This document discusses different options for integrating an on-premise Active Directory with Microsoft Office 365: no integration, directory integration (synchronization), and Active Directory authentication. Directory integration allows maintaining a single user directory and moderately quick deployment but requires a separate login. AD authentication provides a single sign-on via Active Directory, simplifies application logins, and maintains a single directory, but has a more complex deployment. The document provides example architectures and pros and cons of each option.

1. Office 365 Integration Options
David Greve

2. What is Office 365
“….a cloud productivity solution that simplifies
IT management and provides virtually
anywhere access to familiar Office tools, email,
file sharing, conferencing, and many more
services.”
-Microsoft Marketing
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3. What is Office 365
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4. Office 365 Benefits
• Reduce costs – no hardware maintenance,
reduction in administrative costs
• Flexible access for the user
• Operational effectiveness
• No data management concerns
• No need to upgrade because Microsoft does it
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5. Is Office 365 a Fit
• Organization footprint?
• Enough stable bandwidth?
• What applications do you leverage today?
• What system dependencies do you have?
• Can you remain current with your applications?
(e.g., IE, Office Apps, etc.)
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6. Office 365 Integration Options
Options Details
No Integration • Accounts created directly in Office
365
Directory Integration (Directory Sync) • Active Directory Synchronized to
Office 365
Active Directory Authentication • Active Directory credentials are
(ADFS) with Directory Sync used to logon to all Office 365
services
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7. Office 365 – No Integration
• Pros
– Quick deployment
– Great for non-AD or Small Businesses
• Cons
– Another separate logon for users
– Another area to try to keep accurate data
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8. Office 365 – No Integration
• Sample Architecture
– Non-synchronized, Office 365 is stand-alone
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9. Office 365 – No Integration
Portal Demo
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10. Office 365 – Directory Integration
• Pros
– Moderately quick deployment
– Maintain a single location for directory
information
• Cons
– Another separate logon for users
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11. Office 365 – Directory Integration
• Sample Architecture
– Synchronized, AD is the anchor point for all
directory objects
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12. Office 365 – Directory Integration
• Common attributes sync’ed to Office 365
– Display Name, First, Last, etc.
– Company, Department, Manager, etc.
– Address, Phone numbers, etc.
– Country
– Home page
– Email addresses
• Common attributes are not sync’ed back,
only specific Exchange Hybrid attributes
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2256198
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13. Office 365 – Directory Integration
Portal Demo
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14. Office 365 – Active Directory Authentication
• Pros
– Single logon from Active Directory
– Simplified applications logon
– Maintain a single location for directory
information
• Cons
– Deployment time, based on complexity of Auth
Requirements
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15. Office 365 – Active Directory Authentication
• Sample Basic Architecture
– Synchronized, AD is the anchor point for all
directory objects and authentication
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16. Office 365 – Active Directory Authentication
• Sample Architecture with Redundancy
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17. Office 365 – Active Directory Authentication
Portal Demo
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18. Integration Options Summary
Options Pros Cons
No Integration • Quick deployment • Another separate
• Great for non-AD or Small logon for users
Businesses • Another area to try to
keep accurate data
Directory Integration • Moderately quick • Another separate
(Directory Sync) deployment logon for users
• Maintain a single location
for directory information
Active Directory • Single logon from Active • Deployment time,
Authentication (ADFS) Directory based on complexity
with Directory Sync • Simplified applications of Auth Requirements
logon
• Maintain a single location
for directory information
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19. Office 365
Questions?
David Greve
david.greve@perficient.com
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20. Office 365 Book
• Deployment architecture
• Directory Sync
• ADFS
• Chapters 4,7,8, and 9
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