AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Exam

Configure and Validate Data Connector Integrations

Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) solution that helps organizations detect and respond to threats. Data connectors are the pathways through which Sentinel ingests logs and events from different systems. By configuring the right connectors, you can centralize security monitoring across Azure services, third-party platforms, and custom sources. This central view is critical for timely threat detection and investigation.

When setting up connectors, you can choose from built-in options or create custom ones using serverless functions or REST APIs. Authentication methods vary depending on the source and include managed identities, API keys, or service principals. To ensure smooth operation, verify that required permissions are granted and that network rules allow data flow. Early validation of these settings prevents ingestion delays and gaps in visibility.

Mapping incoming logs to the proper Sentinel tables ensures you can query and analyze data effectively. Each connector defines a log schema that must align with tables like Syslog, CommonSecurityLog, or custom tables you create. You may need to adjust field mappings so that critical properties such as timestamp, severity, and event details appear in the right columns. Accurate mapping accelerates search operations and helps build reliable alerts and workbooks.

After deployment, validating data ingestion is essential to confirm connectors work as expected. You can run Kusto queries in the Log Analytics workspace to check for recent entries and field values. Workbooks provide a visual way to monitor traffic volume, error rates, and latency. Regular validation—using both queries and dashboards—helps you detect misconfigurations or drops in log volume before they affect your security posture.

Conclusion

In this section, we covered how Microsoft Sentinel uses data connectors to pull in logs from Azure services, third-party platforms, and custom sources. You learned to configure connectors with the right authentication methods and map incoming log schemas to Sentinel tables for efficient querying. Finally, we discussed how to verify data ingestion through query-based validation and workbook analysis, ensuring your SIEM stays accurate and reliable. By mastering these steps, you strengthen your organization’s ability to detect and respond to security threats.