What is Named location in Azure?

 In Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), Named Locations are used as part of Conditional Access policies to define trusted locations from which users can access resources. Named Locations allow administrators to specify specific IP address ranges that are considered trusted, such as corporate network ranges or known secure locations, and use them as conditions for Conditional Access policies.

Here's how Named Locations work:

1. Defining Named Locations: Azure AD administrators can create Named Locations by specifying one or more IP address ranges (IPv4 or IPv6) and assigning a name to each range. These ranges represent trusted locations from which users are allowed to access Azure AD-integrated applications and services.

2. Using Named Locations in Conditional Access Policies: Named Locations can be used as a condition in Conditional Access policies to control access based on the user's sign-in location. Administrators can create Conditional Access policies that require users to be in specific Named Locations (or exclude specific Named Locations) before they can access resources. This helps enforce access controls and security measures based on the user's location.

3. Trusted and Untrusted Locations: Named Locations can be marked as either trusted or untrusted. Trusted locations represent known secure locations, such as corporate networks, where users are allowed to access resources without additional authentication requirements. Untrusted locations represent unknown or potentially risky locations, such as public networks or unknown IP address ranges, where users may be required to perform additional authentication or access restrictions.

4. Enhancing Security: By using Named Locations in Conditional Access policies, organizations can enhance security by restricting access to resources based on the user's location. For example, administrators can create policies that require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for users accessing resources from untrusted locations or block access altogether from certain high-risk locations.

5. Managing Named Locations: Azure AD administrators can manage Named Locations through the Azure portal or Azure AD PowerShell. They can create, edit, delete, and view Named Locations to ensure that access controls are configured appropriately based on the organization's security requirements and compliance policies.

Overall, Named Locations in Azure AD provide a mechanism for defining trusted locations and enforcing access controls based on the user's sign-in location, helping organizations secure their resources and data against unauthorized access from potentially risky locations.