Deploying Azure Files with Azure AD authentication

Question

We are looking to deploy Azure Files for users that log in to their Azure AD joined PCs.

Azure File Sync will be installed on an on-premises file server.

Is a domain controller or Azure AD DS mandatory for this setup? Ideally, we'd prefer staff to access the file shares via Azure AD authentication only.

Answer 1

@Ash Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum, Thanks for posting here!!

You can achieve by Azure AD Kerberos for hybrid identities. Using Azure AD for authenticating hybrid user identities allows Azure AD users to access Azure file shares using Kerberos authentication. This means your end users can access Azure file shares over the internet without requiring a line-of-sight to domain controllers from hybrid Azure AD-joined and Azure AD-joined VMs. Cloud-only identities aren't currently supported.

Additional Document to know more about Hybrid identities: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/whatis-hybrid-identity

Please let us know if you have any further queries. I’m happy to assist you further.

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