Question 1

What is the difference between Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID?

Accepted Answer

Active Directory (AD) is Microsoft's on-premise directory service — a server in your office that manages user accounts, computers, group policies, and authentication within your local network. Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is Microsoft's cloud-based identity service — managing identities for cloud applications (M365, Azure, third-party SaaS) and supporting modern authentication protocols (SAML, OIDC). Many businesses run both: AD on-premise synced to Entra ID via Entra Connect (hybrid mode). Fully cloud-only Entra ID (no on-premise AD) is now viable for most SMEs and eliminates the domain controller server requirement.

Question 2

Should we migrate from Active Directory to Entra ID?

Accepted Answer

For most businesses with fewer than 200 users and no legacy on-premise applications that require Kerberos/NTLM authentication, migrating to cloud-only Entra ID is now the right long-term direction. The benefits: no domain controllers to maintain or patch, zero infrastructure cost for identity, stronger modern authentication (MFA, Conditional Access, Passkeys), built-in integration with all M365 services, and access from anywhere without VPN. The migration complexity depends primarily on whether you have legacy applications that rely on on-premise AD. We assess this as part of our pre-migration discovery.

Question 3

What is Entra Connect and do we still need it?

Accepted Answer

Entra Connect (formerly Azure AD Connect) is a synchronisation tool that copies users, groups, and password hashes from on-premise Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID. It enables hybrid identity — users sign in with the same credentials on-premise and in cloud apps. Entra Connect is needed when you have on-premise applications, servers, or devices that must remain domain-joined. For businesses with fully cloud-based workloads and modern Windows 11 devices, cloud-only Entra ID without Entra Connect is cleaner and lower-maintenance.

Question 4

How long does an Active Directory migration take?

Accepted Answer

Timeline varies significantly by complexity. For a small business (under 30 users, no legacy on-premise applications, modern Windows devices): cloud-only Entra ID migration typically takes 2–3 weeks including device re-enrolment, application testing, and user training. For a larger business with legacy on-premise applications, a phased hybrid approach is appropriate and may take 2–6 months to achieve full cloud-only operation. We produce a migration plan with phased milestones so the project can be completed without disruption to operations.

Question 5

What happens to our domain-joined computers during migration?

Accepted Answer

During migration from on-premise AD to Entra ID, Windows devices are transitioned from domain-joined to Entra ID-joined (AADJ) or Entra ID-registered. This process involves disenrolling from the old domain and enrolling into Entra ID via Intune, which becomes the new device management platform. We plan device migration in batches to minimise disruption. For businesses with modern Windows 10/11 devices, the user experience after migration is seamless — sign-in works the same way, just backed by Entra ID instead of an on-premise domain controller.

Question 6

What about Group Policy — can we replace it?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Group Policy is the on-premise method for enforcing settings on domain-joined Windows devices. In Entra ID / cloud-only environments, Group Policy is replaced by Microsoft Intune configuration profiles and compliance policies. Intune provides equivalent (and often superior) controls: device configuration baselines, application deployment, compliance enforcement, and conditional access. We map your existing GPOs to Intune policies as part of the migration, ensuring security settings and user configurations are preserved in the new environment.

ACTIVE DIRECTORY
TO ENTRA ID
MIGRATION

Active Directory migration — frequently asked questions

Ready to migrate from
Active Directory to Entra ID?

ACTIVE DIRECTORYTO ENTRA IDMIGRATION

Active Directory migration — frequently asked questions

Ready to migrate fromActive Directory to Entra ID?

ACTIVE DIRECTORY
TO ENTRA ID
MIGRATION

Ready to migrate from
Active Directory to Entra ID?