Plan and manage Azure resources in PIM, including settings and assignments

Privileged Identity Management (PIM) within Microsoft Azure is a service that enables you to manage, control, and monitor access within your Azure environment, focusing on providing just-in-time privileged access to Azure AD and Azure resources. As it pertains to the SC-300 Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator exam, understanding how to plan and manage Azure resources using PIM is critical.

Understanding PIM Settings

Before you can effectively plan and manage resources with PIM, it’s crucial to configure its settings appropriately. PIM settings can be found in the Azure portal under Azure Active Directory.

• Roles: Define which roles are eligible for PIM. Roles can include Azure resources roles, Azure AD roles, and application roles.
• Assignments: Assign which users or groups can activate these roles.
• Access Reviews: Regularly review and certify the access is still needed.
• Alerts: Configure alerts to notify administrators of specific activities in PIM.
• Audit History: Audit logs are essential for tracking the activations and changes in role assignments.

Assigning Roles in PIM

Assigning roles to users or groups in PIM is essential to correctly manage who has access to what within your Azure environment.

• Eligible Assignments: Users are given the ability to activate the roles when they need them.
• Active Assignments: Users have the role permanently until it is removed or expires.

Activation of Roles in PIM

When a user needs to activate a role:

• Request Activation: The user requests the activation of a role which they are eligible for.
• Approval to Activate (Optional): Depending on your settings, the user’s request might need to be approved by an authorized person.
• Multi-Factor Authentication Requirement (Optional): You can enforce a multi-factor authentication challenge before the user can activate the role.

Planning with PIM

When planning how to set up PIM, consider the following:

• Identify Roles: Determine which Azure and Azure AD roles are necessary for your environment. Record the roles and their purpose.
• Determine Eligibility: Decide which users or groups should be eligible for such roles.
• Implement Least Privilege Principle: Assign roles based only on what is necessary to perform the job.
• Configure Time-bound Access: Ensure that roles can only be activated for the necessary period to minimize risks.
• Approval Workflow: Set up approval workflows for activating roles that carry significant privileges.

Example of Managing Azure Resources with PIM

Below is a simplified example showing the process of managing Azure resources with PIM:

1. Configure PIM:
   • Enable PIM in Azure AD.
   • Configure roles and assignments.
   • Set up multi-factor authentication requirements.
   • Set Alert configurations for sensitive roles.
2. Role Assignment:
   • Assign John Doe as eligible for the “Contributor” role on the Azure Subscription.
   • Assign Jane Smith with an active assignment as “Reader” on a Resource Group.
   • Configure Access review for privileged roles every 6 months.
3. Role Activation:
   • John Doe needs to work on a project. He requests activation of the “Contributor” role.
   • His activation is subject to approval from his manager and requires MFA.
4. Monitoring with PIM:
   • Auditors periodically review activity logs to understand who activated what role and when.
   • Access reviews are conducted to validate if users still need their assigned roles.

Considerations for SC-300

When preparing for the SC-300 exam, it’s important to not only know the steps to configure and manage PIM but to also understand the rationale behind specific settings, how they fit into the overarching security strategy of an organization, and the implications of each setting and PIM action. Comprehending the impact of time-bound access versus permanent roles and the importance of monitoring and auditing access are key concepts to grasp.

Additionally, it is helpful to be familiar with using Azure PowerShell or Azure CLI for managing Azure PIM, as this could save time and provide automation capabilities in larger environments.

Conclusion

Proper planning and management of Azure resources with PIM is a critical component of securing your Azure environment. The SC-300 exam will test your ability to set PIM configurations, assign roles judiciously, manage role activations, and monitor the environment effectively. Practical experience coupled with an understanding of best practices is the most effective way to prepare for these aspects of the exam.