[summary] Upgrading DirSync and AAD Sync
On my last blog, we have discussed about the DirSync, AAD Sync and AAD Connect with the comparison sheet. And at the end of the blog I have mentioned about the degradation of DirSync and AAD Sync. So, let’s discuss about this before we miss the date of cut-off.
AAD Connect is no more than the successor of DirSync and AAD Sync but do have complete feature of both the component. In Summary, AAD connect is complete solution for now except Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM).
So, from when it is going to get cut-off??
Depreciation schedule
|
Date |
Comment |
| April 13, 2016 | Windows Azure Active Directory Sync (“DirSync”) and Microsoft Azure Active Directory Sync (“Azure AD Sync”) are announced as deprecated. |
| April 13, 2017 | Support ends. Customers will no longer be able to open a support case without upgrading to Azure AD Connect first. |
How to upgrade?
if you are running DirSync there are two ways you can upgrade: In-place upgrade and parallel deployment. An in-place upgrade is recommended for most customers and if you have a recent operating system and less than 50,000 objects. In other cases it is recommended to do a parallel deployment where your DirSync configuration is moved to a new server running Azure AD Connect.
If you use Azure AD Sync an in-place upgrade is recommended. If you want to, it is possible to install a new Azure AD Connect server in parallel and do a swing migration from your Azure AD Sync server to Azure AD Connect.
|
Solution |
Scenario |
| Upgrade from DirSync | If you have an existing DirSync server already running. |
| Upgrade from Azure AD Sync | If you are moving from Azure AD Sync. |
FAQ
Q: I have received an email notification from the Azure Team and/or a message from the Office 365 message center, but I am using Connect.
The notification was also sent to customers using Azure AD Connect with a build number 1.0.*.0 (using a pre-1.1 release). Microsoft recommends customers to stay current with Azure AD Connect releases. With 1.1 the automatic upgrade feature will make it really easy to always have a recent version of Azure AD Connect installed.
Q: Will DirSync/Azure AD Sync stop working on April 13, 2017?
No. The date for when these will no longer be able to communicate with Azure AD will be announced at a later date. You will be able to find that information in this topic when available.
Q: Which DirSync versions can I upgrade from?
It is supported to upgrade from any DirSync release currently being used.
Q: What about the Azure AD Connector for FIM/MIM?
The Azure AD Connector for FIM/MIM has not been announced as deprecated. It is at feature freeze; no new functionality is added and it receives no bug fixes. Microsoft recommends customers using it to plan to move from it to Azure AD Connect. It is strongly recommended to not start any new deployments using it. This Connector will be announced deprecated in the future.
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About Author
pdhewjau
Prashant is a Principal Cybersecurity Specialist at Thakral One Nepal. His prior position as a Modern Work Security Specialist at Microsoft saw him providing invaluable guidance to major clients in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, and Myanmar, assisting them with their foundational security needs. Awarded the esteemed Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) accolade in 2017, Prashant is recognized globally among Microsoft peers. Since 2010, he has imparted his expertise as a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), conducting specialized training across Nepal.