Are you looking to test Azure AD Connect in a safe environment before deploying it to your production domain? Enabling staging mode in Azure AD Connect is an excellent way to do this. This feature allows you to simulate the synchronization process without actually making any changes to your production environment. Let's dive into the process of enabling staging mode in Azure AD Connect.
Before we proceed, ensure that you have Azure AD Connect installed and that you're logged in with an account that has sufficient privileges to make changes. Also, it's crucial to have a good understanding of your current environment to avoid any potential disruptions during the testing process.
Understanding Staging Mode
Staging mode in Azure AD Connect is a feature that lets you preview the changes that would be made to your Azure AD objects based on the synchronization rules. It's particularly useful when you're making significant changes to your on-premises environment or when you're introducing new synchronization rules.
In staging mode, Azure AD Connect doesn't apply the changes to your Azure AD objects. Instead, it creates a copy of the objects that would be affected and stores them in a special container. This allows you to review the changes and make adjustments as needed before committing them to your production environment.
Enabling Staging Mode
To enable staging mode in Azure AD Connect, you'll need to make a change to the synchronization service's properties. Here's a step-by-step guide:
1. Open the Azure AD Connect sync service on the server where Azure AD Connect is installed. You can find this in the Start menu under 'Azure AD Connect'.
2. In the Synchronization Service Manager, click on 'Connectors and sync settings' in the left-hand menu.
3. In the 'Connectors' list, find the connector that represents your on-premises environment (usually 'AD - YourDomain.com'). Right-click on it and select 'Properties'.
4. In the 'Properties' window, select the 'Configure' tab.
5. Under 'Staging mode', select 'Start the sync process in staging mode'.
6. Click 'OK' to save your changes and close the window.
Reviewing Staging Objects
Once you've enabled staging mode, Azure AD Connect will start creating staging objects in your Azure AD environment. You can review these objects using the Azure portal or PowerShell.
To view staging objects in the Azure portal:
1. Log in to the Azure portal (
2. Navigate to 'Azure Active Directory' and then 'Users and groups'.
3. Click on the 'All users' blade and filter by 'Staging type' to view only staging objects.
Synchronizing Staging Objects
After you've reviewed the staging objects and are satisfied with the changes, you can synchronize them to your production environment. This will apply the changes to your Azure AD objects.
To synchronize staging objects:
1. In the Synchronization Service Manager, click on 'Run' in the top menu, then select 'Full sync'.
2. Once the sync is complete, you can check the 'Operations' log for any errors or warnings.
Disabling Staging Mode
If you decide that you don't want to apply the changes to your production environment, you can disable staging mode and start a new sync process.
1. Follow the same steps as above to open the connector properties.
2. Under 'Staging mode', select 'Do not start the sync process in staging mode'.
3. Click 'OK' to save your changes and close the window.
Enabling staging mode in Azure AD Connect is a powerful tool that can help you avoid costly mistakes in your production environment. It's always a good idea to test changes in a staging environment before applying them to your live data. Happy syncing!