Microsoft has announced a rebranding of its cloud-based identity and access management service, Azure Active Directory, which will now be known as Microsoft Entra ID. This move is part of Microsoft’s efforts to simplify nomenclature and align with its Entra sub-brand, which also includes Entra Permissions Management and Entra Verified ID.
The rebranding will not result in any significant changes for users, except for becoming familiar with the new product name. The standalone license names for Azure AD will also change accordingly: “Azure AD Free” will be known as “Microsoft Entra ID Free,” “Azure AD Premium P1” will become “Microsoft Entra ID P1,” “Azure AD Premium P2” will be “Microsoft Entra ID P2,” and “Azure AD External Identities” will be “Microsoft Entra External ID.”
The name changes will be implemented gradually, with SKU and service plan names taking effect in October. The complete transition to Microsoft Entra ID is expected to be completed before the end of 2023.
Microsoft reassures its customers that the capabilities and licensing plans of the service will remain unchanged. Existing deployments, configurations, and integrations will continue to work as before.
Additionally, Microsoft has introduced two new products: Microsoft Entra Internet Access and Microsoft Entra Private Access. These products aim to enhance access security in response to the increasing prevalence of cyberattacks. They join the growing suite of Entra-branded products designed to provide administrators with better control over identity and access management, as well as network access.
