If you're new to AAD Connect or recently deployed it and set it up, you can go ahead a skip this one! If you've been using Azure AD Connect for a while then you may want to know that Microsoft is retiring version 1 in Aug 2022.
So what's the difference between V1 and V2 of the DirSync tool?
Well, modern TLS is standard and the SQL version is leaving SQL 2012 in the rear-view mirror because mainstream support ended in July 2022. Yes, it's an Express DB but come on guys, it's 10 years old! Remember, SQL 2019 will also mean that your server OS will need to be 2016/2019, meaning those 2012 boxes should be sunset too.
Finally, ADAL and MSAL, what is this? It's not often we talk about these things so here's a quick reminder;
ADAL = Active Directory Authentication Library
MSAL = Microsoft Authentication Library
Apart from swapping 'AD' for 'MS' there are some fundamental technical changes and advantages to this new MSAL functionality, detailed in the table below;
In addition, there are support considerations to be aware of for ADAL;
All Microsoft support and development for ADAL, including security fixes, ends in December, 2022.
There are no ADAL feature releases or new platform version releases planned prior to December, 2022.
No new features have been added to ADAL since June 30, 2020.