Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory (AAD), now known as Microsoft Entra ID, is Microsoft's multi-tenant, cloud-based identity and access management (IAM) service. It provides centralized identity management for applications and services, enabling single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and…

Key facts

First appeared
2013
Category
cloud_infrastructure
Problem solved
Azure Active Directory was created to provide scalable, secure, and unified identity and access management for cloud-based applications and resources. It addressed the limitations of traditional on-premises directory services for a multi-tenant, internet-centric world, enabling modern authentication protocols (OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML) and external identity management (B2B/B2C) at cloud scale.
Platforms
Web (accessible via browser), Desktop (via integrated clients), Mobile (via apps and browser), Microsoft Azure cloud service

Related technologies

Notable users

  • Enterprises utilizing Microsoft Azure for cloud infrastructure
  • Organizations requiring centralized identity for SaaS applications
  • Millions of organizations globally leveraging Microsoft 365