How to configure Azure AD Federation with OpenID Connect 

This article provides a step-by-step guide to configure Azure AD Federation with OpenID Connect. By following these steps, you can easily set up your environment for a secure identity federation.

Prerequisites 

Before you begin the setup process, ensure that you have the following prerequisites:

1. An Azure AD tenant with global administrator access.
2. An OpenID Connect Identity Provider that supports Azure AD Federation.
3. Basic knowledge of OpenID Connect and Azure AD.

Setup Process 

Follow these steps to configure Azure AD Federation with OpenID Connect:

1. Sign in to the Azure portal with your global administrator account.
2. Navigate to Azure Active Directory and select Enterprise applications.
3. Click on “New application” and select “Non-gallery application”.
4. Give a name for your application and click on “Add”.
5. In the “Single sign-on” section, select “OpenID Connect” as the SSO method.
6. In the “Basic SAML Configuration” section, provide the following information:

• Issuer URL: The issuer URL for your OpenID Connect Identity Provider.
• Sign-on URL: The URL to your OpenID Connect Identity Provider’s sign-on page.
• Logout URL: The URL to your OpenID Connect Identity Provider’s logout page.

7. In the “User Attributes & Claims” section, select the user attributes and claims that you want to pass to the OpenID Connect Identity Provider.
8. Click on “Save” to save the changes.

Troubleshooting 

If you face any issues during the setup process, refer to the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Verify that the issuer URL, sign-on URL, and logout URL are correct.
2. Ensure that your OpenID Connect Identity Provider supports Azure AD Federation.
3. Verify that the user attributes and claims are configured correctly.
4. Check the logs in Azure AD for any errors or warnings.

Best Practices 

Follow these best practices to secure your federation environment:

1. Use strong authentication methods for your OpenID Connect Identity Provider.
2. Use SSL/TLS to secure communication between Azure AD and the OpenID Connect Identity Provider.
3. Use conditional access policies to control access to your federation environment.
4. Regularly monitor your federation environment for any unusual activities.

By following these steps, you can easily configure Azure AD Federation with OpenID Connect. Ensure that you follow the best practices to secure your federation environment and regularly monitor it for any unusual activities. Now let us dive deep into how to troubleshoot Azure AD Federation.