Microsoft Entra takes shape, you might be wondering what's changing for identity developer and devops experiences. Identity developer and devops experiences aren't being renamed, so you can breathe a sigh of relief – existing login URLs, APIs, PowerShell cmdlets, and Microsoft Authentication Libraries (MSAL) are staying the same.

Many technical components, like sign-in URLs and APIs, usually aren't branded or have low visibility to customers. This means that the behind-the-scenes work remains unchanged.

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The good news is that you won't need to update your existing tools and developer experiences. Microsoft identity platform encompasses all identity and access developer assets, providing the resources to help you build applications that users can sign in to with their Microsoft identities or social accounts.

Microsoft is planning to deprecate the Azure AD PowerShell module in March 2024, so you'll want to start looking into alternative solutions.

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Microsoft Entra is a product family that helps protect all identities and secure network access everywhere. It includes identity and access management, new identity categories, and network access.

Microsoft Entra offers a range of products, including Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Entra Verified ID, Microsoft Entra Internet Access, Microsoft Entra ID Governance, Microsoft Entra Permissions Management, and Microsoft Entra Private Access. These products are designed to work together to provide a unified and expanded identity and access solution.

The Microsoft Entra product family is built on the foundation of Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), which was previously known as Azure AD. Azure AD has been renamed to Microsoft Entra ID to reflect its expanded scope and capabilities.

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Here's a breakdown of the Microsoft Entra products:

Microsoft Entra is designed to provide a unified and expanded identity and access solution that works across multiple clouds, hybrid environments, and devices.

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