AZ-900 Describe Azure architecture and services Practice Question
Which Azure service enables you to synchronize your on-premises Active Directory with Microsoft Entra ID?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse Microsoft Entra Connect (synchronization tool) with Microsoft Entra Domain Services (managed domain services), as both involve Active Directory, but they serve entirely different purposes.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Entra Connect
Microsoft Entra Connect is the correct service because it is specifically designed to synchronize on-premises Active Directory identities with Microsoft Entra ID, enabling hybrid identity scenarios. It handles password hash synchronization, pass-through authentication, and federation integration, ensuring users have a single identity for both on-premises and cloud resources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Microsoft Entra Domain Services
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Entra Domain Services provides managed domain services such as domain join, group policy, LDAP, and Kerberos/NTLM authentication without needing to deploy domain controllers. While it integrates with Microsoft Entra ID, it is not a synchronization engine that copies on-premises AD identities into Microsoft Entra ID. That role belongs exclusively to Microsoft Entra Connect, which handles identity replication for hybrid environments.
- ✗
Azure AD B2C
Why it's wrong here
Azure AD B2C is a customer identity and access management service for external-facing applications, enabling consumers to sign in with social accounts or local credentials. It does not perform any directory synchronization with an on-premises Active Directory environment. Instead, Microsoft Entra Connect is the specific tool designed for syncing on-premises directory identities to Microsoft Entra ID for hybrid identity scenarios.
- ✓
Microsoft Entra Connect
Why this is correct
Microsoft Entra Connect is the dedicated Microsoft tool that synchronizes on-premises Active Directory user, group, and credential information with Microsoft Entra ID, creating a unified hybrid identity. It supports multiple authentication options like password hash synchronization, pass-through authentication, and federation with AD FS. This synchronization is essential for enabling seamless single sign-on and consistent identity across on-premises and cloud resources.
- ✗
Azure Multi-Factor Authentication
Why it's wrong here
Azure Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring two or more verification forms, such as a password and a mobile app push, during sign-in. It does not replicate or transfer any directory objects from on-premises Active Directory to Microsoft Entra ID. Therefore, MFA is an access control mechanism, not a directory synchronization tool, making it incorrect for the scenario described.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-900 exam.