
In contrast, AD and Azure AD do quite a lot.

A printed directory is quite static: It doesn’t do anything it sits there for you to consult. Both AD and Azure AD maintain a database or directory of objects one of the most important types of object is the user account, which includes details like a person’s username and password, as well as their real name, job title, department and so on.īut unlike the Yellow Pages, the Active Directory and Azure AD directories are active. Let’s start with “directory.” In general, a directory is an organized list of things, like the fat Yellow Pages that used to land on your (or your parents’) doorstep or the Contacts list on your phone. The name “ Active Directory” reveals a lot about what Active Directory (AD) and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) have in common. To help, this blog posts lays out all the key things you need to know: how they’re similar, how they’re different and - critically - how they can work together. Picard.” Still, these two core Microsoft technologies affect your digital life more than you might realize, so it’s really important to understand them.

Azure Active Directory”? Okay, I readily admit that this match-up will never inspire the same passion as “Coke vs.
