M365 Changelog: Retirement of superseded Azure AD (Azure Active Directory) Connect Sync versions

MC333227 – Microsoft will begin retiring past versions of Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Connect Sync 12 months from the date they are superseded by a newer version.

Key points

• Timing: In mid-March 2023, this policy will go into effect, and all versions prior to the last released version (latest version prior to mid-March 2022) will retire.
  • This policy does not change the retirement of all 1.x versions of Azure AD Connect Sync on August 31, 2022, which is due to the retirement of the SQL Server 2012 and Azure AD Authentication Library (ADAL) components.
• Action: If you are not already using the latest release version of Azure AD Connect Sync, you should upgrade your Azure AD Connect Sync software before 12 months elapses from the date they were superseded by the newest version.
• Roll-out: tenant level

How this will affect your organization:

If you run a retired version of Azure AD Connect, it might unexpectedly stop working. You also might not have the latest security fixes, performance improvements, troubleshooting and diagnostic tools, and service enhancements.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: If I do not upgrade will I no longer be eligible for support?

A: Microsoft will always try to help, but if you rely on a retired version of Azure AD Connect Sync then the company may not be able to provide you with the support experience your organization needs. So, it is important to stay current.

Q: Will my retired version of Azure AD Connect Sync stop working after 15 March 2023?

A: Probably not – although retired versions may rely on services and software that may no longer be available or might stop working after that date. So, it is important to say current.

Q: Are there functional differences between my version in use and the latest released version?

A: Depending upon the version from which you are upgrading, there may be security improvements, bug fixes, and functional enhancements. You can review changes by feature on the Azure AD Connect: Version release history page.

What you need to do to prepare:

To upgrade your Azure AD Connect Sync server you can follow the steps that are given here: Azure AD Connect: Upgrade from an earlier version.

If you have any concerns about the retirement of superseded versions of Azure AD Connect Sync or have questions about upgrading to the latest version, please open a support request, mentioning “Directory Synchronization – Azure AD Connect” as your support topic.

Learn more:

• Retiring Azure AD Connect 2.x versions

Additional information