Exploring the Use Cases of ADxS Services

ADMS, ADSS, and ADGMS are all Cloud-based services that come within the ADxS services portfolio offered by Microsoft and designed to facilitate efficient and cost-effective migrations. In this blog, we will examine the various use cases of ADxS, highlighting its key features, advantages, and will have a quick look at what will be coming in the next iteration of the service which will be called IMS or Identity Migration Service

ADMS or Active Directory Migration Service – is a service designed to facilitate the migration of users and workstations across domains and forests by offering diverse number of migration methods such as Self-Service Migration which is unique to the ADMS service and it comes with two types, Self-Service for corporate connect users, and Self-Service for Remote or VPN users,  Admin automated Migrations, user only migration and Migration for workstations shared by more than one user.

Figure 1: ADMS Migration Methods

ADSS or Active Directory Synchronization Service, Comes in two different solutions:

1) ADSS for on-premises AD synchronization,

ADSS for on-premises Active Directory synchronization is designed to synchronize multiple Active Directories into a target Active Directory domain. It maintains synchronization of users, groups, and even passwords across Active Directory (AD) domains, with password synchronization being unidirectional. The target Active Directory is prepared for integration with the cloud.

Figure 2: Domain sync overview

2) TSYNC for Azure AD Tenant-to-Tenant Synchronization.

The TSYNC service for Tenant-to-Tenant Synchronization is designed to maintain a single unified global address list between tenants. It synchronizes and provisions users or contacts between tenants and provisions guest accounts for Azure B2B sharing of applications and resources.

Figure 3: Tenant sync overview

ADGMS or Active Directory Group Modernization Service

ADGMS or Active Directory Group Modernization Service is designed for converting an on-premises group that has previously been synchronized to Entra ID via Entra ID Connect, into a cloud-only group that can be managed directly in Office 365. It supports the automatic recreation of groups within 30 minutes of their removal from Azure AD and allows filtering capabilities to prevent the re-creation of specific groups by using a filter attribute and allows the addition of B2B Guest accounts to Distribution Groups.

Figure 4: Group modernization

Key Use Cases of ADxS services

Active Directory Migration Service (ADxS) offers a comprehensive solution for various migration use cases, including acquisitions, mergers, divestitures, directory consolidation, cloud enablement, and complex organization collaboration. Its user-centric approach, agility in deployment, and focus on minimizing disruptions make it a superior choice compared to conventional migration tools. ADxS services not only simplifies the migration process but also ensures that organizations can achieve their migration goals more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Figure 5: ADxS Portfolio

Acquisitions 

One of the primary use cases of ADxS services is in the context of acquisitions. When a company acquires another, integrating the acquired company's directory into the existing infrastructure can be a complex and time-consuming task. ADxS simplifies this process by providing a consistent migration service that can be extended to new acquisitions. By adding a new directory and application remediation instance, businesses can continue their migration service seamlessly.

Merger

Mergers often involve the consolidation of multiple directories into a single unified directory. ADxS addresses this need by offering a robust solution that ensures the smooth integration of Active Directory objects. The service's focus on user productivity and application remediation ensures that users retain seamless access to applications post-migration.

Divestiture

In the case of divestitures, companies may need to separate a portion of their directory infrastructure. ADxS facilitates this by automating the migration and synchronization of just the right identities, groups, group memberships, and workstations. This ensures that the divested entity can continue to operate independently without any disruptions.

Directory Consolidation

Organizations often have multiple directories that need consolidation into a single directory for better management and control. ADxS provides a secure and efficient solution for directory consolidation, allowing organizations to streamline their directory infrastructure and reduce administrative overhead.

Cloud Enablement

ADxS also supports cloud enablement by running in the Azure cloud. This eliminates the need for organizations to set up, manage, and configure on-premises migration tools. The service offers a private and secure connection, ensuring that migrations are conducted in a safe and controlled environment.

The New Release IMS or Identity Migration Service

ADxS is set to introduce the Identity Migration Service (IMS) as the next iteration of its service offerings, tailored to meet contemporary identity migration requirements. IMS is engineered to support various modern migration scenarios and use cases, providing robust and flexible solutions to its users.

Key features of IMS include:

• Entra ID-To-Entra ID Self-Service User Migration: IMS will facilitate smooth user migrations with or without the migration of workstations, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum efficiency.
• Bulk User and Admin Push Migration Methods: The initial release will be followed by the introduction of bulk migration methods, enhancing the service's capability to handle large-scale migrations effortlessly.
• Customizable Object/Attribute Synchronization: IMS will offer highly adaptable synchronization options for Entra ID-to-Entra ID and On Prem-to-Entra ID scenarios, enabling precise control over the migration of objects and attributes.
• Extended Support Hours: To better serve global clients, IMS will offer an add-on to extend support hours from the standard 5x8h local time zone to 5x24h worldwide, ensuring round-the-clock assistance.
• Future releases of IMS will include AD-To-Entra ID migrations.

For additional information, please reach out to imssales@microsoft.com