How to use Microsoft Entra Cloud sync on Windows Server 2012 R2?

Question

How to use Microsoft Entra Cloud sync on Windows Server 2012 R2?

Phang Boon Chye 10

I have DirSync on Windows Server 2012 R2 to sync on-prem AD users to Azure AD, but Microsoft is retiring the old sync tools on 1st Oct 2023. Microsoft Entra Cloud sync is needed to sync the users onto Azure AD.

Microsoft Entra Cloud sync requires Windows Server 2016 in its official documentation. How do I sync the users in Windows Server 2012 R2? Or what alternatives available to minimise the risk of changes?

Akshay-MSFT 17,961 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2023-08-23T09:19:12.0266667+00:00

@Phang Boon Chye

Hope you got a chance to review the action plan suggested below. Please do let me know if you have any queries in the comments section. If you don't have any further queries and the suggestion works as per your business need. Please "Accept the answer(Yes)" and "share you feedback ". This will help us and others in the community as well.

Thanks,

Akshay Kaushik
JamesTran-MSFT 36,911 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2023-08-28T20:57:49.3966667+00:00

@Phang Boon Chye

I wanted to check in and see if you had any other questions or if you were able to resolve this issue?

If you have any other questions, please let me know. Thank you for your time and patience throughout this issue.

If the information helped address your question, please Accept the answer. This will help us and also improve searchability for others in the community who might be researching similar information.
Jean-Paul van Tongeren 0 Reputation points

2023-09-06T08:30:29.87+00:00

Hello,

I have 4 customers at the moment who have Server 2012R2 running ADD version 1.6.16.0. Can we simply upgrade them to version 2.2.1.0? I know 2012R2 is EOL by October and these customers will need to be upgraded to 2019 Standard. Thank you
Steven G 5 Reputation points

2023-09-27T09:05:47.5733333+00:00

Telling people to migrate off server 2012 now is like telling a drowning person to learn to swim. Microsoft Entra Connect Sync V1 is going to stop working before the Server 2012 EOL. Even if it's just two weeks, it's still before. V2 does not work, it won't even install on Server 2012 so there needs to be some cross over available to those who have been unable to roll out new servers by the 1st Oct.

1 answer

Your answer

Akshay-MSFT 17,961 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2023-08-23T09:19:12.0266667+00:00

@Phang Boon Chye

Hope you got a chance to review the action plan suggested below. Please do let me know if you have any queries in the comments section. If you don't have any further queries and the suggestion works as per your business need. Please "Accept the answer(Yes)" and "share you feedback ". This will help us and others in the community as well.

Thanks,

Akshay Kaushik
JamesTran-MSFT 36,911 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2023-08-28T20:57:49.3966667+00:00

@Phang Boon Chye

I wanted to check in and see if you had any other questions or if you were able to resolve this issue?

If you have any other questions, please let me know. Thank you for your time and patience throughout this issue.

If the information helped address your question, please Accept the answer. This will help us and also improve searchability for others in the community who might be researching similar information.
Jean-Paul van Tongeren 0 Reputation points

2023-09-06T08:30:29.87+00:00

Hello,

I have 4 customers at the moment who have Server 2012R2 running ADD version 1.6.16.0. Can we simply upgrade them to version 2.2.1.0? I know 2012R2 is EOL by October and these customers will need to be upgraded to 2019 Standard. Thank you
Steven G 5 Reputation points

2023-09-27T09:05:47.5733333+00:00

Telling people to migrate off server 2012 now is like telling a drowning person to learn to swim. Microsoft Entra Connect Sync V1 is going to stop working before the Server 2012 EOL. Even if it's just two weeks, it's still before. V2 does not work, it won't even install on Server 2012 so there needs to be some cross over available to those who have been unable to roll out new servers by the 1st Oct.

Answer 1

You may be able to upgrade to latest supported version of Microsoft Entra Connect Sync on your 2012 R2 but note that 2012 R2 itself is nearing EOL as of October.

Connect Sync and Cloud Sync are two different services. Cloud Sync is the direction MS wants you to go, but they will still be supporting Connect Sync, just not version V1. I'm not certain yet if there is a version of Connect Sync that will still be supported for syncing and is supported on 2012 R2.

But again, best to migrate off of 2012 R2 because 2012 R2 is quickly reaching End of Support, including patches.:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/announcements/windows-server-2012-r2-end-of-support

Share via

How to use Microsoft Entra Cloud sync on Windows Server 2012 R2?

1 answer

Your answer