Azure Active Directory (aka Microsoft Entra ID), or AAD, is a cloud based identity management service. It helps organizations better manage user identities and resource access. Below is a detailed guide on how to effectively implement AAD as a tool for identity management.

Step 1: Open an Azure Account

To get started using Azure, you can create an account on the Azure portal by creating an account that is suited to your needs. Choose a subscription plan that meets your needs.

Step 2: Access Azure Active Directory. Once your account has been activated log in to the Azure portal. On the homepage, click “Azure Directory” in the left navigation pane to access its dashboard.

Step 3: Establish a Directory (If necessary)

If you don’t have one yet, create one using the “Create directory” option in the AAD window. Follow the onscreen instructions to set up a new directory.

Step 4 – Add Users To manage the access, you can create users by clicking “+New User”. Fill out all required details about the user before choosing the appropriate roles and group memberships.

Step 5: Administering Applications To give access to users to applications, use the “Enterprise application” pane in AAD. This section is your hub for adding applications and configuring access permissions.

Step 6 Configure Conditional Access Policy

Create Conditional Access Policies to enhance security. By navigating to “Security” > “Conditional Access”, you can define rules, such as requiring MFA for certain users or device.

Step 7 – Monitor and Audit. Utilize Azure AD’s Monitoring Tools such as the “Audit Logs” or “Sign Ins”, regularly reviewing logs of user activities to identify suspicious logins and ensure compliance.