#299 - Unpacking Entra ID and DevOps with Microsoft Product Manager Merill Fernando

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 Merill Fernando, a product manager at Microsoft. Merill 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 Greetings01:53 Concert Experience and Technology05:48 Travel and Work Updates07:54 Conference Announcements and Discount Codes11:22 Guest Introduction: Merrill Fernando12:08 Merrill's Journey into Identity18:54 Role and Responsibilities at Microsoft24:09 DevOps and Identity Management33:21 DevTestProd Environment Setup36:10 Challenges with Machine IDs in DevOps40:12 Understanding Service Principles42:42 Microsoft's Identity Governance and Administration50:25 The Role of AI in Identity Management56:15 Hiking as a Decompression Activity01:04:35 Final Thoughts and Wrap-UpConnect with Merill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merill/Microsoft 365 / Entra DevOps Tenant Model: https://x.com/merill/status/1683783494324097025Attending 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-IDACAuthenticate 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/W7eVMLConnect 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