Preparing Active Directory for Synchronization

To ensure that the on-premise Active Directory is prepared for synchronization with the online directory, the Microsoft Office 365 Deployment Readiness Tool is used. The Deployment Readiness Tool inspects the local Active Directory environment, and provides a report that includes a prerequisite check and an attribute assessment, as shown in Figure 28.5. If changes are required, these are listed so that they can be handled before directory synchronization is enabled.

Figure 28.5. Report from the Office 365 Deployment Readiness Tool.

The Deployment Readiness Tool can be downloaded from the Office 365 website, and can be executed on any domain-joined system by any domain user. After the tool is run and the report is generated, any changes that are listed should be made to prepare the environment for directory synchronization. The report can then be rerun as many times as needed to ensure that all required changes have been completed. After the environment is fully prepared, the directory synchronization feature can be enabled by a Lync Online/Office 365 administrator using the online portal.