AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam

Implement Azure AD Authentication for Azure Files

Azure AD Authentication Overview

Azure AD Authentication for Azure Files helps manage access to file shares by using Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) identities. This method improves security by leveraging identity-based access controls, which is more secure than traditional methods. It allows users to access Azure file shares using their organizational credentials without needing separate usernames and passwords, thus simplifying security management.

Assign Share-Level Permissions

To fully utilize identity-based access, you need to assign share-level permissions to specific users and groups for each file share. Once access is assigned, Windows ACLs, similar to an SMB share on a Windows server, allow fine-grained control over who can view or edit certain files and directories. This layered approach is crucial for maintaining both general and detailed control over access to files.

Key actions include:

• Assigning Permissions: Granting access to an identity using the appropriate settings ensures that only authorized users can interact with the file share.
• Fine-Grained Control: Managing access at the file and directory level with Windows ACLs provides additional layers of security.

Configure Directory and File-Level Permissions

After establishing share-level permissions, configuring the directory and file-level permissions becomes the next step. This configuration allows teams to dictate exactly what each user or group can do within shared folders. A device with clear network connectivity to an on-premises Active Directory (AD) is needed for this setup.

Steps to configure include:

• Directly setting up directory/file-level permissions so that you have precise control over the accessibility of each file or directory managed over SMB protocol.

Configure Clients to Retrieve Kerberos Tickets

For clients to use Azure File shares seamlessly, Microsoft Entra Kerberos functionality must be enabled on all machines connected to the network. This might be new for some teams, but it's an essential step for ensuring all client machines can retrieve necessary tickets from Azure AD.

Methods to configure this functionality include:

• Intune: Applying the relevant policy ensures devices within the organization can automatically handle authentication tickets.
• Group Policy and Registry Key: These traditional setups ensure that all machines can connect securely without hiccups during logon.

Use Managed Identities with Azure File Sync

Managed identities provide a simple alternative to handling sensitive keys by leveraging automatically managed credentials provided by Microsoft Entra ID. This functionality is especially crucial for services like Azure File Sync, where constant authentication flows are required.

To configure managed identities:

• Prerequisites: Ensure you have the correct version of the Azure File Sync agent and storage account permissions before enabling managed identities.
• Enable Managed Identity: Following specific steps ensures your registered servers can authenticate securely without manual key handling.

Conclusion

The process of implementing Azure AD authentication for Azure Files includes setting up share-level and directory/file-level permissions, configuring client machines for Kerberos ticket retrieval, and implementing managed identities for secure access. These processes work together to enhance security management using Azure AD identities, ensuring controlled and efficient access to file shares in Azure. By following these configurations, organizations can protect their data more effectively while simplifying user management.