Microsoft's identity and access management service. Like a master key system for all your digital doors - one login for everything.
Employees use their Active Directory credentials to access email, file shares, and business applications.
Active Directory (AD) is Microsoft’s directory service for Windows domains (users, groups, computers, Kerberos/LDAP, Group Policy). AWS Directory Service and GCP Managed Microsoft AD provide managed AD-compatible domains. Azure’s closest managed domain equivalent is Microsoft Entra Domain Services (managed domain services compatible with AD DS). OCI IAM is an identity service but is not a managed Microsoft AD domain; OCI commonly integrates with AD via federation or directory bridging rather than replacing AD DS.