Implement and Manage Custom Roles

Key Concepts

• Custom Roles
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Role Definitions
• Role Assignments
• Scope

Custom Roles

Custom roles in Azure allow you to define specific permissions tailored to the needs of your organization. These roles can be created based on the built-in roles provided by Azure but with more granular control over the permissions granted.

Example: Think of custom roles as creating a specialized tool for a specific job. Instead of using a generic wrench for every task, you create a custom wrench that fits perfectly for a particular nut.

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is a model that uses roles to manage access to resources. RBAC allows you to assign roles to users, groups, or applications to control what they can do within the Azure environment.

Example: RBAC is like a security guard at a gated community. The guard knows who is allowed to enter based on their role (resident, guest, delivery person) and what they can do (enter the main gate, access the pool, deliver packages).

Role Definitions

Role definitions are collections of permissions that define what actions can be performed. When creating a custom role, you specify the role definition, which includes the permissions you want to include.

Example: A role definition is like a recipe that lists all the ingredients and steps needed to make a dish. For a custom role, the recipe includes all the permissions (ingredients) required to perform specific tasks.

Role Assignments

Role assignments are the process of assigning a role to a user, group, or application at a particular scope. This determines who has access to what resources and what they can do with those resources.

Example: Role assignments are like assigning a key to a specific person for a particular room in a hotel. The key (role) determines which rooms (resources) the person can access and what they can do in those rooms (permissions).

Scope

Scope defines the set of resources to which the role assignment applies. Scopes can be set at different levels, such as management groups, subscriptions, resource groups, or individual resources.

Example: Scope is like defining the boundaries of a park. You can set rules for the entire park, a specific section, or even a single bench within the park. Similarly, scope in Azure defines where the role assignment applies.

Conclusion

Implementing and managing custom roles in Azure is essential for fine-tuning access control within your organization. By understanding custom roles, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), role definitions, role assignments, and scope, you can create a secure and efficient access management system tailored to your specific needs.