Azure Active Directory vs Google Identity Platform

August 06, 2023 | Author: Michael Stromann
18
Azure Active Directory
Your universal platform to manage and secure identities
8
Google Identity Platform
Identity tools from Google help you quickly build an auth system that will grow with your business and reduce the friction of getting users into your app.

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and Google Identity Platform are both cloud-based identity and access management solutions, but they have key differences.

Azure AD is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management service. It provides a comprehensive set of features for managing user identities, single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and access control to various Microsoft and third-party applications. Azure AD integrates well with other Microsoft services and offers extensive enterprise-level capabilities for managing user identities and securing access to resources. It also provides seamless integration with on-premises Active Directory environments, making it suitable for hybrid environments.

Google Identity Platform, on the other hand, is Google's identity management solution designed to help developers add authentication and authorization functionality to their applications. It offers user authentication, authorization, and user management services, allowing developers to implement SSO, MFA, and user identity management within their applications. Google Identity Platform supports various authentication protocols and standards, such as OAuth and OpenID Connect, and integrates well with Google Cloud services and other third-party applications.

The key difference between Azure AD and Google Identity Platform lies in their primary focus and integration capabilities. Azure AD is more enterprise-oriented and offers robust features for managing user identities and access control across Microsoft and third-party applications, with strong integration with Microsoft services. On the other hand, Google Identity Platform is geared towards application developers, providing authentication and authorization services primarily for custom applications, with integration options into Google Cloud services and other third-party platforms.

See also: Top 10 Identity Management platforms
Azure Active Directory vs Google Identity Platform in our news:

2021. Microsoft acquires access management startup CloudKnox



Microsoft has recently completed the acquisition of the IAM (identity and access management) startup, CloudKnox Security. CloudKnox specializes in aiding organizations in implementing the least-privilege principles to mitigate risks and prevent security breaches. By integrating CloudKnox's activity-based authorization service, Azure Active Directory customers will gain comprehensive visibility, continuous monitoring, and automated remediation for managing permissions across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Microsoft has plans to seamlessly integrate CloudKnox with its other cloud security services, such as 365 Defender, Azure Defender, and Azure Sentinel. This acquisition aligns with Microsoft's strategic efforts to bolster its security portfolio, as demonstrated by its recent acquisitions of IoT security startups CyberX and Refirm Labs.

Author: Michael Stromann
Michael is an expert in IT Service Management, IT Security and software development. With his extensive experience as a software developer and active involvement in multiple ERP implementation projects, Michael brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his writings. Having previously worked at SAP, he has honed his expertise and gained a deep understanding of software development and implementation processes. Currently, as a freelance developer, Michael continues to contribute to the IT community by sharing his insights through guest articles published on several IT portals. You can contact Michael by email stromann@liventerprise.com