What is Microsoft Entra ID

Microsoft Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), is a cloud-based system that helps you manage users and their access to applications. You can create users in Microsoft Entra ID, and they can use their ID and password to log in to third-party apps or your own custom apps over the internet.

Scenario 1: Imagine that your company uses Dropbox to store files. Dropbox can be integrated with Microsoft Entra ID, so that your employees can use their company credentials (the same username and password they use to log in to their work computers) to log in to Dropbox. This means that your employees only need to remember one set of credentials to access all the apps they need.

Here is an example:

• John is an employee at your company. He uses Dropbox to store his work files.
• John’s company has integrated Microsoft Entra ID with Dropbox.
• When John wants to log in to Dropbox, he is redirected to Microsoft Entra ID.
• John enters his company credentials into Microsoft Entra ID.
• Microsoft Entra ID authenticates John and provides him with an access token.
• John uses the access token to log in to Dropbox.

Scenario 2: Your company can develop its own software and use Microsoft Entra ID’s APIs to integrate with it. This means that your employees can use their company email and password to log in to your applications, just like they log in to Windows and their desktop.

Here is an example:

• Your company develops a custom application for managing customer orders.
• You integrate the application with Microsoft Entra ID.
• Your employees can now use their company email and password to log in to the order management application.