Microsoft Entra External ID, part of Microsoft Entra, provides highly secure digital experiences for partners, customers, citizens, patients, or any users outside your organization with customization controls. Combine external identities and user directories in one portal to seamlessly manage access across the organization.
Microsoft Entra External ID refers to all the ways you can securely interact with users outside of your organization. If you want to collaborate with partners, distributors, suppliers, or vendors, you can share your resources and define how your internal users can access external organizations. If you're a developer creating consumer-facing apps, you can manage your customers' identity experiences.
With External ID, external users can "bring their own identities." Whether they have a corporate or government-issued digital identity, or an unmanaged social identity like Google or Facebook, they can use their own credentials to sign in. The external user’s identity provider manages their identity, and you manage access to your apps with Entra ID or Entra External ID to keep your resources protected.
The following capabilities make up External ID:
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B2B collaboration - Collaborate with external users by letting them use their preferred identity to sign in to your Microsoft applications or other enterprise applications (SaaS apps, custom-developed apps, etc.). B2B collaboration users are represented in your directory, typically as guest users.
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B2B direct connect - Establish a mutual, two-way trust with another Azure AD organization for seamless collaboration. B2B direct connect currently supports Teams shared channels, enabling external users to access your resources from within their home instances of Teams. B2B direct connect users aren't represented in your directory, but they're visible from within the Teams shared channel and can be monitored in Teams admin center reports.
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Azure AD B2C - Publish modern SaaS apps or custom-developed apps (excluding Microsoft apps) to consumers and customers, while using Azure AD B2C for identity and access management.
Microsoft Entra Workload ID enhances identity management by providing secure and efficient access control for applications and workloads. It is designed to streamline processes and strengthen security measures, catering to complex IT environments.
Microsoft Entra Workload ID delivers a unified and secure method for managing workload identities across cloud environments. It addresses key challenges in handling access control, ensuring that applications have appropriate permissions without compromising security. Known for its reliability, it assists enterprises in minimizing risks associated with identity mismanagement.
What are the most valuable features of Microsoft Entra Workload ID?
- Identity Management: Centralizes control of application identities to simplify monitoring and adjustments.
- Access Control: Offers robust access permissions tailored to workload-specific needs, enhancing security.
- Policy Enforcement: Ensures consistent application of security policies across multiple environments.
What benefits or ROI can users expect?
- Improved Security: Reduces risks associated with identity theft and unauthorized access.
- Efficiency Gains: Streamlines identity management tasks, leading to resource optimization.
- Scalability: Supports growing needs without compromising performance or security.
Industries such as finance and healthcare have implemented Microsoft Entra Workload ID to strengthen compliance and security in cloud operations. Its features are tailored to meet regulatory standards and protect sensitive data, making it a suitable choice for sectors requiring stringent identity management protocols.
