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Mohan Majhi
Mohan Majhi

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Day 4 of #100DaysOfCloud: Navigating Azure's Identity Landscape – Azure Active Directory and RBAC

As we journey through the #100DaysOfCloud, today was all about Azure Active Directory (AAD) and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). Let's break down the Azure identity landscape and its unique twists! 💡✨

⚙️ Azure AD vs. On-Premise AD: Azure AD might sound familiar, but it's not the same as the on-premise Active Directory. Azure AD is the cloud-based identity and access management service, while the on-premise counterpart has its hierarchical structure. Yet, they can communicate, as seen in Hybrid Office 365 deployments.

🔄 Azure AD and On-Premise Integration: In real-world scenarios like Hybrid Office 365 deployments, Azure AD and on-premise Active Directory can seamlessly sync, bridging the cloud and on-premise worlds. Azure AD Connect plays a crucial role in synchronizing on-premise users for services like Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Teams.

🎭 RBAC: Balancing Autonomy and Governance: RBAC introduces a paradigm shift by allowing precise role assignments, striking the delicate balance between autonomy and corporate governance. For instance, granting specific users roles like managing virtual machines or virtual networks, or even entire resource groups, ensures efficient resource management.

🔍 Use Case: Navigating Complex Scenarios: Let's dive into a use case — running a Virtual Machine with specific regional requirements. RBAC empowers us to assign responsibilities effectively: one user managing virtual machines, another handling virtual networks, and a specialized database administrator group overseeing SQL databases within a specific resource group. This capability ensures a streamlined and secure cloud operation.

🔐 How RBAC Works: RBAC operates through Role Assignments, defining "who," "what," and "where." This involves Security Principals (users, groups, or applications), Role Definitions (collections of permissions), and Scope (applying access at various levels like management group, subscription, resource group, or resource).

🛠️ Built-In Roles and Customization: Azure provides fundamental built-in roles like Owner, Contributor, Reader, and User Access Administrator. However, for specific organizational needs, custom roles can be crafted. This flexibility ensures that roles align precisely with the organization's requirements.

Thanks @azdevindia and @beingwizard for the enlightening session and resources.

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