Tutorial / Cram Notes
Application collections in the context of Microsoft identity and access management are a way to organize and manage the various applications that a company uses within its Azure AD tenant. By leveraging application collections, administrators can streamline the governance of app access, set permissions efficiently, and ensure that the right users have the right access to the various applications they need to perform their duties. This feature is essential when preparing for the SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator exam, as the exam tests your ability on how to implement and manage application access.
Creating Application Collections
To create an application collection:
- Sign in to the Azure portal.
- Go to the Azure Active Directory service.
- Navigate to Enterprise applications.
- Select the “Collections” tab.
- Click on “New collection” to create an application collection.
- Provide a name and a description for the collection.
- Optionally, set a managed owner for the collection.
Application collections can be used to group applications by department, function, or any other logical grouping that makes sense for your organization.
Example:
Let’s say you’re administering a tenant for an organization that has multiple departments like Human Resources, Finance, and Sales. You want to segregate the applications based on these departments to streamline access management:
| Collection Name | Description | Managed Owner | Applications Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Apps | Human Resources applications | HR Manager | ADP Workforce, Workday, LinkedIn |
| Finance Apps | Finance-related applications | Finance Manager | QuickBooks, SAP, Concur |
| Sales Apps | Sales team applications | Sales Manager | Salesforce, HubSpot, LinkedIn Sales Navigator |
Managing Application Collections
Once you have created application collections, managing them is straightforward:
- Add or remove applications: You can add new applications to a collection or remove them as needed by selecting the collection, clicking “Applications” and adjusting the apps within the collection.
- Assign users or groups: Application collections allow you to assign a group of applications to users or groups in a single action. Go to the collection, and under the “Users and groups” tab, you can assign or remove access.
- Update collection details: You can update the name, description, or managed owner of the collection. This helps maintain accurate records of what each collection is for and who is responsible for it.
Example:
You’ve just onboarded a new application called “Zenefits” for HR. Rather than giving users access individually, you can add Zenefits to the HR Apps collection:
- Click on the HR Apps collection.
- Select “Applications.”
- Click “Add application” and choose Zenefits from the list.
- Zenefits is now included in the HR Apps collection, and all users or groups with access to the HR Apps collection will now have access to Zenefits.
You can do the same for users. If a new employee joins the HR department, you can grant them access to all HR apps by adding them to the HR Apps collection group:
- Click on the HR Apps collection.
- Navigate to “Users and groups.”
- Click “Add user/group” and select the new HR employee.
Best Practices for Application Collection Management
In managing application collections, there are some best practices to consider:
- Regular Reviews: Periodically review collections to ensure they only contain relevant applications and users, adhering to the principle of least privilege.
- Lifecycle Management: Establish processes for adding and removing applications as needed, such as when applications are deprecated or replaced.
- Automate Processes: Use PowerShell scripts or automation tools to handle bulk changes, which can save time and reduce the potential for errors.
Effective management of application collections not only helps to maintain a secure environment but also ensures a smoother user experience. By organizing applications logically and streamlining access management, businesses can ensure efficient operation while preparing for the SC-300 exam successfully.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: You can create application collections to organize apps based on common attributes for easier application management in Azure AD.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Application collections help administrators organize applications based on common attributes such as department, region, or app type, enabling easier management and assignment.
True or False: Application collections can only be used to group applications by region.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Application collections can be used to group applications by various attributes, not just region. These attributes could include department, function, access level, and others.
Multiple Select: Which of the following actions can you perform with application collections? (Select all that apply)
- A) Group applications
- B) Assign users to applications
- C) Automatically provision applications
- D) Generate usage reports
Answer: A) Group applications, B) Assign users to applications
Explanation: Application collections allow admins to group applications and assign users or groups to the applications within the collections. Provisioning applications and generating usage reports are not directly functions of application collections.
Single Select: What is a primary benefit of using application collections in Azure AD?
- A) To increase the security of individual applications
- B) To obtain performance metrics of applications
- C) To streamline the application management process
- D) To reduce the cost of Azure AD
Answer: C) To streamline the application management process
Explanation: The primary benefit of using application collections is to streamline the application management process by grouping applications for easier access, assignment, and administration.
True or False: An application must be part of only one application collection.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: An application can be part of multiple application collections, allowing for flexible organization based on overlapping attributes or requirements.
True or False: You can assign conditional access policies to an application collection.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Conditional access policies are applied to individual apps or users, not to application collections. However, you can assign users to apps within a collection.
Multiple Select: What requirements must be met to create an application collection in Azure AD? (Select all that apply)
- A) You must have the Global Administrator role
- B) You must have an Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 license
- C) Applications must be integrated with Azure AD for SSO
- D) You have to use the Azure portal to create a collection
Answer: B) You must have an Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 license, C) Applications must be integrated with Azure AD for SSO, D) You have to use the Azure portal to create a collection
Explanation: To create application collections, you must have an Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 license, and applications should be integrated with Azure AD for single sign-on. Application collections are typically created through the Azure portal.
True or False: An application collection can be shared with other Azure AD tenants.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: An application collection is specific to a single Azure AD tenant and cannot be shared across different tenants.
Single Select: Which roles have the permission to create and manage application collections in Azure AD?
- A) Application Administrator only
- B) Cloud Application Administrator only
- C) Global Administrator or Privileged Role Administrator
- D) Global Reader
Answer: C) Global Administrator or Privileged Role Administrator
Explanation: Global Administrators and Privileged Role Administrators have the requisite permissions to create and manage application collections in Azure AD.
True or False: Deleting an application collection will automatically remove all applications within it from the Azure AD tenant.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Deleting an application collection simply removes the organizational container. The applications themselves remain within the Azure AD tenant unless explicitly removed.
Multiple Select: Which of the following information can you specify when creating an application collection? (Select all that apply)
- A) Collection name
- B) Collection description
- C) Default role assignments
- D) Access review policies
Answer: A) Collection name, B) Collection description
Explanation: When creating an application collection, you can specify the collection name and a description for it. Default role assignments and access review policies are not specified at the collection level but can be configured for apps or users within it.
True or False: It is possible to automate the creation and management of application collections through Azure AD PowerShell and Graph API.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Azure AD PowerShell and Microsoft Graph API provide functionalities to automate various tasks in Azure AD, including the creation and management of application collections.
Great explanation on creating and managing application collections! This will help me a lot for my SC-300 exam.
Can someone clarify if there are any limitations when grouping applications within a collection?
Thanks for the detailed guide!
Creating and managing application collections is crucial for asset management in SC-300. How does Microsoft Identity handle synchronization in different environments?
Microsoft Identity uses Azure AD Connect to sync on-premises directories with Azure Active Directory. It ensures consistency across environments.
True, and don’t forget about configuring the app provisioning process to auto-sync. That ensures new users get instant access.
How can we handle group licensing while managing application collections?
Group-based licensing can be managed through Azure AD. You can assign and remove licenses automatically based on group membership.
Yes, the Azure portal allows bulk license assignments. It makes life easier for admins handling large groups.
What are the best practices for application collection security?
Always use conditional access policies and regularly audit application permissions. Zero Trust is a good approach.
Adding to that, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) significantly enhances security.
Does anyone have experience with managing legacy applications in modern app collections?
Yes, many legacy applications can be included using SSO solutions. Application proxy in Azure AD helps to manage them.
Don’t overlook the importance of documentation while handling legacy systems. It ensures smoother transitions.
Great post, very informative!