This feature enables you to link an Azure subscription within your tenant, allowing Configuration Manager to access and read the configurations associated with that subscription.
What is an Azure subscription?
An Azure subscription encompasses any service or resource you are paying for within Azure.
Typically, in your tenant, any paid services or resources, such as virtual machines, resource groups, or storage accounts, are procured through a subscription to Microsoft. These configurations, which you pay for on a monthly basis directly to Microsoft, are all managed under an Azure subscription.
Why enable this option?
The challenge arises when you wish to back up configurations like storage accounts or resource groups that sit behind a subscription.
Without proper permissions, neither Configuration Manager nor your users can access these resources.
This is because access to the subscription's resources requires explicit permission to read from the subscription. The option to link a subscription is designed to address this issue.
By linking a subscription, you grant Configuration Manager the necessary permissions to read from the subscription, thereby enabling it to access the configurations behind it.
It's important to note that linking a subscription to Configuration Manager does not alter the subscription's billing. Rather, Configuration Manager will grant the Contributor role to the Configuration Manager service principal and the Sync user selected at install time. This is to allow Configuration Manager to read the configurations tied to the subscription.
Are there some requisites to use this option?
Yes, to utilize this option, certain prerequisites must be met. Please ensure you're familiar with these requirements before proceeding.
What are the configurations that need this option enabled?
Currently, linking an Azure subscription is required to back up Resource Group configurations and the configurations associated with managed resources. As support for additional Azure resources, like Azure infrastructure, becomes available, linking an Azure subscription will also be necessary to manage those configurations.