The solution is primarily used for handling user permission and containing with the Online Exchange. It's for handling user passwords, user permissions, all of the privileges, and for using Azure Active Directory for the Online Exchange.
Senior System & Security Administrator at a legal firm with 51-200 employees
Good performance and easy to install with good connectivity to our on-premise Active Directory
Pros and Cons
- "The scalability of the product is decent."
- "The synchronization with the local Active Directory and synchronization with all of the users on the local and cloud could be better."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
We're satisfied with the product in general.
The most valuable aspect of the solution is the connectivity with our on-premise Active Directory.
We've found the performance to be very good.
The stability is good.
The scalability of the product is decent.
The installation process is straightforward.
What needs improvement?
The synchronization with the local Active Directory and synchronization with all of the users on the local and cloud could be better. Every user on the cloud and the on-premise local users should have a connection, have the same privilege, the same features. We should be able to change passwords from the local and have it synchronized with the cloud users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for four years. It's been a while.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good. The solution offers good performance. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We've found the scalability of the product to be very good. There aren't any issues with expanding as needed.
In my organization, we have about 25 users. I deployed it for another organization as my company is a service consultant. Therefore, I do this installation for other users and other companies. There are about 60 users in one and another has 100 users. Another company has only 20 users there. The amount of users each organization has varies.
We do plan to grow our team and possibly use the solution more.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted technical support from Microsoft many times, including when the mailing system is down or when I have a problem with Active Directory or Azure. I contact the help desk for Microsoft, and they reply to me in about one hour and help me to solve any issue. It takes about three or four hours and at that point usually, everything is resolved.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward and simple. It was not overly complex or difficult. We didn't have any problems with the process.
The deployment for the local setup takes some time. For the cloud, it's very straightforward, and it takes no time at all. It takes about two hours to totally install the hybrid, the connection, and go on with the application.
We have about five people who can handle deployment and maintenance duties. That includes me and five engineers.
What about the implementation team?
I can handle the implementation myself. I do not need the help of an integrator or consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have many customers that purchase licensing agreements with Azure. Typically they are charged per user.
What other advice do I have?
We're a partner.
I would recommend the solution to others. If they just read a bit about it and connect with Microsoft, they'll likely get some good advice as to how to use it.
I'd rate it at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner

Sr. System Engineer at PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk
Helpful support, useful policy management, and priced well
Pros and Cons
- "Azure Active Directory has useful policy assigning and management."
- "I had some issues with the Azure Active Directory on Windows XP. However, it worked well on Windows 7."
What is our primary use case?
We use Azure Active Directory to make the computers have policies that we inspect. This allows us to deploy software and block the CMD from the user. Additionally, we deploy the desktop systems with password policies.
How has it helped my organization?
Azure Active Directory has helped the organization maintain the user policies of their computer systems.
What is most valuable?
Azure Active Directory has useful policy assigning and management.
What needs improvement?
I had some issues with the Azure Active Directory on Windows XP. However, it worked well on Windows 7.
The password policy that we had in place caused some system lockups.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Azure Active Directory within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Azure Active Directory is easy to scale. You can add new employees, by adding their device to the domain assisting.
We have approximately 300 people using this solution in my organization.
My organization plans to continue to use Azure Active Directory.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support has been helpful.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was simple. I did the flash OS installation, created the role of the Active Directory, and deployed the GPO. The full process of implementation takes approximately one hour and setting the Active Directory domain takes approximately 30 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation of Azure Active Directory.
What was our ROI?
The company I work for has more than 10 branches, we no longer have to go to the branch outside the city to have the application installed on the user's devices. When you have Active Directory, you only need to connect it to the device and then the information will automatically populate. The process was more automated.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution's license is good.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Azure Active Directory an eight of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Senior Analyst - IT Development at a tech company with 10,001+ employees
It is a very straightforward implementation. It helps us with maintaining enterprise identities.
Pros and Cons
- "It is a very straightforward implementation."
- "It helps us with maintaining enterprise identities."
- "The licensing cost is a bit prohibitive."
What is our primary use case?
It's a very good solution. You can manage your entity's enterprise identity using Azure Active Directory, and again, you can do several administrative activities. You can also use your Power Shares sorting and interfacing the endpoint.
How has it helped my organization?
It helps us with maintaining enterprise identities and integrating enterprise in those applications are some of the assignments.
We do have an expanded feature. We have captured video, so that other people can get their hands on getting used to it. That is, they can get used to the platform and implement it from the beginning.
What is most valuable?
We find the Integration accessory integration the most valuable feature. You can have your application integrated with an actual directory. You don't need to do much code, you can use interfaces and it's a direct integration. So, no need to worry about the requirements of your application.
What needs improvement?
The licensing cost is a bit prohibitive.
For how long have I used the solution?
Less than one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not encountered any issues of stability with the product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It scales as far as it depends on the contract. So, it is useful, with plenty of management capabilities. It is pretty flexible, scaling, you can scale in or out as per your requirements.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not contacted tech support.
How was the initial setup?
It is a very straightforward implementation, and you pay as you go. It depends on your number of users, number of applications integrated, and how you prepare your topologies (the arrangements of the network). So, it is pretty much flexible. You can custom tailor it as per your business and target , business implementation and requirement.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have some prior experience with Oracle Unified Directory, as well. It is a less compliant directory service.
In comparison, Azure Active Directory is mostly used with tighter integration. In most of the cases, enterprises are using Office 365 for the communication site online. If you have a requirement like integration with Office 365, then Azure Active Directory is a perfect solution. If you want to integrate other applications or workstations, you can use any compliant directory that works.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Director of Infrastructure at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Improves organizational security and comes with conditional access feature
Pros and Cons
- "The tool's most valuable feature is conditional access."
- "The product needs to improve its support."
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Entra ID has made our organization more secure.
What is most valuable?
The tool's most valuable feature is conditional access.
What needs improvement?
The product needs to improve its support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for five years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Entra ID is stable.
How are customer service and support?
The product needs to improve support. There are many steps before you get to someone who can solve the issues.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
Microsoft Entra ID's deployment is easy.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Entra ID helps save money since you don't need a second MFA solution. I rate it a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Manager at Mada Insurance
A stable and scalable a cloud-based identity and access management service that can be used on-premises
Pros and Cons
- "I like that you can run it on-premises. I also like that I can use Azure at any time as the main one."
- "ESAE management, especially the admin tools, could be improved. It should be built in by the vendor, and I shouldn't have to add patches or updates to connect to my domain directly. It should be added by default. The price could be better."
What is our primary use case?
I use Azure Active Directory for user credential login, control my users with end-user policies, and apply my conditions.
How has it helped my organization?
Active Directory helps me all the time. When users want to log in, it shows me this information with a time and date. It also shows me which computer they are going to use. I can track my users at any time.
What is most valuable?
I like that you can run it on-premises. I also like that I can use Azure at any time as the main one.
What needs improvement?
ESAE management, especially the admin tools, could be improved. It should be built in by the vendor, and I shouldn't have to add patches or updates to connect to my domain directly. It should be added by default. The price could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been dealing with this product for almost 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Azure Active Directory is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Azure Active Directory is a scalable product.
How are customer service and support?
Customer service and support are perfect, especially when I'm dealing with my local third-party Microsoft vendor, who always supports me at any time.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Azure Active Directory is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Azure Active Directory a ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Managing Director at KRsolns LTD
Cloud-based, simple installation, and accessible from anywhere at any time
Pros and Cons
- "What I like is that I can go anywhere, at any time, and to any client premise, and I can simply log in to the admin panel and can serve any of my clients."
- "The main issue is that because Active Directory is in the cloud, it will inevitably be dependent on internet connectivity."
What is our primary use case?
The active directory on Microsoft Azure is similar to the corresponding system for an on-premise active directory.
What is most valuable?
I have no issues with Azure Active Directory.
Our users and clients are migrating from on-premises solutions to cloud-based solutions. As a result, they do not require on-premise service.
What I like is that I can go anywhere, at any time, and to any client premise, and I can simply log in to the admin panel and can serve any of my clients.
Instead of using Team Viewer, you connect to their local service, which is centralized. I have got the Microsoft exchange, and have access to Microsoft Azure. I can check the workstations, and perhaps soon I will be using Microsoft Intune and the Microsoft Defender enterprise. Even if I am not on the premises, I will be able to check and secure my workstations.
What needs improvement?
I don't have any major problems. I don't use it in a way that requires a lot of resources.
The main issue is that because Active Directory is in the cloud, it will inevitably be dependent on internet connectivity.
It would be beneficial if Microsoft could make it lighter so that it requires fewer resources.
Better pricing will help us market it more than having it on-premises.
For how long have I used the solution?
Azure Active Directory was implemented one year ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
For the time being it has been stable. I have a small number of clients, and no hybrid system. We chose those clients with a maximum of twenty users. We don't want large clients so that we can implement one system in one location, and roll it out the same way to all of the clients.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In total, I have 10 clients, five of those are now users of Azure Active Directory.
By the end of the year, we hope to have all of our clients using Microsoft Azure.
New clients are immediately placed on Microsoft Azure.
How are customer service and support?
The Microsoft team in Mauritius has been extremely helpful in implementing systems and resolving issues. We have small clients who have not been faced with many issues.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We deploy the M365 business premium services and a couple of months ago we started to implement 365 Defender. It is a cloud-based solution.
We're new to it. For the time being, we are only using the antivirus component. We haven't used Intune yet. We are not using the entire package. We are only now going to put such solutions into action.
Microsoft Azure was implemented a year ago, and is only used for the creation of users and emails, group emails, and shared boxes, but my clients are mostly lawyers. So, the primary uses are online email exchange and word processing.
We are trying to implement Microsoft Azure more and more.
Azure is the central point. Microsoft Azure is replacing my on-premises service.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is rather straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We had some assistance from the local Microsoft team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing fees are paid on a monthly basis.
When I calculated the price, it appeared to be nearly the same as the on-premise server.
Better pricing would attract customers to use the cloud.
What other advice do I have?
We haven't had to deal with any major recovery issues.
We have had Excel and Word files that were simply recoverable. We backup the server, but nothing more serious than that.
We are Microsoft centric solution providers.
We have very small clients, companies with 20 to 30 users of Excel, Word, and the internet. We deploy Microsoft 365 platforms, not much in the way of large software applications.
I would recommend this solution to others, and I am already promoting it.
I am suggesting that all of my clients migrate from on-premise active directory to a Microsoft view because, with the current COVID, many of our users work from home. I just wanted to point out that almost all of our users work from home. They are currently working on the roaster. Half of the company works from home, while the other half works on-site. Having active and SharePoint, is really assisting them in working from home.
I would rate Azure Active Directory a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Assistant General Manager at ELEVATE Solutions Limited
Reasonably priced and scalable with a nice user interface
Pros and Cons
- "The technical support is pretty good."
- "The monitoring dashboard could be a bit better."
What is our primary use case?
We use this and Microsoft Intune. Azure Active Directory is an identity solution and a mandatory requirement. Without Azure Active Directory, Intune would not work.
What is most valuable?
Within Azure Active Directory, the single sign-on feature is the best aspect. Right now, the world is moving to the cloud. Nowadays, every vendor is developing their cloud. With this, I can have a single sign-on and move around from place to place easily.
The technical support is pretty good.
The initial setup is pretty straightforward.
I have found the solution to be stable so far.
The scalability potential is good.
The pricing of the product is reasonable.
The interface, in general, looks okay.
The solution has built-in backup capabilities.
What needs improvement?
So far, the solution has worked well for us. there are no missing features.
The monitoring dashboard could be a bit better.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. the performance and reliability are good. There aren't issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
You can scale this solution if you need to. It's not a problem.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't dealt much with technical support, as we haven't really needed it, however, if we did need assistance, they have been helpful. Overall, it's been a positive experience.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very, very easy. It's not complex or difficult at all.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are multiple options for pricing. One is standalone. Another is within a package. If we consider an F1 package, I'm getting Azure Active Directory, Intune, and Microsoft Information Protection. If I'm taking the Azure Active Directory virtual feature under the plan, under the package, it's affordable. They offer a very good price.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the solution at a perfect ten out of ten overall. It's the best product. I'm really happy with it.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
Sr. Cloud Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Great out of the box authentication flows, provides minimal security leakage, and is quite stable
Pros and Cons
- "The scalability capabilities are quite high."
- "Azure AD provides two types of features. One is Azure AD Excel and is already B2C. Out of both versions, Azure B2C requires some improvement, in terms of user management and role management, et cetera."
What is our primary use case?
There were a couple of use cases I've dealt with. In one scenario, I had to import on-premise users to my Azure AD. We had a couple of mobile applications where we were using the authentication feature from Azure AD.
We needed to create a new infrastructure for one of the clients and everything had to be taken care of by the Azure infrastructure. In that case, we used Azure AD for all kinds of user management tasks, as well as authentication.
How has it helped my organization?
We simply use Azure AD and everything is taken care of instantly. You need not worry about user management. Everything is taken care of by Azure AD itself. You just simply have it in your application and everything is done out-of-the-box.
What is most valuable?
Azure AD, overall, is quite good for securing your applications as well as the infrastructure.
I like that they provide most of the authentication flows out-of-the-box, so you do not need to do anything specific to tackle any authentication flows.
Azure AD has affected our organization's security positively. In terms of the application, it's quite good. There was very minimal leakage. We had a single instance and that user was already compromised. Otherwise, it's quite good.
What needs improvement?
Azure AD provides two types of features. One is Azure AD Excel and is already B2C. Out of both versions, Azure B2C requires some improvement, in terms of user management and role management, et cetera.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for approximately one to one-and-a-half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is quite high - if we are talking about Azure AD and not Azure AD B2C.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability capabilities are quite high. We have somewhere around 5 million users, and it was doing quite well even with that number.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't interacted much with technical support, however, during one of the instances where we required some help, which was not related to the Azure AD, they provided us quite good support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have tried one competitor, IdentityServer. It is basically an open-source solution. In terms of comparison, Azure AD is quite solid. When it comes to IdentityServer, you need to manage everything on your own. You need to host everything and you have to take care of the whole application life cycle with that identity cycle. In the case of Azure AD it's an almost managed service.
How was the initial setup?
I found the initial setup process quite straightforward.
In terms of implementation, Microsoft provides very good documentation of how to kick off Azure AD. You just need to follow those instructions and it will be done in a couple of clicks.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They do have a tier of service that is free that supports many people. You can also purchase a license and costs can be reduced on the Microsoft side.
What other advice do I have?
My previous organization has a very close relationship with Microsoft.
I would advise users to go with Azure AD, if possible, and to try to avoid the B2C version at the moment, as quite a few good features are already in the preview. Once those preview features are done, you can go with the B2C version.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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