In today’s world of technology, dealing with application collections and their management has been quite essential, especially from an administrative standpoint. It becomes exponentially crucial when it comes to the SC-300 Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator examination which demands an in-depth understanding of these functionalities. This article aims to provide you an understanding of creating and managing application collections with relevant examples.
Understanding Application Collections
An application collection is essentially an organized group of applications that administrators define for their end-users. You can cluster related applications; for instance, all productivity apps could be placed in one collection, while all HR-related apps could be placed in another.
Microsoft allows creating two kinds of application collections:
- Cloud-managed application collections
- On-premises application collections
The Collections in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) app management allows you to manage Cloud-managed application collections whereas to manage On-premise app collections you need Service Manager.
Creating Application Collections
Let’s learn how to create an application collection using Azure portal:
- Sign in to the Azure portal.
- Select Azure Active Directory > Enterprise applications > Application collections.
- Click on ‘Create new application collection’.
- Fill in the required details like the name of the collection and description then click ‘Create’.
Note – It is essential to have necessary permissions to create an application collection. You should have either Application Administrator or Cloud Application Administrator or Global Administrator roles.
Here appears a snippet of how creating a new application collection would look:
Once the collection is created, you can add applications to this collection that you see fit.
Managing Application Collections
After successfully creating an application collection, the next pivotal part is to manage it effectively. The following steps highlight how to manage application collections:
- Navigate to `Azure Active Directory > Enterprise applications > Application collections`.
- Select the application collection that you wish to manage.
- Here, there are several options available for management:
- Add or remove applications: This allows admins to add or remove applications from the collection.
- Assign users and groups: It enables admins to assign users and groups to the application collection.
- Update details: This permits changes in the description, notes, or related information of the application collection.
Python SDK can be used to manage applications and service principals programmatically. Below is a snippet of the Python SDK:
from azure.identity import ClientSecretCredential
from azure.mgmt.resource import ResourceManagementClient
from azure.mgmt.network import NetworkManagementClient
from azure.mgmt.compute import ComputeManagementClient
credential = ClientSecretCredential(
tenant_id=
client_id=
client_secret=
)
compute_client = ComputeManagementClient(credential,
network_client = NetworkManagementClient(credential,
resource_client = ResourceManagementClient(credential,
Remember, managing an application collection efficiently enables easy access to applications for the users effortlessly.
To conclude, application collections’ creation and management in Microsoft Azure is a crucial process as it simplifies the access for users by segregating the applications based on their functionalities. Furthermore, it also empowers administrators by reducing their workload, ensuring effective user management.
Practice Test
True or False: Application collections in Azure Active Directory allow you to group applications for easier management.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Application collections offer a way to group applications in Azure Active Directory, simplifying management and operations relating to those apps.
Single select: Which of the following is not a meant to be a benefit of creating application collections in Azure AD?
- a) Improved application management
- b) Reducing the number of applications
- c) Better monitoring and diagnostics
- d) Simplifying tasks such as assigning users or groups
Answer: b) Reducing the number of applications
Explanation: Creating application collections in Azure AD does not reduce the number of applications. It helps in managing, monitoring and assigning users or groups to applications more efficiently.
True or False: You can assign users or groups to an application collection.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: You can assign users or groups to an application collection, helping you manage access to multiple applications with similar access needs.
Multiple select: Which of the following can be done with Application collections?
- a) Create
- b) Delete
- c) Share
- d) Copy
Answer: a) Create, b) Delete
Explanation: You can create and delete application collections. However, sharing and copying application collections are not options available in Azure AD.
True or False: Application collections can include applications of different types like web, mobile, and on-premises applications.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD supports many application types including web, mobile, and on-premises applications – all these can be included in an application collection.
Single select: What is the main purpose of the application collections in Azure AD?
- a) To test applications
- b) To develop applications
- c) To manage applications
- d) To run applications
Answer: c) To manage applications
Explanation: Application collections in Azure AD provide a tool to efficiently manage a group of application’s assignments to users or groups.
Multiple select: After creating an application collection, you can:
- a) Add applications
- b) Assign users and groups
- c) Remove applications
- d) Broadcast the collection
Answer: a) Add applications, b) Assign users and groups, c) Remove applications
Explanation: You can add or remove applications from a collection, and assign users and groups to it. Broadcasting the collection is not a supported feature.
True or False: You can assign a license to an application collection.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Licensing is linked to individual applications, and not to application collections.
Single select: In Azure AD, which role can create an application collection?
- a) Security reader
- b) Global administrator
- c) Authentication administrator
- d) User administrator
Answer: b) Global administrator
Explanation: Global administrator role in Azure AD has the necessary permissions to create an application collection.
Multiple select: Permissions required to manage application collections include:
- a) Read all applications
- b) Write all applications
- c) Delete all applications
- d) None of the above
Answer: a) Read all applications, b) Write all applications
Explanation: Managing application collections require “read all applications” and “write all applications” permissions. Deleting entire applications is not a necessary permission for managing collections.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of application collections in Azure AD?
Application collections in Azure AD are designed to manage, organize, and catalog applications for specific business units, teams, or roles.
How can you create a new application collection in Azure AD?
To create a new application collection, you’ll first go to Enterprise apps, then click on Application collections, and add a new application collection.
What is the maximum number of application collections you can create in Azure AD?
You can create up to 500 application collections in a single tenant.
What are the two types of roles available for the application collection in Azure AD?
The two types of roles available are collection owner and collection member.
Can you remove an app from an application collection once it is added?
Yes, you can remove an app from a collection at any time.
How can you add members to an application collection in Azure AD?
You can add members by going into the properties of the collection, clicking on Members, and then adding people.
How many applications can you add to a single Application Collection?
You can add up to 200 applications in a single application collection.
How do you change the collection owner of an Application Collection in Azure AD?
To change the collection owner, navigate to the properties of the Application Collection, click on Owners, and replace the current owner.
How do you assign an Application Collection to users in Azure AD?
You can assign an Application Collection to users by selecting the applications in the collection and then assigning them to the desired users or groups.
What is the role of the collection owner in an application collection?
The collection owner manages the collection’s settings, adds or removes apps, and assigns apps to users or groups.
Can you assign a single app to multiple application collections?
Yes, you can assign a single app to multiple application collections.
Can non-admin users assign apps from an Application Collection?
Non-admin users cannot directly assign apps from an Application Collection, but they can be delegated permissions by an admin to do so.
What happens when you delete an Application Collection in Azure AD?
When an application collection is deleted, all apps will be removed from the collection but not deleted from Azure AD, and all users and groups assigned to the apps will lose their assignments.
How do you view all the application collections in Azure AD?
You can view all application collections by going to Enterprise applications > Application collections in Azure AD.
Can you move applications from one collection to another without affecting the users?
Yes, you can move or reassign apps from one collection to another without affecting the users. The affected users will continue to have access to the same apps.
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