Identity Migration · Hybrid to Cloud · Zero Disruption

Active Directory to Entra ID Migration
Modernise Your Identity Infrastructure

Migrate from on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID with zero user disruption. Hybrid identity, ADFS decommission, Conditional Access, app SSO migration, and Intune policy deployment — all planned and executed by identity specialists.

See Migration Phases

On-Premises AD Is Holding You Back

Active Directory was designed for a world where users, applications, and data lived inside the corporate network. That world no longer exists. Your workforce is hybrid, your apps are SaaS, and your data is in the cloud — but your identity infrastructure is still anchored to on-premises domain controllers.

ADFS servers add complexity, attack surface, and operational overhead. Group Policies cannot manage cloud-joined devices. VPN dependency for authentication creates bottlenecks and single points of failure.

Microsoft Entra ID provides cloud-native identity with Conditional Access, passwordless authentication, Privileged Identity Management, and seamless SSO to thousands of SaaS applications — without maintaining a single domain controller.

Zero
User Disruption
SSO
To 3,000+ SaaS Apps
MFA
Passwordless Authentication
PIM
Just-in-Time Admin Access

5-Phase Migration Approach

1

Discovery & Assessment

Audit your AD forests, domains, trusts, OUs, GPOs, ADFS relying parties, and application dependencies. Identify all authentication protocols in use (Kerberos, NTLM, LDAP, SAML, OIDC). Assess device join state and licence readiness. Deliver a migration readiness report with risk scoring.

2

Hybrid Identity Setup

Deploy Azure AD Connect with the appropriate sync method — password hash sync (recommended), pass-through authentication, or federation. Configure attribute filtering, OU-based scoping, and custom sync rules. Establish the hybrid identity foundation that keeps both directories in sync during migration.

3

App & SSO Migration

Migrate ADFS relying party trusts to Entra ID Enterprise Applications. Configure SAML/OIDC SSO for each application. Set up Application Proxy for on-premises web apps requiring remote access. Deploy Kerberos Constrained Delegation for legacy apps. Validate SSO for every application before cutover.

4

Security & Policy Deployment

Design and deploy Conditional Access policies (require MFA, block legacy auth, enforce compliant devices, location-based access). Configure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time admin access. Set up Identity Protection risk policies. Migrate GPOs to Intune configuration profiles and compliance policies. Deploy passwordless authentication methods (FIDO2 keys, Windows Hello, Authenticator app).

5

Cutover & Decommission

Switch domain authentication from federated to managed. Decommission ADFS and WAP servers. Azure AD join remaining devices (or hybrid join for transitional period). Decommission on-premises domain controllers once all dependencies are resolved. Run a 30-day parallel monitoring period. Validate all user sign-ins, app access, and Conditional Access policy enforcement in Entra ID sign-in logs.

Azure AD Connect — Sync Method Comparison

Feature Password Hash Sync Pass-Through Auth Federation (ADFS)
Authentication Location Cloud (Entra ID) On-premises (via agent) On-premises (ADFS farm)
On-Prem Dependency None after sync Requires PTA agent running Requires ADFS + WAP servers
Resilience Highest — works even if on-prem is down Moderate — agent outage blocks auth Lower — ADFS outage blocks auth
Leaked Credential Detection Yes — Entra ID Identity Protection Limited No
Complexity Low — simplest to deploy Medium — agent management High — farm, certs, WAP, monitoring
Our Recommendation Recommended for most orgs When regulatory policy prohibits cloud password storage Only if required by third-party IdP integration

What We Migrate

Users & Groups

All user accounts, security groups, distribution lists, and nested group memberships. Dynamic group rules replace static OU-based assignments. Custom attributes mapped via Azure AD Connect sync rules.

Application SSO

ADFS relying party trusts converted to Entra ID Enterprise Applications. SAML 2.0, OIDC, and WS-Federation apps configured with SSO. Kerberos apps migrated via Application Proxy with KCD. LDAP apps pointed to Azure AD DS.

Conditional Access

Design and deploy Conditional Access policies: require MFA for external access, block legacy authentication protocols, enforce device compliance, restrict access by location and risk level. Named locations for office IPs and trusted networks.

Device Management

Transition from domain-joined to Azure AD joined or hybrid Azure AD joined devices. Deploy Intune for MDM/MAM. Migrate GPO settings to Intune configuration profiles. Set up Windows Autopilot for zero-touch device provisioning.

Privileged Identity (PIM)

Deploy Privileged Identity Management for just-in-time admin access. Configure eligible role assignments with approval workflows, MFA verification, and time-limited activation. Set up access reviews for recurring attestation of privileged roles.

Passwordless Auth

Deploy passwordless authentication methods — FIDO2 security keys, Windows Hello for Business, and Microsoft Authenticator phone sign-in. Reduce phishing risk and improve user experience by eliminating password-based authentication entirely.

GPO to Intune — Policy Migration

Group Policy Setting Intune Equivalent Profile Type
Password policy (complexity, age, length) Device compliance policy + Conditional Access Compliance
BitLocker encryption Endpoint security > Disk encryption Endpoint Security
Windows Firewall rules Endpoint security > Firewall Endpoint Security
Software installation (MSI) Intune Win32 app / LOB app deployment App Management
Drive mappings / login scripts PowerShell scripts via Intune + OneDrive KFM Scripts / Configuration
Windows Update / WSUS Windows Update for Business + Update rings Update Management
Chrome/Edge browser policies Settings catalog / ADMX-backed profiles Configuration Profile
Desktop wallpaper / lock screen Device restrictions > Personalisation Configuration Profile

We use Microsoft's Group Policy Analytics tool in Intune to assess GPO compatibility before migration. Policies with no Intune equivalent are handled via custom OMA-URI settings or PowerShell scripts.

Security Gains from Entra ID

Conditional Access

Context-aware policies that evaluate user risk, device compliance, location, and app sensitivity before granting access. Replaces VPN and network-based trust.

Identity Protection

Machine learning detects compromised credentials, impossible travel, anonymous IP access, and other risk signals. Automated remediation forces password reset or blocks access.

Just-in-Time Access

PIM eliminates standing admin privileges. Admins request time-limited role activation with MFA verification and approval workflows. Reduces blast radius of compromised admin accounts.

Legacy Auth Blocking

Block legacy authentication protocols (IMAP, POP3, SMTP, older Office clients) that bypass MFA. Conditional Access policies enforce modern authentication across all applications.

Ready to Modernise Your Identity Infrastructure?

Get a free identity assessment. We will audit your AD environment, map your applications, and deliver a migration roadmap with timeline and cost estimate — no obligation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Entra ID is the new name for Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), rebranded in July 2023. The product is the same — it is Microsoft's cloud identity and access management service. All Azure AD features, APIs, licences (P1, P2), and SKUs remain unchanged. Only the branding has changed. Throughout this page we use both names interchangeably as many organisations still refer to it as Azure AD.

Yes. We use a staged migration approach. Azure AD Connect synchronises your on-premises AD to Entra ID in the background. Users continue to log in with their existing credentials throughout the migration. Password hash sync means their cloud password matches their on-premises password in real-time. We migrate groups, apps, and policies in phases — users experience no downtime or credential changes.

It depends on your environment. If all your applications are SaaS or cloud-native, you can fully decommission on-premises AD and domain controllers. If you have legacy applications that require Kerberos, NTLM, or LDAP authentication (e.g., file servers, network printers, legacy ERP), you may need to maintain a hybrid configuration or use Azure AD Domain Services as a managed alternative.

We migrate all ADFS relying party trusts to Entra ID application registrations. SAML and WS-Federation apps are reconfigured to use Entra ID as the identity provider. We then switch the domain authentication from federated to managed (password hash sync or pass-through authentication). Once all apps and users are off ADFS, we decommission the ADFS farm and WAP servers.

GPOs only apply to domain-joined devices managed by on-premises AD. For cloud-managed devices (Azure AD joined), GPOs are replaced by Microsoft Intune configuration profiles and compliance policies. We audit your existing GPOs, map each policy to its Intune equivalent, and create the replacement profiles. Some GPOs have direct Intune equivalents; others require custom OMA-URI settings or ADMX-backed profiles.

We inventory all applications using AD or ADFS for authentication. For each app, we determine the protocol (SAML 2.0, OIDC, WS-Federation, Kerberos, LDAP). SAML and OIDC apps are registered in Entra ID as Enterprise Applications with SSO configured. Kerberos apps can use Azure AD Application Proxy with Kerberos Constrained Delegation. LDAP apps are pointed to Azure AD Domain Services or migrated to modern auth protocols.

Entra ID Free is included with any Microsoft 365 subscription and covers basic SSO and MFA. Entra ID P1 (included in M365 E3) adds Conditional Access, dynamic groups, self-service password reset, and Application Proxy. Entra ID P2 (included in M365 E5) adds Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Identity Protection, and access reviews. Most enterprise migrations require P1 at minimum; we recommend P2 for organisations with more than 500 users.

A small organisation (under 500 users, fewer than 20 apps) can complete the migration in 6-10 weeks. Mid-size enterprises (500-5,000 users, 50+ apps, ADFS, GPO migration) typically take 12-20 weeks. Large enterprises with multiple AD forests, complex trust relationships, and hundreds of applications may require 6-12 months with phased rollout. We provide a detailed timeline after the discovery phase.