Identity architecture
Review cloud-only and hybrid identity, including Microsoft Entra Connect synchronisation with on-premises Active Directory.
Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID is Microsoft's cloud identity and access management service, previously called Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). It holds the user accounts, groups and application connections behind Microsoft 365 and many other services. Umbrella Tech helps Australian organisations design, deploy and tidy Entra ID, so identities are clean, applications use single sign-on and access is easy to manage and audit.
The problem
The challenge we help you address
Hybrid identities, duplicate accounts and unclear application ownership can make access difficult to manage. Identity platform decisions also affect migrations, security controls and future integrations.
The outcome
What the engagement should deliver
The result is an identity platform with a clearer structure and operating model. At Santa Maria College, for example, offboarding requests now look up the leaver in Entra ID and record their account details before any change is made.
How we can help
Account hygiene
Resolve duplicate, stale and shared accounts and define the account lifecycle.
Application access
Connect applications to single sign-on and plan role ownership and access administration.
Licensing and features
Explain what Microsoft Entra ID Free, P1 and P2 include and where an upgrade supports a requirement.
Deployment and handover
Configure the agreed identity services, validate user scenarios and document dependencies.
A short guide to Microsoft Entra ID
Entra ID is the identity provider for every Microsoft 365 tenant. Users sign in with it, groups control access to Teams, SharePoint and applications, and devices can be registered or joined to it. Microsoft Entra ID P1 adds Conditional Access, and P2 adds risk-based protection and Privileged Identity Management; several Microsoft 365 plans include P1. Microsoft Entra is also the wider product family name, covering services such as Microsoft Entra ID Governance and Microsoft Entra External ID.
Frequently asked questions
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What is Microsoft Entra ID, and is it the same as Azure AD?
Microsoft Entra ID is the current name for Azure Active Directory, Microsoft's cloud identity service. Microsoft renamed it in 2023 and the service continued under the new name, so older guides that mention Azure AD still broadly apply.
When should a business use it?
Every Microsoft 365 organisation already uses Entra ID. Dedicated work makes sense when identities are messy after growth or a merger, when you are moving away from on-premises Active Directory, or when applications still use separate passwords.
What does implementation include?
Usually an identity review, a target design, synchronisation or cloud-only configuration, application single sign-on, testing with users and documentation.
How long does a project take?
It depends on the number of users and applications, whether hybrid identity is involved and how much account clean-up is needed. Scope and timing are confirmed in discovery.
What are the main security or governance considerations?
Protect administrator accounts, keep emergency access accounts, review guest and stale accounts, and control who can consent to applications. Access enforcement is covered by our Entra ID & Conditional Access service, so platform design and policy decisions stay distinct.
Plan the next improvement
Tell us what your Microsoft environment needs to do better, and we will scope the change.