Join Azure VM to Azure AD

Using Microsoft Azure I have a default Active Directory domain (apparently) and I can create VMs. To my surprise, such VMs are not joined to the AD domain automatically and domain users can't log into it.

Is it possible to join these Azure VMs to the Azure Default AD? How or why not?

Thanks!

Solution 1:

Check out the (Still in preview) Azure Active Directory Domain Services. with this feature you will be able to join an Azure VM to your Azure AD Domain. you will also be able to use GPOs for computer and users.

Solution 2:

Azure AD isn't your "regular" AD. You're not able to join computers to it. What you CAN do, is the following: Set up your own domain controllers (these can also run on Azure), and use Azure Dirsync (which is a service you install on a VM) to sync user objects between your "regular" AD and Azure AD. That way, you have a normal AD forest you can use for computer joins and such, but also enjoy the benefits of being able to do single-sign on to Azure websites, Office365 etc using the replicated accounts in Azure AD. There is a very good document describing this sort of architecture (although it's made for Office365 it goes for Azure as well, since the Azure AD instance is the same), which can be found here. Well worth the read: Deploying Office 365 Single Sign-On using Windows Azure