Executive Summary
- Microsoft is rebranding Azure AD to “Microsoft Entra ID” to simplify secure access experiences and make it easier to navigate the unified and expanded Microsoft Entra portfolio.
- If you’re an existing AD user, don’t worry – the transition will not affect existing functionality or licensing plans. The new name will start appearing in Microsoft product suite from August 2023.
- The renaming is part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to unify all identity and access capabilities under the Microsoft Entra name, making it easier to navigate and use all products and capabilities in the expanded portfolio.
Introduction
Microsoft has always been known for shaking things up every now and again.
This time, it’s the turn of Azure Active Directory.
Azure AD will soon be rebranded as “Microsoft Entra ID”. But don’t worry, it’s not just a new name, it’s a step towards a more streamlined and unified approach to secure access experiences.
What’s changing?
As explained in a blog post in early July 2023, Microsoft Azure AD, the cloud identity product leveraged by over 720,000 organisations worldwide, is changing its name to Microsoft Entra ID.
Microsoft states that this change is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to simplify secure access experiences for everyone. The goal of the transition is to make it easier for users to benefit from the unified Microsoft Entra experience.
In terms of timelines, you can expect the new branding to start appearing in Microsoft products from August 2023.
Why is Microsoft making this change?
Microsoft introduced the Entra brand as a new product family for all identity and access products back in May 2022, expanding its vision for secure access.
Since then, several new products have been added to the Microsoft Entra family, including Entra Permissions Management and Entra Verified ID. And, of course, now Azure AD is to join them.
Bringing all of these identity-focused tools under the Microsoft Entra brand umbrella should make it easier to navigate and use all products and capabilities in the expanded portfolio, ensuring the strongest protections for any access point.
What does the change mean for your business?
Simply put, for UK businesses, this change means a more streamlined and unified approach to managing identity and access.
If you’re already using Azure AD, don’t worry too much, because all of the features, capabilities, login web addresses, and general core experience will remain the same.
The biggest change you might notice is likely to be the names for the licensing plans, which will be updated with the new branding. But you can still use the same Azure AD capabilities as you always have via the Azure portal, Microsoft 365 Admin Centre, and now the Microsoft Entra Admin Centre.
Want to know more?
That’s about the long and short of the switch from Azure AD to Entra ID. But, if you have any questions about the transition, just reach out to your Get Support account manager.
