Migrating devices from Entra Hybrid join to Entra Join

Question

We are in the discovery phase of migrating all our devices from Entra Hybrid join to Entra join enrolment. What are the things we should consider before migrating some devices for a PoC.

Answer 1

@Naren Joseph,Thanks for posting in Q&A.

For your issue, here are some things we should consider before migrating some devices for a PoC.

1. Evaluate Device and OS Requirements

Supported Platforms: Verify that your devices meet the minimum operating system requirements (e.g., Windows 10/11 with the latest updates) to support Entra join enrollment.

Hardware Considerations: Ensure that hardware (such as TPM version, network adapters, etc.) is compatible with the new enrollment model.

2. User Experience and Profile Migration

Profile Impact: Determine whether migrating devices will require wiping the device or if you can preserve user profiles. In many cases, a device wipe (as in Autopilot scenarios) may be needed, which means planning for backup/restore of user data.

3. Infrastructure and Management Readiness

Intune/MDM Configuration: Ensure that your mobile device management (MDM) platform (e.g., Microsoft Intune) is set up to handle Entra join enrollment, including the creation of proper policies, compliance settings, and application deployments.

Policy Transition: Review how existing Group Policy settings and configurations will translate into cloud-based Intune policies.

4. Network, Security, and Authentication

Connectivity: Confirm that devices will have reliable connectivity to Microsoft Entra services and that network configurations (such as DNS and firewall settings) support the new enrollment method.

SSO and Conditional Access: Revisit your authentication methods and conditional access policies to ensure that users experience seamless single sign-on (SSO) and that security controls remain effective after migration.

Encryption and Compliance: Verify that security policies (e.g., BitLocker, antivirus settings) are preserved or reconfigured to match the cloud-managed environment.

5. Migration Methodology and Automation

Approach Decision: Decide between a “wipe and re-enroll” approach (clean start via Autopilot) versus a migration approach that attempts to preserve existing profiles. Each method has trade-offs in terms of user disruption and support requirements.

Rollback Plan: Develop a contingency plan to quickly revert devices to their pre-migration state if unexpected issues arise.

6. Pilot and Feedback

Limited Scope PoC: Start with a small, diverse group of devices and users (covering different roles and usage scenarios) to capture a broad range of potential issues.

Monitoring: Set up monitoring to capture enrollment success, performance metrics, and user feedback. Use these insights to adjust the process before a wider rollout.

Hope above information can help you.

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