Identity Migration: Consolidate Into Microsoft Entra ID

Why identity consolidation matters

Fragmented identity is a security risk and a user experience bottleneck. Users manage multiple passwords across siloed systems. IT teams struggle with onboarding and offboarding as permissions are scattered across on premises Active Directory and cloud SaaS apps. Legacy identity infrastructure is often the weakest link in the security perimeter and the most common path attackers exploit to escalate from initial access to full domain compromise.

Consolidating to Entra ID is not just a migration; it is an opportunity to redesign the access model, retire technical debt, and put modern authentication standards in place. Done well, the project reduces both security exposure and the operational drag of managing multiple identity systems.

What is included

• Directory Discovery and Audit - inventory of existing accounts, groups, permissions, and dependent applications across all directory systems.
• Entra ID Tenant Design - architecture for the target cloud identity model including naming, group structure, conditional access policy, and role design.
• Hybrid Identity Sync - secure synchronization between on premises and cloud during the transition, including pass through authentication or password hash sync as appropriate.
• Identity Consolidation - migration of users, groups, and resources from secondary directories into the primary Entra ID tenant.
• Conditional Access and MFA Rollout - modern authentication policies aligned to zero trust principles and cyber insurance requirements.
• Legacy Directory Retirement - decommissioning of old Active Directory environments, secondary identity providers, and orphaned trust relationships.
• Application SSO Integration - connection of business critical applications to Entra ID for single sign on where supported.

How the migration runs

Discovery establishes a complete inventory of accounts, groups, permissions, and dependent applications. Design produces the target state architecture with explicit choices on hybrid sync, conditional access, group structure, and naming. Migration moves identities in waves with hybrid sync running through the transition to minimize user disruption. SSO integration brings business critical applications onto Entra ID where supported. Retirement decommissions the old directory cleanly once cutover is verified. A post migration audit confirms the new state matches design.

What you receive

• Discovery report - inventory of existing identity, applications, and dependencies.
• Migration roadmap - sequenced plan with phases, milestones, and risk mitigations.
• Entra ID tenant configuration - target tenant built and documented to the agreed design.
• Production migration execution - phased waves with verified outcomes at each step.
• Post migration audit - documented evidence that the target state matches design.
• Operational documentation - runbooks and standard procedures for your team to operate the new environment.

Who Identity Migration is for

Organizations consolidating identity providers after acquisitions or growth. Businesses moving from legacy Active Directory to cloud first identity. Companies preparing for cyber insurance renewal that requires modern authentication evidence. Regulated organizations needing audit ready identity controls. Businesses adopting zero trust architecture and needing a clean identity foundation to build on.

Frequently asked questions

How does Identity Migration differ from a workspace migration like email cutover?

Workspace migrations (email and files) and identity migrations are separate projects with different timelines and deliverables. Identity can be migrated first to establish the foundation, or sequenced alongside workspace migration if both are happening. We scope the sequencing during discovery based on your priorities and risk tolerance.

Can we migrate from multiple M365 tenants in one project?

Yes. Tenant consolidation is a common scenario, especially after acquisitions. We merge multiple tenants into a single target Entra ID directory, consolidate Exchange mailboxes, and establish a unified identity infrastructure.

What happens to users and their application access during migration?

Users maintain access throughout migration via hybrid or phased cutover approaches. SSO and SCIM provisioning are configured during migration so users are provisioned into target applications as their identity is migrated. The transition is invisible to the end user.

Do we have to decommission on-prem AD immediately after migration?

No. If you need a coexistence period for validation or risk mitigation, we can leave on-prem AD running as a read-only directory while Entra ID becomes the source of truth. Most orgs decommission after 2 to 4 weeks of validation.

What about existing group memberships and delegated permissions?

We map group memberships and delegated permissions during migration. If a user was a group owner or had delegated permissions in legacy AD, those roles are established in Entra ID. The transition preserves your organizational structure.

Can you migrate devices without reimaging them?

Yes. Existing Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices can be migrated to Entra ID and Intune without reimaging. We configure Intune enrollment and conditional access policies so devices are policy-compliant immediately after migration.

Which SaaS applications can be integrated with SSO during migration?

We integrate SSO with major SaaS platforms (Salesforce, ServiceNow, Slack, Tableau, and others) and third-party identity providers as standard. Custom applications are evaluated during discovery for SSO capability. SCIM provisioning is available for most major platforms.

What is included in the post-migration validation phase?

We confirm user access to all critical applications, validate group memberships and permissions, verify device enrollment and compliance, and test conditional access policies. We also coordinate with your IT team on the timeline for decommissioning on-prem infrastructure.

Engagement model and program integration

Identity Migration is a fixed scope engagement priced per user with a defined timeline. For an organization of 50 to 200 users, the engagement runs roughly four weeks: two to three weeks of planning and synchronization where the source and destination identity providers run in parallel, a cutover weekend or off hours window, and one week of post migration support with users and devices reconfigured to the new tenant. Larger or more complex environments scale the timeline accordingly but use the same staged approach.

The migration covers user accounts, security groups, distribution lists, shared mailboxes, conditional access policies, MFA enrollment, and group memberships. Passwords are synchronized where the source supports it so users keep their existing credentials, and where a reset is required for security reasons, a structured communication and self service reset workflow is delivered alongside the migration. The cutover is timed so users sign out on Friday under the old identity and sign in on Monday under the new one without disruption to mail, calendars, or files.

Identity Migration is rarely a standalone engagement. It typically runs alongside a Workspace Migration moving mail and files between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, or alongside a Microsoft 365 Tenant Cleanup that consolidates multiple tenants into one. After the migration, the new identity environment is a natural fit for Security Core Identity managed cybersecurity, which takes over MFA enforcement, conditional access tuning, and ongoing identity governance so the gains from migration do not erode over time.

Why Anneal Tech

Anneal Tech operates Entra ID tenants in production for organizations across regulated industries. Identity Migration pairs cleanly with our Business Pro managed IT, Security Core, and cloud productivity services so the new identity environment is operated and secured by the same team that designed it.

Contact Anneal Tech or book an identity migration scoping call. Call 512-593-8001.