At high level, these identity solutions and feature sets are:Įnterprise-ready lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server that provides key features such as identity and authentication, computer object management, group policy, and trusts.ĪD DS is a central component in many organizations with an on-premises IT environment, and provides core user account authentication and computer management features.įor more information, see Active Directory Domain Services overview in the Windows Server documentation. Instead, you could just use Azure Active Directory.Īlthough the three Active Directory-based identity solutions share a common name and technology, they’re designed to provide services that meet different customer demands. For example, if you mostly manage cloud-only users that run mobile devices, it may not make sense to build and run your own Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) identity solution. This choice in identity solutions gives you the flexibility to use the most appropriate directory for your organization’s needs.

To provide applications, services, or devices access to a central identity, there are three common ways to use Active Directory-based services in Azure.

Azure Identity & Access Management (IAM).

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