To understand how to create an Azure function to be used in a custom connector, you should have a firm understanding of Azure Functions and Power Automate custom connectors.
Azure Functions is a serverless computing service that lets you run event-triggered code without having to explicitly provision or manage infrastructure. On the other hand, Power Automate custom connectors are a bridge between Power Automate, PowerApps, and Azure Logic Apps to communicate with services that don’t have a ready-made connector.
Let’s look at an example of how to create an Azure function and a custom connector:
Step 1: Create an Azure Function
Use the Azure portal to create a function:
- Open the Azure portal and then click the ‘Create a resource’ button.
- In the ‘New’ window, search for ‘Function App’ and then click ‘Create’.
- In the Function App window, provide the necessary details, including subscription and resource group, then click ‘Review + Create’.
- Finally, click the ‘Create’ button to create an Azure Function.
When the Azure Function is deployed, navigate to it and tap on ‘+ New Function’. In the ensuing window, choose ‘HTTP Trigger’ as it will create a function that will be triggered via an HTTP request. Now, configure the function with necessary parameters and write the code for the function in the portal.
Step 2: Create a Custom Connector in Power Automate
To create a custom connector in Power Automate:
- Open Power Automate and go to the ‘Data’ sidebar.
- Select ‘Custom Connectors’ from the dropdown menu.
- Click ‘+ New custom connector’ and choose ‘Create from blank’.
The process involves specifying:
- The connector’s general details
- Security details
- Definition (actions and triggers)
Step 3: Connecting the Azure Function with the Custom Connector
- On the custom connector edit page, go to the ‘Definition’ section.
- Under ‘Actions’, click ‘New action’.
- Provide the necessary details such as Summary, Description, Operation ID.
- Under ‘Request’, click ‘Import from sample’.
- Set ‘Verb’ to ‘POST’.
- In the ‘URL’ section, enter the Azure function URL that you’ve copied earlier.
- Click ‘Import’ to add the action.
Finally, in the ‘Security’ section of the custom connector, provide security details as per your requirements or you can leave it as ‘No Authentication’ if there are no specific security requirements.
Now you have successfully linked an Azure Function with a Custom Connector.
Conclusion
Understanding how to leverage Azure Functions and custom connectors will be pivotal in creating more sophisticated workflows and integrations, especially if you’re aiming to take the PL-400 Microsoft Power Platform Developer Exam. Remember to build, test, and play around with your custom connectors and azure functions to get a firm grasp of their capabilities and nuances.
Practice Test
True or False: Azure Functions can be created and managed using the Azure portal.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Functions offer a convenient and user-friendly GUI on the Azure portal to create and manage functions.
True or False: Azure Functions are used to create custom connectors in Microsoft Power Platform.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure Functions enable the development of custom logic that can be utilised for creating custom connectors in the Microsoft Power Platform.
Which benefits does Azure Functions provide to developers creating custom connectors?
- A. Serverless computing
- B. Built-in CI/CD integration
- C. Automated scaling
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: Azure Functions offer serverless computing, built-in CI/CD integration, and automated scaling, providing developers with a seamless experience while creating custom connectors.
Which language is NOT supported by Azure Functions for writing custom code?
- A. Python
- B. C#
- C. Java
- D. Swift
Answer: D. Swift
Explanation: Azure Functions currently supports languages like C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Powershell, but not Swift.
What type of triggers can initiate an Azure Function?
- A. HTTP Requests
- B. Timer Information
- C. Queue Messages
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: Azure Functions can be initiated by various types of triggers including HTTP requests, specific timing events and queue messages.
True or False: Azure Functions cannot be tested locally.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure Functions can be tested and debugged locally on a developer’s machine before being deployed.
True or False: Azure Functions only support synchronous execution model.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure Functions support both synchronous and asynchronous execution models.
In the context of Azure Functions, what is Durable Functions?
- A. A type of Azure Function that is resilient to failures
- B. A stateful function in a serverless environment
- C. An Azure Function that can only be triggered by an HTTP request
- D. None of the above
Answer: B. A stateful function in a serverless environment
Explanation: Durable Functions is an extension of Azure Functions that lets you write stateful functions in a serverless environment.
What is the role of bindings in Azure Functions?
- A. They provide a way to connect with data from within your function
- B. They determine which code to run when a specific trigger fires.
- C. They help to manage the serverless environment.
- D. They provide a way to manage state in durable functions
Answer: A. They provide a way to connect with data from within your function
Explanation: Bindings allow you to declaratively connect another resource to the function.
What types of Azure Functions can be used to create a custom connector in the Power Platform?
- A. HTTP trigger
- B. Timer Trigger
- C. Queue Trigger
- D. All of the Above
Answer: A. HTTP trigger
Explanation: Only HTTP triggered Azure Functions can be used for creating custom connectors in Microsoft Power Platform, as data needs to be served over HTTP.
Interview Questions
What is an Azure Function?
Azure Function is a serverless compute service that enables you to run code on-demand without having to explicitly provision or manage infrastructure.
How is Azure Function used in a custom connector?
Azure Function can be used in a custom connector to execute specific code or actions which can be triggered by events happening on a particular platform within Azure.
How do you create an Azure Function for a custom connector?
To create an Azure Function for a custom connector, create a new function in the Azure portal, using a pre-built template or a custom one, define your function’s trigger and bindings, and then write your function’s code.
Which language is supported to write code for Azure Function?
Azure Functions support multiple languages like C#, JavaScript, F#, Java, PowerShell, Python, and TypeScript.
What is the purpose of bindings in Azure Functions?
Bindings are optional and can connect to other services. Input bindings are data that is ingested by your function, and output bindings are what your function sends out.
How can you test Azure functions locally?
Azure Functions provides an Azure Functions Core Tools that enables you to locally test functions.
Can you secure the Azure Function used by the custom connector?
Yes, security can be applied to the Azure Function using keys, which are required to access the endpoints of HTTP triggered functions.
How is the data flow architecture of a function defined in Azure Function?
The data flow of a function is defined via input and output bindings. This allows data from different data sources to flow through and get processed by the function.
What is serverless computing in the context of Azure Functions?
Serverless computing is a cloud-computing execution model where the cloud provider dynamically manages the allocation and scaling of servers.
What can be achieved by combining Azure Functions with Power Automate?
Combining Azure Functions with Power Automate allows you to automate repetitive tasks and business processes. For instance, you can create an HTTP-triggered function that gets executed when a file is dropped onto a OneDrive folder, processes the file, and then adds rows to an Excel file based on the content of the file.
What is the role of Azure Logic App in Azure Function?
Azure Logic Apps can invoke Azure Functions and use the output in further actions. This enables integration of complex business rules with various Azure Services or third-party services in a serverless manner.
What are triggers in Azure Functions?
Triggers are what cause a function to run. A trigger defines how a function is invoked.
Do you need to always use custom connectors to connect to Azure Function from Power Apps?
No, Power Apps can directly connect to Azure function using HTTP trigger without the need for a custom connector.
How do you monitor execution of Azure Functions?
Azure Functions can be monitored using Azure Monitor, which shows function logs and metrics like execution count, execution time, and errors.
Can you call a child function from a parent function in Azure Functions?
No, you can’t call a function from another function directly. However, you can use something like an HTTP trigger to call a second function from the first one.
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