Introduction
Keeping your identity infrastructure up to date is vital for maintaining a secure and resilient IT environment. That’s where Microsoft Entra Connect Automatic Upgrade comes into play. This feature ensures your Microsoft Entra Connect installation remains current with minimal administrative effort, providing a secure and seamless sync experience between your on-premises Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD).
What is Microsoft Entra Connect Automatic Upgrade?
Microsoft Entra Connect Automatic Upgrade is a built-in feature designed to automatically detect and apply the latest version of Entra Connect on eligible servers. It enhances security and ensures compliance by keeping your directory synchronization engine up to date without manual intervention.
Key Highlights:
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Ensures you’re always on a supported version.
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Reduces administrative overhead.
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Built-in validation using digital signatures.
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Utilizes Microsoft Entra Connect Health for upgrade infrastructure.
Lifecycle Policy: Why Auto Upgrade Matters
Microsoft Entra Connect adheres to the Modern Lifecycle Policy, which requires customers to stay on the latest version to continue receiving support. Automatic upgrades help you stay compliant by:
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Minimizing the risk of service degradation.
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Avoiding sudden unsupported states.
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Receiving security patches and enhancements without manual upgrades.
Auto Upgrade Eligibility Criteria
Auto upgrade is enabled by default in the following scenarios:
This cmdlet will return one of the following states:
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Enabled – Auto upgrade is active.
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Disabled – Auto upgrade turned off by admin.
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Suspended – Temporarily paused by system.
Note: The state Suspended can only be set by the system and should not be altered manually.
How Auto Upgrade Works
The auto upgrade process relies on Microsoft Entra Connect Health, so ensure your proxy/firewall permits the following endpoints. For the complete list, refer to Office 365 URLs and IP ranges.
Important: If the Synchronization Service Manager UI is open, the upgrade is delayed until the UI is closed.
Releases Not Available for Auto Upgrade
Not all Entra Connect versions are auto-upgradeable. Check the version release history to verify if a release supports auto upgrade or only manual download.
Troubleshooting Microsoft Entra Connect Automatic Upgrade
Step 1: Check Upgrade State
Get-ADSyncAutoUpgrade -Detail
Look for suspension reasons like:
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UpgradeNotSupportedNonLocalDbInstall -
UpgradeAbortedAdSyncExeInUse
Step 2: Validate Entra Connect Health Connectivity
Ensure the system can communicate with Microsoft Entra ID via the required URLs. Also, validate that Connect Health is enabled.
Step 3: Review Event Logs
Use Event Viewer to monitor upgrade events:
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Log:
Application -
Source:
Microsoft Entra Connect Upgrade -
Event ID:
300–399
These logs provide insight into upgrade failures or success.
Common Upgrade Error Messages and Their Meaning
Sample Error Messages
Best Practices for Managing Auto Upgrade
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Keep Health Data Upload Enabled – Auto upgrade requires Connect Health.
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Monitor regularly using PowerShell and Event Viewer.
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Avoid custom sync rules unless necessary; document them if needed.
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Ensure TLS 1.2+ is enforced for security compliance.
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Plan for manual upgrade paths in enterprise environments using full SQL Server.
Conclusion
Microsoft Entra Connect Automatic Upgrade is a powerful feature that simplifies the management of your hybrid identity solution. It ensures your environment stays current with the latest security and performance updates with minimal disruption.
However, understanding its eligibility requirements and common blockers is essential for smooth operation. By proactively monitoring your upgrade state and connectivity, you can take full advantage of this automated process.
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