Essential Azure AD Configuration

Posted on by Alan Schmarr

Introduction

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft’s multi-tenant cloud based directory and identity management service.

More in-depth detail about Azure AD can be found here.

a fresh Azure AD installation will have the following constraints:

  1. Usernames at this stage will be <username>@<AzureADName>.onmicrosoft.com;

    Users will be required to remember usernames. (Most users find it difficult remember their passwords);

  2. Manual process is required for creating user accounts (GUI, PowerShell or CSV import);
  3. User passwords will not be in-sync with their network password;

This article will only focus in addressing the constraints above, with the least possible effort. More complex options are available and will depend on security & business requirements.

Configuration / Installation

Each optional tasks below should be followed chronological order to address the constraints above.

1. Add Email Domain (Optional)

This step should be done first before proceeding with step 2.

Only one Azure AD can own the organization email domain and Microsoft will not allow registering the email domain into another Azure AD Subscriptions.

Follow these steps to allow usernames to be the same as the organization email address:

  1. Go to https://manage.windowsazure.com
  2. On the left menu click “Active Directory”
  3. Open your new create Azure AD, you should see the following screen:
  4. AzureADFree-ScreenShot3
  5. Click “Domain” Tab
  6. Click “ADD A CUSTOM DOMAIN”, the following wizard will appear:
  7. AzureADFree-ScreenShot4
  8. Enter company domain name, example: “schmarr.com”, click “add”
  9. On Page 2, will have the TXT record that should be created in the company domain external DNS service. Please see example:
  10. AzureADFree-ScreenShot5
  11. Once the DNS TXT record is created, Click “verify” (Please allow DNS replication to complete up to 48 hours)
  12. Change the user accounts manually to reflect user emails addresses

    For automating user creation and password sync, please proceed to step 2.

2. Automate Account creation in Azure AD (Optional)

It is recommended that step 1 should be completed first, otherwise all users account will be created with system created domain name e.g. “<username>@<AzureADName>.onmicrosoft.com”

Assumptions / Requirements

The following assumptions are made in this section:

  • Internal Active Directory up and running
  • Windows 2012 R2 Member server of the Active Directory, ready to install Azure AD Connect
  • The member server has internet access
  • Active Directory userPrincipalName(UPN) reflects the user’s mail address
    • This assumption is in most cases are a challenge for most organizations and the following options are available:
      • Run the Azure AD Connect (Steps below is expert install) in advanced mode and choose “mail” attribute instead of userPrincipalName(UPN) – Easy fix;
      • Fix the UPN to be the same as email address, here is a microsoft tool that can assist;
  • Azure AD
  • A Active Directory enterprise administrator account
  • global admin account is created with default domain context e.g. admin@<AzureADName>.onmicrosoft.com

Azure AD Configuration

  1. Go to https://manage.windowsazure.com
  2. On the left menu click “Active Directory”
  3. Open your new create Azure AD, you should see the following screen:
  4. AzureADFree-ScreenShot3
  5. Click “DIRECTORY INTEGRATION” Tab
  6. Click “ATIVATED”, then click “SAVE”

Azure AD Connect Installation

The following tasks will be completed on the domain member server.

  1. Download Azure AD Connect from Here
  2. Run the downloaded setup file on the Windows 2012 R2 member server
  3. Click “Continue”
  4. Click “Use express settings”
  5. Enter your Azure AD Admin username e.g. admin@<AzureADName>.onmicrosoft.com and password
  6. Click “Next”
  7. Enter the Active Directory Enterprise Admin account and password
  8. Click “Next”
  9. Click “Install”
  10. AzureADFree-ScreenShot6

Once the installation is complete all user accounts will be created in Azure AD automatically with the current user email address. Password synchronization will also be automatically enabled.

Advanced installation will allow disabling password sync if not required.

Conclusion

User will be now be able to login into Azure AD using exiting email address and network password.

 

 

 

ADFS 2016 Technical Preview 4 Install Guide

Posted on by Alan Schmarr

Introduction

Microsoft is in the process of releasing a new version of Windows Server 2016, with this new release it will include and new version of ADFS.

In this article I will be only focusing on the installation process of ADFS 2016 preview (The easy bit), future guides will have more focus on integration.

Here is also some related reading material from my previous posts:

  • Group Managed Service Accounts – This is highly recommended for all ADFS implementations. This article was written on 2012 but still relevant for 2016.

My Lab

The lab is running in Microsoft Azure, the following relevant services for ADFS 2016 is running in this lab:

  • Active Directory – Single Forest, Single Domain
    • OS – Windows 2012 R2
    • Server Name – DC2012R2
  • PKI Certificate Server running on the domain controller (Not a recommended for production)
  • ADFS 2016 Backend Server
    • OS – Windows 2016 Technical Preview 4
    • Server Name – S2016PR4ADFS01
  • ADFS 2016 Web Applications Proxy Server
    • OS – Windows 2016 Technical Preview 4
    • Server Name – S2016PR4PRX01

Preparation

All ADFS implementation will require the following high-level preparation tasks before starting with the installation: (Microsoft has a well documented checklist that should be follow)

  • Split Brain DNS – This allows internal users to resolved the ADFS URL to the Internal ADFS backend servers. Info can be found here.
  • DNS records
    • External DNS
      • A Record – adfs2016.schmarr.com
        • Point to Web Application Proxy Server external IP
      • A Record – enterpriseregistration.schmarr.com
        • Point to Web Application Proxy Server external IP
      • A Record – certauth.adfs2016.schmarr.com
        • Point to Web Application Proxy Server external IP
    • Internal DNS
      • A record – adfs2016.schmarr.com
        • Point to ADFS 2016 backend server internal IP
      • A Record – enterpriseregistration.schmarr.com
        • Point to ADFS 2016 backend server internal IP
      • A Record – certauth.adfs2016.schmarr.com
        • Point to ADFS 2016 backend Server internal IP
  • ADFS features – ADFS has additional feature which needs to be consider before proceeding in acquiring the required certificate for encryption. e.g. workplace join have some additional requirements for the certificate, Read more about workplace join here.
  • Certificate – All ADFS communication between the client and ADFS is encrypted, so the certificate should be trusted by all parties. A External Certificate is advised.
    • In this article a internal certificate was used.
    • Lab SSL Certificate attributes:
      • Subject Name (CN): adfs2016.schmarr.com
      • Subject Alternative Name (DNS): adfs2016.schmarr.com
      • Subject Alternative Name (DNS): enterpriseregistration.schmarr.com
  • Group Managed Service Account  – how-to
    • Enable Managed Service Accounts (On Domain Controller running 2012 R2 or higher)
    • ADFSGmsa
      • Powershell command  – “New-ADServiceAccount ADFSGmsa -DNSHostName adfs2016.schmarr.com -ServicePrincipalNames http/adfs2016.schmarr.com”
  • Topology – Choose the correct topology to fit business requirements. More information about topologies can be found here.
    • Stand-Alone Federation Server using WID (Windows Internal Database) will be used in this article.
      • Gotcha – Limit memory usage for WID

Installation

ADFS 2016 backend server installation

  1. Install the required SSL certificate.
    1. Here is a guide for requesting a SAN certificate for internal PKI or External certificate provider.
    2. ADFS2016Preview-ScreenShot2
    3. Additional information for the “certauth” url can be found here
  2. Install Active Directory Federation Services role on server
    1. Powershell command – “Install-windowsfeature adfs-federation –IncludeManagementTools“
    2. Get the 2012 R2 wizard options from here
  3. Configure Active Directory Federation Services
    1. Powershell command – “Install-AdfsFarm -CertificateThumbprint ff236398ad5b51b9dd427cf819e6586b43d2009b -FederationServiceName adfs2016.schmarr.com -GroupServiceAccountIdentifier AS\ADFSGmsa$“
    2. Get the 2012 R2 wizard options from here
  4. Limit WID memory usage
    1. Install SQL Management Studio Express – Download from here
    2. Open admin Command prompt – “osql -E -S \.pipeMICROSOFT##WID“
    3. Enter the following commands
      1. exec sp_configure ‘show advanced option’, ‘1’;
      2. reconfigure;
    4. To check current config:
      1. exec sp_configure;
      2. go
    5. Reconfigure to use 2GB
      1. exec sp_configure ‘max server memory’, 2048;
      2. reconfigure with override;
      3. go
      4. quit
    6. Restart the Windows Internal Database service
    7. Optional – Uninstall SQL Management Studio Express
  5. Testing Installation
    1. Powershell command – “Set-AdfsProperties -EnableIdPInitiatedSignonPage $true“
    2. Go to the following url https://adfs2016.schmarr.com/adfs/ls/IdpInitiatedSignOn
      1. User should be able to sign-in from domain joined machine on the internal network
      2. User should be able to sign-in from non domain joined machine on the internal network
    3. Optional – Disabled IdPInitiatedSignonPage
      1. Powershell command – “Set-AdfsProperties -EnableIdPInitiatedSignonPage $false“

 ADFS 2016 Web Application Proxy Server installation

  1. Export the certificate from the ADFS backend server with private key
  2. Import into computer store of Web Application proxy server
  3. Install Web Application Proxy Role
    1. Powershell Command – “Install-WindowsFeature Web-Application-Proxy -IncludeManagementTools“
    2. Get the 2012 R2 wizard options from here
  4. Configure Web Application Proxy Role
    1. Powershell Command – “Install-WebApplicationProxy –CertificateThumbprint ‘‎ff236398ad5b51b9dd427cf819e6586b43d2009b’ -FederationServiceName adfs2016.schmarr.com“
    2. Get the 2012 R2 wizard options from here
  5. Testing Installation
    1. On ADFS backend Server run Powershell command – “Set-AdfsProperties -EnableIdPInitiatedSignonPage $true“
    2. Go to the following url https://adfs2016.schmarr.com/adfs/ls/IdpInitiatedSignOn
      1. User should be able to sign-in from domain joined machine on the external network
      2. User should be able to sign-in from non domain joined machine on the internal network
    3. Optional – Disabled IdPInitiatedSignonPage
      1. Powershell command – “Set-AdfsProperties -EnableIdPInitiatedSignonPage $false“

Conclusion

This article demonstrated installing ADFS 2016 preview 4 in a Stand-Alone Federation Server using WID topology.