Azure Files announces general availability of Entra-only identities for SMB
access, enabling organizations to securely access file shares using
cloud-native identities without requiring Active Directory or hybrid identity
infrastructure. With Microsoft Entra ID as the authentication authority, users
can access Azure Files using Kerberos-based authentication backed entirely by
cloud identities - eliminating dependency on domain controllers and simplifying
storage and identity architecture.
Key capabilities
- Cloud-native
authentication with Entra ID: Secure SMB access using Kerberos without
Active Directory or domain controllers
- Simplified
permissions management: Configure granular NTFS ACLs for Entra users
and groups directly through the Azure portal
- Role-based
access control (RBAC): Assign share-level access using built-in roles
for least-privilege administration
- Secure
access from anywhere: Enable identity-based access over the internet
without VPN dependencies
- Support
for modern workloads: Power Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD),
general-purpose file sharing, and distributed collaboration scenarios
Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any
questions about adopting Entra-only Identities for secure SMB access with Azure
Files.
Learn
more.