Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) offers various ways for devices to connect and authenticate with its services.
Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between Azure AD registered, Azure AD joined, and Hybrid Azure AD joined devices:
- Azure AD Registered:
- These are typically devices not owned or managed by an organization, such as personal devices or devices owned by partners or vendors.
- Users can register these devices with their Azure AD account to gain access to organizational resources like Azure AD-based apps.
- Registration involves the user signing in to the device using their Azure AD credentials, after which the device is registered in Azure AD.
- Azure AD Joined:
- These devices are owned and managed by an organization and are directly joined to Azure AD.
- Users sign in to these devices using their Azure AD credentials.
- Once joined, administrators can enforce organizational policies and settings on these devices through Azure AD.
- Hybrid Azure AD Joined:
- These devices are typically on-premises devices joined to an on-premises Active Directory domain and are also connected to Azure AD.
- This scenario allows for a combination of on-premises and cloud-based identity services.
- Users can sign in to these devices using their on-premises credentials, which are then validated against the on-premises Active Directory, while Azure AD provides additional cloud-based capabilities.
- It allows for seamless access to both on-premises and cloud-based resources.
In summary, the main differences lie in ownership, management, and authentication mechanisms. Azure AD registered devices are typically personal or non-organization-owned devices, Azure AD joined devices are organization-owned and directly connected to Azure AD, while Hybrid Azure AD joined devices are a blend of on-premises and cloud-based identity services, allowing for seamless access to resources in both environments.