Make on-prem and cloud identity work together - hybrid identity design, directory synchronisation, high availability, secure operations, and a practical path to modern identity.
Hybrid identity is the approach of using a common user identity for authentication and authorisation across on‑premises and cloud resources. For many organisations, hybrid identity enables Microsoft 365 and Azure adoption while retaining existing Active Directory investments, application dependencies, and operational realities. The challenge is ensuring identity synchronisation is reliable, secure, and aligned to the organisation’s target architecture - especially where multiple forests, disconnected environments, or merger-and-acquisition scenarios exist.
LW IT Solutions delivers Hybrid Identity as an architectural and implementation service covering Microsoft Entra Connect Sync and Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync (cloud provisioning agent). We assess your identity topology, choose the appropriate synchronisation approach, implement the synchronisation components with high availability where required, and harden operations because synchronisation infrastructure is a privileged dependency. The outcome is a stable hybrid identity foundation that supports modern access controls and reduces friction for users and administrators.
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Service Overview
Highlights
- Support for Entra Connect Sync and Entra Cloud Sync
- Design for single or multi-forest Active Directory environments
- Clear scoping of users, groups, and attributes
- High availability and resilience planning for sync infrastructure
- Operational focus on monitoring, support, and incident response
Business Benefits
- Provide a consistent sign-in experience across on-premises and cloud services
- Reduce access issues caused by unreliable or poorly understood directory synchronisation
- Support adoption of Microsoft 365 and Azure without breaking existing AD dependencies
- Improve security by hardening synchronisation infrastructure and privileged access
- Create a clear path towards modern identity controls such as Conditional Access
Typical use cases
- Organisations enabling Microsoft 365 with existing on-premises Active Directory
- Environments experiencing recurring identity sync failures or access incidents
- Multi-forest or merger scenarios requiring a clear hybrid identity design
- Businesses planning a move towards passwordless or stronger authentication
- IT teams needing a supported and well-documented identity synchronisation setup
Objectives & deliverables
What Success Looks Like
- Enable a consistent identity experience for Microsoft 365 and Azure while retaining necessary on‑prem dependencies
- Improve reliability and reduce identity sync incidents that disrupt access
- Modernise identity posture to support Conditional Access and stronger authentication methods
- Support complex topologies (multi-forest or disconnected forests) with a clear, supportable design
- Reduce security risk by hardening synchronisation infrastructure and privileged access paths
What You Get
- Hybrid identity assessment: current state, risks, and recommended synchronisation approach
- Target hybrid identity design: topology, scoping, and operational model
- Implemented Entra Connect Sync and/or Entra Cloud Sync configuration (as scoped)
- High availability plan (where required): agent/server placement and resilience approach
- Operational pack: monitoring expectations, support runbooks, and incident triage guidance
- Security hardening pack for synchronisation infrastructure and privileged access paths
- Validation and cutover plan: staged rollout, test criteria, and rollback readiness
How It Works
- Discover - confirm business objectives, identity dependencies, and topology constraints.
- Assess - map current sync approach (if any), forest structure, and security posture.
- Design - select Cloud Sync vs Connect Sync and define scoping, attribute flows, and operational model.
- Implement - deploy and configure the chosen sync components, including resilience approach where needed.
- Validate - confirm object flows, sign-in experience, and operational monitoring/alerting readiness.
- Handover - document configuration and establish an operating rhythm for ongoing governance and improvements.
Engagement Options
- Assess - hybrid identity review with recommendations and risk identification
- Implement - design and deploy Entra Connect Sync or Cloud Sync
- Migrate - move from legacy or unsupported sync configurations to a supported model
- Harden - security review and operational hardening of existing hybrid identity
Common Bundles
Customers who use this service often bundle with these services
Conditional Access Design & Rollout
Design and roll out Conditional Access policies with testing, pilot groups, break glass controls, and reporting that reduces risk without disrupting users.
Passwordless & Strong Authentication
Deploy passwordless and strong authentication using Microsoft Entra ID, reducing credential risk while improving sign-in experience for users.
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) & Admin Hardening
Implement Privileged Identity Management and admin hardening to remove standing access, enforce just-in-time elevation, and govern privileged roles.
Microsoft Entra ID Architecture & Health Check
Assess Microsoft Entra ID architecture and tenant health to identify risk areas, configuration drift and prioritised identity improvements.
Directory Consolidation & Separation (M&A)
Plan and execute directory consolidation or separation across Active Directory and Entra ID with controlled cutover and minimal disruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
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