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Hybrid Runbook Workers are machines that run runbooks from Azure Automation on local or on-premises resources. Azure Automation has deprecated the older Agent-based Hybrid Worker in favor of the Extension-based Hybrid Worker. This new version uses the VM extension framework, so you no longer need the Log Analytics agent. Onboarding is simpler because the worker integrates with Azure Resource Manager (ARM) identity, making management at scale easier. Authentication uses system-assigned managed identities, which gives secure, password-free access to Azure resources. The extension-based approach also provides a consistent experience for both Azure VMs and non-Azure machines that are enabled through Azure Arc.
Before you deploy a hybrid worker, the machine must meet minimum system requirements, including enough CPUs and RAM. The machine also needs the Azure Connected Machine agent and must have system-assigned managed identities enabled. Supported operating systems include Windows Server 2019 and 2022, as well as Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Once deployed, you manage the workers as part of a hybrid worker group, which groups one or more workers together for runbook execution.
Runbooks that run on hybrid workers can directly manage local machine resources or interact with resources in the local environment. When you create or edit a runbook for a hybrid worker, you should test it on the machine that hosts the worker. For authentication, use managed identities or configure the runbook to provide its own credentials. Runbooks on hybrid workers cannot use cloud-based authentication mechanisms (like Azure AD tokens from the Azure portal). If a runbook runs for a long time, make sure it can handle restarts of the worker machine without losing progress.
Hybrid workers need outbound internet access on TCP port 443 to reach Azure Automation. Specific URLs must be accessible; you can also route traffic through a proxy server. To control network access in Azure, use the GuestAndHybridManagement service tag in network security groups. This tag automatically updates with the required Azure IP ranges, so you don’t have to manage a list manually.
Hybrid Runbook Workers are useful for many automation tasks. You can schedule VM operations, such as starting or stopping VMs at specific times. They can perform periodic maintenance like data purging or database reindexing. For resource lifecycle management, you can create or delete VMs automatically. You can also integrate runbooks with monitoring tools to check resource availability and trigger responses when something goes wrong.
Because Agent-based Hybrid Workers are being retired, you must migrate existing setups to Extension-based workers. If problems occur after migration, consult troubleshooting guides that focus on extension-based workers. Common issues are related to network connectivity, permissions, or the worker not having the correct managed identity. Check the network configuration first, then verify that the machine meets the system requirements and that the managed identity has the right Azure RBAC permissions for the resources the runbook needs to access.
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