AD and Azure AD are key services used by organizations for directory services and identity management. Particularly, these services are essential while administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions covered in the DP-300 exam.
Understanding Active Directory and Azure AD
Before diving into the configuration process, it’s crucial to understand what AD and Azure AD offer in a database administration scenario.
- Active Directory: AD is a Microsoft technology that manages permissions and access to network resources. Within AD, you can organize elements into domains, organize computers into groups, apply policies, authenticate users, and more.
- Microsoft Azure AD: Azure AD, on the other hand, is a cloud-based identity management service that combines core directory services, application access management, and identity protection into a single solution.
Methods to authenticate using Active Directory on Azure SQL
The Azure SQL Server supports two types of AD authentication – managed and federated.
- Managed Azure AD authentication, which uses the managed identities for Azure resources.
- Federated Azure AD authentication, which uses a federated identity, such as Azure AD.
Additionally, Azure AD provides integrated security for managing access to Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance.
Using Azure Active Directory for Authentication
To configure the authentication by using Azure Active Directory, follow the steps below. The first four steps are typically completed by the Azure AD global administrator, DS owner, or User Access Administrator.
- Register an application (your client application) with Azure AD to allow the application to connect to the database.
- Grant necessary permissions to your application in Azure AD.
- Create a contained database user in the database for the Azure AD application.
- Connect to the database by using your application with Azure AD token.
Here’s a simple example of how to connect with Azure AD authentication:
// connection string
Server=tcp:
Differences between Active Directory and Azure AD
Although both AD and Azure AD are used for identity management. They have a few differences that one needs to be aware of.
| Factor | Active Directory | Azure AD |
|---|---|---|
| Management | Managed on-premises | Managed in the cloud |
| Users and Groups | Managed manually | Synchronized with on-premises AD |
| Access | Access and permission management locally | Access and permission management globally (from the cloud) |
| Applications | SSO for on-premises web apps | SSO for SaaS and on-premises web apps |
| Authentication | Kerberos Authentication | Token-based and OAuth-based Authentication |
Understanding the implementation and differences between AD and Azure AD are the key steps toward mastering the DP-300 exam, especially for tasks involving Azure SQL Solutions.
A solid understanding of how to configure authentication mode using AD and Azure AD will not only help you in administrating Azure SQL solutions but also in effectively managing the cloud infrastructure. Keep practicing and using official Microsoft documentation for up-to-date and detailed insights.
Practice Test
True or false: The Azure AD supports SAML-based authentication.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: SAML-based authentication is among the types of authentication that Azure AD supports. This allows Azure applications to integrate with SAML-based third-party identity providers and security assertion markup language (SAML) based on-premises single sign-on.
Azure Active Directory is preferable for use in non-Microsoft environments. Is this statement true or false?
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure Active Directory is generally preferable for use in Microsoft environments, as it integrates with other Microsoft services and applications, such as Azure SQL Database.
In Azure SQL Database, the available authentication methods are:
- A. Azure Active Directory
- B. Azure Active Directory and SQL Server Authentication
- C. SQL Server Authentication
- D. Password-less login
Answer: B. Azure Active Directory and SQL Server Authentication
Explanation: Azure SQL Database allows authentication using Azure Active Directory for identity management of database users and other Microsoft services. SQL Server Authentication is the traditional way of authenticating using a username and password.
In terms of authentication, what is the role of Azure Active Directory in the Microsoft stack?
- A. It provides user account and password storage.
- B. It manages SQL Server objects.
- C. It controls traffic and filtering for Azure.
- D. It orchestrates deployments across different environments.
Answer: A. It provides user account and password storage.
Explanation: Azure AD plays a fundamental role in the authentication and authorization of users. It stores details of users and their passwords and provides sign-in capabilities, among other functions.
What is the primary authentication method supported for LDAP queries by Azure AD Domain Services?
- A. Digest
- B. Kerberos
- C. NTLM
- D. CredSSP
Answer: B. Kerberos
Explanation: Kerberos is the primary authentication method that is supported for LDAP queries by Azure AD Domain Services.
True or false: Azure Active Directory and Active Directory Domain Services are the same things.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure Active Directory and Active Directory Domain Services are not the same. Azure Active Directory is an identity and access management service, while Active Directory Domain Services is for domain services.
Active Directory B2B collaboration allows:
- A. External users to authenticate with Azure AD
- B. Internal users to authenticate with Azure AD
- C. Internal users to use applications hosted in their organization’s Azure AD
- D. External users to use applications hosted in their organization’s Azure AD
Answer: D. External users to use applications hosted in their organization’s Azure AD
Explanation: Azure AD B2B collaboration allows external users to authenticate with Azure AD and access applications hosted in the sponsor tenant’s Azure AD.
True or false: Microsoft Azure SQL Database supports Azure Active Directory authentication.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Microsoft Azure SQL Database indeed supports Azure Active Directory authentication. It’s an alternative to the traditional SQL Server authentication.
True or false: Multi-factor authentication is not supported in Azure AD.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Multi-factor authentication is supported in Azure AD. This adds an extra layer of security to user sign-ins and transactions.
Who can change the Azure SQL Database firewall settings?
- A. Azure Active Directory Global Administrator
- B. The DBMS administrator
- C. The owner of the SQL Server
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: The Azure AD Global Administrator, the DBMS administrator, and the owner of the SQL Server all have the privilege to change the Azure SQL Database firewall settings.
Interview Questions
What is Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)?
Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service. It helps your employees sign in and access resources in external resources, such as Microsoft Office 365, Azure portal, and internal resources.
How can you connect on-premises Active Directory to Azure AD?
You can connect on-premises Active Directory to Azure AD using Azure AD Connect. It’s a tool that provides secure synchronization and single sign-on between these directories.
What are the steps to authenticate Azure SQL using Azure Active Directory?
Firstly, create an Azure AD admin for the Azure SQL Server. Next, add a user to Azure AD and give appropriate SQL permissions. Now, using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), authenticate using Azure AD.
What do you mean by Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication and its purpose?
Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication provides additional security for your identities by requiring two or more elements for full authentication. These elements fall into three categories: something you know, something you have, or something you are.
What is Conditional Access in Azure AD?
Conditional Access in Azure AD is a capability that allows you to implement automated access control decisions based on conditions and applied to specific applications.
What step is required to enable a user account for Azure AD password hash synchronization?
Password hash synchronization is an extension to the directory synchronization feature implemented by Azure AD Connect sync. To enable a user account for Azure AD password hash synchronization, you need to install Azure AD Connect and enable Password hash synchronization during the configuration steps.
What is Azure AD Connect and its benefits?
Azure AD Connect is a tool that provides secure synchronization of on-premises Active Directory to Azure Active Directory. Its key features include password hash synchronization, pass-through authentication, federation integration, and health monitoring.
How can you assign an AD user as Azure SQL Server admin?
By navigating to SQL servers in your Azure portal, selecting the SQL server, selecting “Active Directory Admin” under the settings outlined in the left pane, and finally selecting the desired AD user.
How can Azure AD facilitate the integration of on-premises SQL Server with Azure SQL Database?
Azure AD supports hybrid connections, facilitating the integration of on-premises SQL Server with Azure SQL Database. It provides a secure identity platform, which streamlines database access management and enhances security.
How do you achieve Single Sign On (SSO) with Azure AD?
Azure AD’s Seamless Single Sign-On functionality, combined with Azure AD Connect, automatically signs in users when they’re on their company’s network, facilitating SSO.
extutorials.com