Title: Microsoft Entra ID - Microsoft announces new name for Azure Active Directory
Microsoft renamed Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to Microsoft Entra ID to communicate the multicloud, multiplatform functionality of the products, alleviate confusion with Windows Server Active Directory, and unify the Microsoft Entra product family. Per Microsoft's 5 Mar 2024 New Name for Azure Active Directory, quoted below.
New Traction Software references to 'Azure AD' related options and services will change to 'Microsoft Entra ID' but the underlying services do not change. Please read the sections below, quoted from Microsoft's new Microsoft Entra / Fundamentals documentation page.
No interruptions to usage or service
If you're currently using Azure AD today or previously deployed Azure AD in your organizations, you can continue to use the service without interruption. All existing deployments, configurations, and integrations continue to function as they do today without any action from you.
You can continue to use familiar Azure AD capabilities that you can access through the Azure portal, Microsoft 365 admin center, and the Microsoft Entra admin center.
All features and capabilities are still available in the product. Licensing, terms, service-level agreements, product certifications, support and pricing remain the same.
To make the transition seamless, all existing login URLs, APIs, PowerShell cmdlets, and Microsoft Authentication Libraries (MSAL) stay the same, as do developer experiences and tooling.
Service plan display names changed on October 1, 2023. Microsoft Entra ID Free, Microsoft Entra ID P1, and Microsoft Entra ID P2 are the new names of standalone offers, and all capabilities included in the current Azure AD plans remain the same. Microsoft Entra ID – previously known as Azure AD – continues to be included in Microsoft 365 licensing plans, including Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5
Product name
Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure AD. The names Azure Active Directory, Azure AD, and AAD are replaced with Microsoft Entra ID.
Microsoft Entra is the name for the product family of identity and network access solutions.
Microsoft Entra ID is one of the products within that family.
Acronym usage isn't encouraged, but if you must replace AAD with an acronym due to space limitations, use ME-ID.
Feature names
Capabilities or services formerly known as "Azure Active Directory <feature name>" or "Azure AD <feature name>" are branded as Microsoft Entra product family features. This change is done across our portfolio to avoid naming length and complexity, and because many features work across all the products. For example:
"Azure AD Conditional Access" is now "Microsoft Entra Conditional Access"
"Azure AD single sign-on" is now "Microsoft Entra single sign-on"
As part of our ongoing commitment to simplify secure access experiences for everyone, the renaming of Azure AD to Microsoft Entra ID is designed to make it easier to use and navigate the unified and expanded Microsoft Entra product family.
The Microsoft Entra ID name more accurately represents the multicloud and multiplatform functionality of the product, alleviates confusion with the on-premises identity solution (Active Directory), and creates a path to deliver a simpler way to protect every identity and secure every access point as we expand the Microsoft Entra identity and network access portfolio.
Is Azure AD going away?
No, only the name Azure AD is going away. Capabilities remain the same.
Does Microsoft still support on-premises identity management?
We continue to support and enhance Windows Server Active Directory for on-premises identity and access management and the connection to Azure and other clouds, as many organizations continue to rely on this solution.
The name for Active Directory remains unchanged. Based on extensive feedback we received about Microsoft Entra ID as the new name for Azure Active Directory, for many customers the rename helps to better differentiate between the on-premises (Active Directory) and multicloud identity (Microsoft Entra ID) solutions.
Article: Support3905 (permalink) Categories: :Doc:FAQ Date: March 19, 2024; 4:10:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time