In this episode of Identity at the Center podcast, hosts Jeff and Jim delve into Microsoft's approach to identity and access management with guest Merrill Fernando, a product manager at Microsoft. Merrill shares his journey into the identity space, the current state and future plans for Entra ID, and the importance of DevOps and governance in identity management. The conversation also touches on the potential of AI in security with the introduction of Security Copilot and the intricacies of managing non-human identities.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

01:53 Concert Experience and Technology

05:48 Travel and Work Updates

07:54 Conference Announcements and Discount Codes

11:22 Guest Introduction: Merrill Fernando

12:08 Merrill's Journey into Identity

18:54 Role and Responsibilities at Microsoft

24:09 DevOps and Identity Management

33:21 DevTestProd Environment Setup

36:10 Challenges with Machine IDs in DevOps

40:12 Understanding Service Principles

42:42 Microsoft's Identity Governance and Administration

50:25 The Role of AI in Identity Management

56:15 Hiking as a Decompression Activity

01:04:35 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

Connect with Merill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merill/

Microsoft 365 / Entra DevOps Tenant Model: https://x.com/merill/status/1683783494324097025

Attending Identity Week in America or Asia? Use our discount code IDAC30 for 30% off your registration fee! Learn more at: http://terrapinn.com/IDWUS/Part-IDAC

Authenticate Conference - Use code IDAC15 for 15% off: https://authenticatecon.com/event/authenticate-2024-conference/

Hybrid Identity Protection Conference (HIP Conf) - Use code IDACpod for 20% off: https://register.hipconf.com/W7eVML

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com and watch at https://www.youtube.com/@idacpodcast