Microsoft-Entra-Management-Task: Perform basic User Management tasks

Introduction:

Welcome to your first step into cloud identity management! In modern IT architecture, an organization's security boundary begins with identity. This hands-on lab introduces you to the core responsibilities of an Identity and Access Administrator. Over the next 10 minutes, you will gain practical experience in Microsoft Entra ID by executing five essential user management workflows—ranging from provisioning single and bulk user accounts to assigning operational roles, licenses, and collaborating with external partners.

Exercise - Perform basic User Management tasks

In this exercise you will explore the beginner tasks of an Identity and Access administrator by creating and managing a user in Microsoft Entra ID. There are five common activities you will perform in your lab from creating a new user to assigning them roles and licenses.

Task 1 - Create a new user

1. Open the Microsoft Entra admin center at https://entra.microsoft.com
2. Log in using the credentials for your tenant.
3. From the menu on the left, select User and then All users.
4. Select + New user and then pick the Create new user option
5. Enter the requested information:

| Field | Value |

| :--- | :--- |

| User principal name | BhogeswarK |

| Display name | Bhogeswar Kalita |

1. Leave the Mail nickname as is.
2. Make a copy of the Password (auto-generated) and store it in Notepad. You will need it later.
3. Leave Accounted enabled checked.
4. Select the Properties tab.
5. Set the values for first and last name:

Field	Value
First name	Bhogeswar
Last name	Kalita

1. Note that you can set the User type to Member. If you pick Guest, it will restrict the users capabilities.
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
3. Set the Usage location to United States or to whatever region you are in.

4. Select the Review + create button.
   

5. Select Create.
   

Subtask 1 - Log in to confirm user

1. Open an InPrivate browsing window.
2. Connect to the Microsoft Entra admin center at the link https://entra.microsoft.com Voya457374
3. Enter the username and password you just created. | Field | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Username | BhogeswarK@your tenant name.onmicrosoft.com | | Password | Auto generated password you saved |
4. If prompted follow the on-screen instructions to complete MFA setup.
5. Feel free to explore the Microsoft Entra admin center for a minute
6. Close the InPrivate browsing window.

Task 2 - Add a license to the user

1. Open a new tab in your browser.
2. Connect to the Microsoft 365 admin center at https//:admin.microsoft.com.
3. If prompted, log in using the credentials for your tenant.
4. Find the menu on the left side of the screen.
5. Open the Billing item in the menu.
6. Select Licenses from the list.
7. When the list of licenses appears, select Microsoft Power Automate Free
8. Select the + Assign licenses item.
9. Choose Brogeswar from the list (user created in previous task).
10. Select the Assign button at the bottom of the page.

Task 3 - Invite an external user to your tenant

1. If not already open - Open a browser and connect to the Microsoft Entra admin center at https://entra.microsoft.com.
2. From the menu on the left, open the Identity menu.
3. From the menu on the left, open the Identity menu.
4. At the top of the page select + New User.
5. Choose the option to Invite external user from the dropdown.
6. Enter the information for your new external user:

Field	Value
Email	[e-mail]
Display Name	External User
Message	Thank you for joining the company for this short work project. We look forward to building this project together.

1. Select the** Review + Create** button.
2. Select Create.

Task 4 - Assign a role to a user

1. If not already open - Open a browser and connect to the Microsoft Entra admin center at https://entra.microsoft.com.
2. If prompted, log in using the credentials for your tenant.
3. In the left menu find the Identity section. Open it if not already opened.
4. Select Users then select All users.
5. Choose the user Bhogeswar Kalita create in the earlier task.
6. From the newly opened menu select Assigned roles.
7. At the top of the screen select + Add assignment.
8. From the Select role dropdown menu chose the role Attribute Definition Reader.
9. Select the Next button when it becomes available
10. Choose the option Eligible for Assignment type.
11. Select Assign.

Subtask 1 - Alternate method to assign a role to a user

1. Look at the Identity menu section on the left side of the screen.
2. Select the Show more option to see the full Identity menu.
3. From the list of items in the Identity menu, expand the Roles & admins section.
4. Select Roles & admins.
5. Select Attribute Log Reader from the list of roles.
6. From the top of the screen select + Add assignment.
7. From the Select member(s) select the No member selected text.
8. From the list of user choose Bhogeswar Kalita.
9. Choose the Select button at the bottom.
10. Select the Next button.
11. On the Add assignments page choose Active for the Assignment type.
12. Note that you have to enter a justification for this role / user assignment.
13. Enter the justification User will be working as an Attribute log reader as their primary job. into the box.
14. Select Assign.

Task 5 - Bulk import users

1. If not already open - Open a browser and connect to the Microsoft Entra admin center at https://entra.microsoft.com.
2. If prompted, log in using the credentials for your tenant
3. From the Identity menu, select Users and then select All users.
4. From the top of the page, select the Bulk operations drop-down arrow and then select Bulk create. Note - Selecting Bulk create will open a new tile. This tile provides a Download link to a template file that you will edit to populate with your user information and upload to add the bulk creation of users.
5. Select Download to see a sample bulk user CSV file Note **- The .csv template provides you with the fields included with the user profile. This includes the required username, display name, and initial password. You can also complete optional fields, such as Department and Usage location, at this time. You do not need to fill out all the fields. **Lab Tip - A sample CSV has been provided in the Allfiles/Lab1 folder – APL0501-BulkUser.csv.
6. Open Notepad.
7. Open the SC300BulkUser.csv file.
8. Search and replace the existing value «>> with Your actual domain name.
9. Save the file.
10. On the Bulk create users dialog, select the file folder icon on step 3.
11. Path to the Allfiles/Lab1 folder and select APL0501-BulkUser.csv file.
12. Select Open.
13. Wait for the notification that the file uploaded successfully. Select the Submit button to add the users. *Note *- After the users have been created, you will be prompted that the creation has succeeded.
14. Close the Bulk create users dialog.
15. Check the list of users to see your bulk created users. Modern Cloud Engineering relies heavily on the principle of Least Privilege and secure identity management. This hands-on technical exercise demonstrated the foundational lifecycle of identity and access management (IAM) within Microsoft Entra ID and the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

SUMMARY

The lab successfully walked through the five core pillars of user administration:

• Identity Provisioning: Creating a standard internal user cloud identity (Bhogeswar Kalita) and verifying authentication pipelines via isolated active sessions (InPrivate browsing).

• Resource & License Lifecycle: Assigning SaaS capabilities (Microsoft Power Automate Free) to a user entity via central billing allocation frameworks.

• B2B Collaboration: Operationalizing business-to-business workflows by safely inviting external guest identities ([e-mail]) into a secure tenant space.

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Implementing sophisticated authorization boundaries by assigning targeted roles (Attribute Definition Reader and Attribute Log Reader) using both Eligible and Active assignment types—complete with strict auditing justification.

• Automation & Scalability: Utilizing standardized structural templates (.csv) to execute bulk identity provisioning operations efficiently.

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Cloud Engineers

If you are charting your path toward becoming a successful Cloud or DevOps Engineer, this exercise holds crucial architectural lessons that stretch far beyond just clicking buttons in a portal:

• Identity is the New Perimeter: In the cloud, traditional network perimeters (like firewalls) are no longer enough. Identity is your first and strongest line of defense. Mastering Microsoft Entra ID (or AWS IAM / Google Cloud IAM) is an absolute non-negotiable skill for any modern cloud professional.

• Embrace Just-In-Time (JIT) & PIM Mentality: Task 4 highlighted the difference between Eligible and Active assignments. As a cloud engineer, you should rarely give someone permanent global access. Understanding how to configure temporary, auditable, and justifiable access is what separates junior admins from elite cloud architects.

• Think in Scale (Automate Everything): While creating a single user manually (Task 1) teaches you the fundamentals, Task 5 (Bulk Import) teaches you how production environments actually work. Always look for ways to abstract manual workflows into CSVs, scripts (PowerShell/CLI), or Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/Bicep).

• Secure Multi-Tenant Boundaries: Cloud ecosystems are interconnected. Learning how to properly invite, restrict, and manage B2B guest accounts ensures that external collaboration does not accidentally open backdoors into your organization's sensitive data.

Conclusion

Mastering the cloud begins with mastering the user. This exercise seamlessly bridges the gap between theoretical identity governance and the practical realities of infrastructure management.

By understanding how identities are provisioned, licensed, restricted via RBAC, and scaled through bulk automation, you have successfully practiced the foundational mechanics of a secure cloud infrastructure. As you progress on your cloud engineering journey, carry the mindset demonstrated here: secure by design, automated at scale, and governed by strict access controls.