Microsoft Azure → Amazon Web Services
AWS equivalent of Microsoft Entra ID
The closest AWS equivalents of Microsoft Entra ID are AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) and AWS IAM Identity Center.
About Microsoft Entra ID
| Provider | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|
| Status | Generally available |
| What it is | Microsoft's cloud identity provider for users, groups, apps, and devices, with SSO (SAML, OIDC), MFA, Conditional Access, app registrations, and hybrid sync from on-premises AD. |
| Documentation | learn.microsoft.com |
| Pricing | Official pricing page |
AWS mappings (2)
| Capability | AWS equivalent | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud identity and access management | AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) | Partial match |
| Workforce single sign-on and MFA | AWS IAM Identity Center | Direct match |
Identity & access management(2)
Cloud identity and access management Partial match
AWS IAM maps to two Azure services. Microsoft Entra ID holds the identities (users, groups, apps, managed identities), and Azure RBAC grants them roles on resources. AWS IAM does both jobs inside each account.
- Where identities live. IAM users and roles live in each AWS account (workforce users usually come through Identity Center). Entra ID is one tenant-wide directory shared by Azure, Microsoft 365, and your apps.
- Policy model. IAM uses JSON policies attached to identities or resources, with explicit deny, conditions, and permissions boundaries. Azure RBAC assigns roles (sets of actions) at a scope that inherits downward, with deny assignments and attribute-based conditions in limited cases.
- Data plane. Some Azure services use separate data-plane roles (for example, Storage Blob Data Reader or Key Vault Secrets User). IAM actions cover both management and data APIs.
Workforce single sign-on and MFA Direct match
AWS IAM Identity Center maps to Microsoft Entra ID single sign-on, with Entra MFA and Conditional Access. Many organizations connect Entra ID to Identity Center as its external identity provider.
- Scope. Identity Center focuses on access to AWS accounts (through permission sets) and AWS-integrated or SAML apps. Entra ID is a full identity provider for thousands of SaaS apps, devices, and Microsoft 365.
- Risk-based access. Entra Conditional Access evaluates user, device, location, and risk signals on every sign-in. Identity Center relies on MFA settings and on the external IdP for richer policies.
- Instances. Identity Center recommends an organization instance. Account instances are for limited app use only.