{Preview} Microsoft Azure Active Directory Sync

[EduTech]

Hi All,

 

This is strictly in preview at the moment and is not released! so please do not go installing it in your production environments!

 

so, I am sure some of you on here have come across problems when adopting Office 365 primarily if you have the traditional two active directory forest implementations within your organization, because at present directory sync only supports single forest deployments to single tenant.

 

I have been waiting to post this on here and finally am now able to, so we have Microsoft Azure Active Directory Sync (AADSync) that is available in preview at the moment and will be released sometime around Q32014

 

I will also be posting updates here, and a more defined tutorial on how to implement this: Preview – Microsoft Azure Active Directory Sync (AADSync)

 

IMPORTANT:

 

Customer Technology Preview (CTP)

 

AADSync is available as a customer technology preview. It has all intended features and can be used to understand and validate the scenarios described in the scenarios overview. It does not represent the final product when it comes to quality, use in a production environment, and performance.

 

With the CTP we are looking for feedback regarding:

 

• Is the configuration created by the installation guide suitable for most deployments?
  
• 
  
• Can your advanced scenarios be solved with the provided functionality?
  
• 
  
• Is it (reasonable) easy to understand the concepts?
  
• 
  
• Are there terms used which are confusing?
  

 

Please provide the feedback though the program on Microsoft Products Accepting Bugs and Suggestions | Microsoft Connect.

 

It is not going to be supported to upgrade the CTP to later releases.

 

-------

 

Microsoft Azure Active Directory Sync Services (AADSync) is used to on-board an on-prem environment to Windows Azure Active Directory and Office 365 and continue to synchronize changes. It is used for more advanced scenarios where DirSync does not provide support, for example multiple on-prem AD forests.

 

AADSync is currently available as a preview. You can get access to it by joining the preview program on Directory of Microsoft Products Accepting Bugs and Suggestions | Microsoft Connect.

 

I don't want to write all of the information here, I just wanted to spin up this thread in case anyone had any questions and IF YOU DO have the ability to test this in your organizations {NOT PRODUCTION} I would be interested in your feedback.

 

Timing and License

 

Q: When will AADSync be available?

A: The preview is available now and General Availability is planned for Q3CY14.

 

Q: How will it be licensed?

A: It is following AAD licensing. It is free to synchronize from any on-prem directory to AAD (and write back attributes needed for Hybrid Exchange). If you have AAD Premium it is included there as well and will allow you write back identity information from AAD to your on-prem directory when that feature is available.

 

Q: What about writing data between on-prem directories?

A: That will require an AAD Premium license.

 

If anyone has any questions be sure to let me know, please.. please.. do not go implementing this in to your production environments that is all I ask! :-)

 

Enjoy!

 

James.

Edited April 16, 2014 by EduTech

[aceonbass]

Looks great - we're still on a two-forest setup so this will work wonders for us. Can't wait!

[plexer]

Yes, we know Active Directory cloud sync is a MESS, says Microsoft

 

Still beta so be careful.

 

Ben

[SYNACK]

Yes, we know Active Directory cloud sync is a MESS, says Microsoft

 

Still beta so be careful.

 

Ben

 

Where is that admission and wizard team for Office365 or does this work with that too?

Edited August 5, 2014 by SYNACK

[EduTech]

Yes, we know Active Directory cloud sync is a MESS, says Microsoft

 

Still beta so be careful.

 

Ben

 

Thanks Ben, I was going to post something about this today as its now in public BETA.

 

I encourage you guys to have a look into this, and feedback into us because it is valuable to ensure that going forward to deployment task is simple. the wizard driven tool will ofcourse develop overtime and it's with your feedback this will happen. :-)

 

If you have any questions let me know,

James.

[jonawd]

That definitely looks like its worth a look. I had a look at the CTP, but never actually used it. I think this might get a use though.

[EduTech]

Be mindful that at the moment AAD Connect uses Directory Sync. In the future we expect that AAD connect will use AADSync so all of the features that you currently see in the AADSync BETA will be exposed and available in the AAD Connect Wizard. For Example: Multi-Forest Support etc.

 

James.