Radius Server Azure Ad
You link a radius server azure ad setup by adding a local network policy server. This local server checks user logins against your cloud directory and triggers multi-factor checks. Many IT teams use this approach to secure VPNs and Wi-Fi networks. They map cloud user groups to broad network rules. When those network roles are too wide, any logged-in user can reach sensitive servers. A single stolen account then puts every database and internal system at risk. How a radius server azure ad setup
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You link a radius server azure ad setup by adding a local network policy server. This local server checks user logins against your cloud directory and triggers multi-factor checks. Many IT teams use this approach to secure VPNs and Wi-Fi networks. They map cloud user groups to broad network rules. When those network roles are too wide, any logged-in user can reach sensitive servers. A single stolen account then puts every database and internal system at risk.
How a radius server azure ad setup works
Cloud directories do not speak the legacy RADIUS protocol out of the box. Instead, they use modern web login standards. To bridge this gap, you must run a Windows server with network policy services. You also install a cloud extension module on that same server.
When a user logs into a VPN, the device sends a RADIUS request. The local policy server catches this login request first. It checks the user password against your local domain controller. Next, the cloud extension talks to your cloud directory over an encrypted link. The cloud directory sends a push prompt or text code to the user. Once the user approves the prompt, the cloud directory tells the local server. The local server then sends an accept message back to the VPN device. Your user is now on the internal network.
Why teams set up cloud directory links for RADIUS
Teams build this link to centralize how staff log in across all tools. Without it, admins must manage separate password lists for Wi-Fi and VPN hardware. Linking these systems lets admins enforce one multi-factor rule from the cloud. When someone leaves the company, admins disable one cloud account to cut off access.
Teams can also group users by department inside the cloud directory. The local policy server reads those group rules during the login check. It then puts the user onto a specific network segment. This keeps guest Wi-Fi traffic away from the core corporate network.
Azure RBAC + Kubernetes API Server Access: architecture patterns and best practices
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What network login checks miss after the user connects
A RADIUS check only happens at the start of a network session. It decides who can enter the network perimeter. Once the VPN lets the user in, the RADIUS server does nothing else. It cannot see what commands an engineer runs on a Linux host. It also cannot read what queries someone sends to a production Postgres database.
Network rules work at the IP and port level, not the command level. If an engineer needs to read one table, the VPN opens the whole database port. That engineer then logs in with a shared database password stored on their laptop. Auditors only see a VPN login timestamp in the network logs. They have no record of which rows were read or changed. Also, raw data like emails, phone numbers, and card numbers flows back in plain text. To control real risk, teams must check every query and command during the session.
Check database and API queries on the wire
Identity tools, roles, and network rules decide who opens a session. Setup alone cannot check what each query does or mask sensitive values in a response once a session starts. When workflows touch Postgres, MySQL, SQL Server, MongoDB, ClickHouse, Kubernetes APIs, SSH, or internal HTTP APIs, hoop.dev sits inline in the wire protocol beside those services as an open-source proxy, a sidecar for your Postgres or API. On every query an AI agent or engineer runs against production, hoop.dev decides to pass, mask, block, or hold it for human review.
Your login details and client tools stay as they are while hoop.dev guardrails refuse bad deletes or drops before they run, and hoop.dev data masking rewrites matched sensitive values in responses in memory. Furthermore, hoop.dev holds SOC 2 Type II, is MIT licensed, and writes every query and decision to an audit trail that generates evidence for HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS. See the source on GitHub.
Frequently asked questions
Does Azure AD support the RADIUS protocol on its own?
No, the cloud directory does not accept direct RADIUS traffic from network hardware. You must run a local network policy server with a cloud extension installed. You can also pay for a managed cloud RADIUS service from a third party.
What happens if the local policy server goes offline?
If your single local policy server stops running, new VPN and Wi-Fi logins will fail. Teams usually run at least two local policy servers to prevent downtime. Your network hardware points to the second server if the first one fails.
Can RADIUS logs show which database queries a user ran?
No, RADIUS logs only record when a user joins or leaves the network. They show the user identity, device address, and session time. They never capture SQL queries, shell commands, or data payloads inside the network session.