Hybrid Active Directory and Entra ID Identity | Case Study

Unifying on-premises and cloud identity with hybrid Active Directory

An enterprise environment integrated its on-premises Active Directory with cloud identity, so people use one identity everywhere, with single sign-on and Conditional Access on top.

Engagement led by our founder, AH Gazi. Client name and identifying details are withheld for confidentiality; the diagram shows the general architecture, not the client's systems.

The challenge

On-premises and cloud identities were managed separately. That meant separate accounts and passwords to look after, more work every time someone joined, changed role or left, and no single place to apply sign-in security across both worlds.

The objective

One identity per person across on-premises and cloud services.
Single sign-on to cloud applications.
Simpler user lifecycle management.
Stronger sign-in security through Conditional Access.

What was delivered

Hybrid identity environmentOn-premises Active Directory linked with Microsoft Entra ID (then Azure AD).
Single sign-onSingle sign-on for users across connected applications.
Conditional AccessConditional Access policies applied to cloud sign-ins.
Simplified lifecycleA simplified process for managing users from joining to leaving.

Security considerations

Bringing identities together created one place to enforce sign-in rules. Conditional Access policies were used to strengthen security on cloud sign-ins, and a cleaner lifecycle process reduces the risk of accounts staying active after people leave.

Result

OUTCOME 01

Unified user management and authentication across on-premises and cloud.

OUTCOME 02

Single sign-on in place for users.

OUTCOME 03

Simpler user lifecycle management.

OUTCOME 04

Enhanced security through Conditional Access policies.