Service to Service Connection

all connection

Here you go Pavan — the most complete list of Azure service integrations with all possible methods, written exactly in the style you’re expecting (DevOps/SRE use-cases + real integration methods).

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✅ Master List of Azure Integrations (With Methods & Auth Types)

Everything from Azure DevOps, GitHub, ACR, AKS, Key Vault, Storage, VNet, App Services, Databases, Monitoring, Security, and more.

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🔵 1. Azure DevOps Integrations

✅ 1.1 GitHub → Azure DevOps

Purpose	Method
Repo Integration	GitHub OAuth (via Azure AD App)
CI/CD using GitHub	Service Connection → GitHub OAuth
Access GitHub Packages	PAT / OAuth
Work Item Link	GitHub App installation

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✅ 1.2 Azure DevOps → ACR

Use Case	Method
Build & Push Docker images	Service Principal (most common)
Pull images during pipeline	Managed Identity (Self-hosted agent on Azure VM)
Docker Registry Service Connection	SPN + ACR role (AcrPush/AcrPull)

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✅ 1.3 Azure DevOps → Key Vault

Feature	Method
Fetch secrets in pipeline	Service Connection → Azure Subscription + Key Vault access
Replace variables	Key Vault variable group
Access via agent	Managed Identity / SPN

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✅ 1.4 Azure DevOps → AKS

Purpose	Method
Deploy to AKS	Kubernetes Service Connection
Authentication	Azure AD Workload Identity (recommended) / SPN / Kubeconfig
Pull ACR images	AKS Managed Identity linked with ACR “AcrPull” role

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✅ 1.5 Azure DevOps Agent Integration

Agent Type	Method
Microsoft-hosted	No integration needed
Self-hosted VMSS Agents	Managed Identity
Self-hosted VM Agents	PAT or OAuth registration

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🟦 2. Application Integrations

🔹 2.1 Azure App Service → Azure Database (SQL/MySQL/Postgres)

Integration	Method
Secure DB access	Private Endpoint (recommended)
Legacy method	Service Endpoint
Authentication	Username/Password / MSI + Azure AD Token (for SQL only)

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🔹 2.2 App Service → Storage Account

Method
Private Endpoint
Service Endpoint
SAS Token
Access Key
Managed Identity (RBAC on Storage)

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🔹 2.3 App Service → Key Vault

Method
Managed Identity (most secure)
Key Vault reference @Microsoft.KeyVault(...)
Access Policy or RBAC

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🔹 2.4 App Service → ACR

Method
Managed Identity + AcrPull
Admin Username/Password (not recommended)

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🟩 3. Networking Integrations

🔹 3.1 VNet → Private Services

Service	Integration
Storage	Private Endpoint / Service Endpoint
SQL DB	Private Endpoint
Key Vault	Private Endpoint
ACR	Private Endpoint
App Service	VNet Integration / ASE
CosmosDB	Private Endpoint

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🔹 3.2 Azure Firewall / NSG Integrations

Use Case	Method
App Service to VNet	Regional VNet Integration
Kubernetes Egress filtering	UDR + Azure Firewall
VM/AKS security	NSG inbound/outbound rules

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🟥 4. Container & Kubernetes Integrations

🔹 4.1 AKS → ACR

Method
Managed Identity (best)
Kubernetes Secret (docker-registry)
Service Principal

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🔹 4.2 AKS → Key Vault

Method
CSI Key Vault Driver
Azure AD Workload Identity
Pod Identity (deprecated)

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🔹 4.3 AKS → Storage

Storage Type	Method
Azure Disk	CSI driver
Azure File	CSI driver
Blob Storage	NFS Blob CSI / SAS

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🔹 4.4 AKS → Azure Monitor & Log Analytics

Method
Container Insights Agent
Prometheus Metrics via AMA
Grafana Dashboard (managed grafana integration)

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🟪 5. Security & Identity Integrations

🔹 5.1 Azure AD → Applications

Feature	Method
App Login	OAuth2 / OIDC
API Authentication	Managed Identity / Service Principal
Secretless login	Workload Identity

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🔹 5.2 Azure AD → GitHub

Integration	Method
SSO	SAML / OIDC
Runner authentication	Managed Identity (if hosted on Azure)

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🔹 5.3 Azure AD → VPN / On-Prem

Integration	Method
S2S VPN	IPSec
ExpressRoute	Private Peering
Azure AD Domain Services	LDAP / Kerberos / NTLM

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🟫 6. Storage System Integrations

🔹 6.1 Storage → Azure Backup

Method
Vault integration
Backup policies

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🔹 6.2 Storage → CDN

Method
Origin integration
Private origin + Private Link

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🔹 6.3 Storage → Event Grid / Functions

Event Trigger	Method
Blob events	Event Grid subscription
Queue trigger	Function binding
Table events	(Limited) via Event Grid

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🟧 7. Monitoring & Observability Integrations

🔹 7.1 Azure Monitor → Services

Service	Method
AKS	Container Insights
VMs	AMA agent
App Service	Application Insights
Functions	App Insights auto-instrumentation
SQL	Diagnostic settings

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🔹 7.2 Log Analytics → Tools

Tool	Method
Grafana	Data source plugin
Sentinel	Workspace integration
AKS	AMA agent

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🟨 8. Serverless Integrations

🔹 8.1 Azure Functions → Event Sources

Trigger Type	Method
HTTP	Function URL / APIM
Storage Queue	Storage binding
Event Hub	Event Hub binding
Service Bus	SAS / Managed Identity
Timer	CRON schedule

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🔹 8.2 Function → Key Vault

Method
Managed Identity
Key Vault References

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🟦 9. Database Integrations

🔹 9.1 SQL Server / SQL MI

Integration	Method
App Service / AKS connectivity	Private Endpoint
Security	Azure AD Authentication
DR	Auto-failover groups
Backup	Automated + LTR

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🔹 9.2 CosmosDB

Integration	Method
Access	Private Endpoint
Auth	Key / RBAC / Managed Identity
Triggers	Change Feed

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🔹 9.3 Redis Cache

Method
VNet Injection
Private Endpoint
Access Keys (mandatory)

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🟦 10. CI/CD Integrations (Full DevOps)

Tools | Integration Method

Tool	Method
Jenkins → Azure	Service Principal, Managed Identity
GitHub Actions → Azure	OIDC Federated Identity
ArgoCD → AKS	Kubeconfig + Workload Identity
Terraform → Azure	Service Principal / Workload Identity
Ansible → Azure	Azure.azcollection + SPN / MSI

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🎯 If you want, I can also generate:

✅ A diagram of all integrations ✅ A real Azure DevOps pipeline including ACR + AKS + Key Vault + SAST (Snyk) ✅ A full architectural template for your company projects Just tell me!

setup ways

Here you go Pavan — the clearest, simplest, and most DevOps-friendly explanation of how each Azure integration method works with exact working logic + steps + when to use.

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✅ 1. Managed Identity (MI)

Managed Identity = Azure-managed service principal. No secrets. No credentials. Azure automatically rotates tokens.

Works only inside Azure (VM, App Service, Function, AKS nodepool, etc.)

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🔵 How Managed Identity Works

1. You enable System-assigned MI (one identity per resource) — or User-assigned MI (one identity used by multiple resources).

2. Azure creates a service principal behind the scenes in Entra ID.

3. Your resource asks Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS):

   http://169.254.169.254/metadata/identity/oauth2/token

   (“Give me a token for Key Vault / Storage / SQL etc.”)

4. Azure issues a short-lived OAuth2 access token.

5. The resource presents this token to the target service.

6. Access is granted based on RBAC roles you assigned (e.g., "Key Vault Secrets User", "Storage Blob Data Contributor").

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🟢 Steps to Use Managed Identity

Step 1 — Enable MI

Example: App Service → Identity → Enable System-assigned MI.

Step 2 — Assign RBAC

Example: To allow access to Key Vault Key Vault → Access Control → Add role → “Key Vault Secrets User” → Select App Service MI.

Step 3 — Access in code (no secrets)

Example in Node/Python/.NET uses azure-identity SDK

DefaultAzureCredential()

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🟣 When to Use

✔ Secure communication between Azure services ✔ No secrets required ✔ Short-lived tokens, automatic rotation ❌ Not for external (non-Azure) services

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✅ 2. Workload Identity Federation (WIF)

WIF = Passwordless authentication for non-Azure workloads. Used for GitHub Actions, Kubernetes pods, GitLab, CircleCI, etc.

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🔵 How WIF Works

1. Your workload (GitHub Actions, AKS pod, etc.) has its own identity system.

2. Azure creates a Federated Identity Credential (FIC).

3. The external system issues a signed token (OIDC token).

4. Azure validates the token using the FIC rules:

   • Issuer (example: https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com)

   • Subject (example: repo:org/app:ref:branches/main)

5. Azure returns an Azure Access Token to the workload.

6. Workload uses token to access Azure resources (ACR, Key Vault, Storage).

No secrets. No SPN passwords. No certificates.

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🟢 Steps to Use WIF (GitHub example)

Step 1 — Create an Entra App Registration

This app represents your pipeline/workload.

Step 2 — Add Federated Credential

Identity → Federated Credentials → Add → GitHub

You define: ✔ Organization ✔ Repo ✔ Branch ✔ Token issuer ✔ Subject

Step 3 — Assign RBAC to the App

Example: ACR → IAM → AcrPush → Assign your App.

Step 4 — Use in GitHub Actions

permissions:
  id-token: write
  contents: read

- name: Azure Login
  uses: azure/login@v2
  with:
    client-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_CLIENT_ID }}
    tenant-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_TENANT_ID }}
    subscription-id: ${{ secrets.AZURE_SUB_ID }}

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🟣 When to Use

✔ GitHub Actions → Azure ✔ AKS pod to Azure (Workload Identity replacement for Pod Identity) ✔ Terraform Cloud → Azure ❌ Not needed when running inside Azure (use MI instead)

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✅ 3. Service Endpoints

Provide direct Azure backbone connectivity to resources. But still accessible from public IPs.

This is a network-level integration.

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🔵 How Service Endpoints Work

1. A subnet “extends” to an Azure resource Example: Subnet → Microsoft.Storage

2. Traffic from that subnet to the resource uses Azure backbone (not public internet).

3. You restrict the resource to only accept traffic from that VNet.

4. Resource still has a public endpoint — but locked to your VNet only.

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🟢 Steps to Use Service Endpoints

Step 1 — Enable endpoint on subnet

VNet → Subnets → Select Subnet → Service endpoints → Add (example: Microsoft.Sql)

Step 2 — Restrict service

For Storage: Firewall → Allow Selected Networks → Add VNet Subnet

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🟣 When to Use

✔ Fast and simple VNet integration ✔ No need to manage private DNS ❌ Resource is still public (just restricted) ❌ Being replaced by Private Endpoints

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✅ 4. Private Endpoint

Private endpoint = Private IP inside your VNet that connects to Azure service This is true private access (resource is no longer public).

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🔵 How Private Endpoint Works

1. When you create a Private Endpoint (PE), Azure allocates a private IP (ex: 10.0.0.7)

2. This private IP is “mapped” to the Azure service backend.

3. Traffic flows entirely inside Azure VNet.

4. Public access is disabled.

5. Private DNS record created (privatelink.blob.core.windows.net).

It behaves like the service is inside your network.

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🟢 Steps to Use Private Endpoint

Step 1 — Create PE

Storage → Networking → Private Endpoint → Add.

Step 2 — Select Subnet

Choose VNet/subnet where service should be accessible.

Step 3 — Integrate Private DNS

Typically Azure auto-creates privatelink.* zones.

Step 4 — Lock public access

Disable public network access.

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🟣 When to Use

✔ Need fully private traffic ✔ Banking, finance, restricted environments ✔ App Service → SQL / KV / Storage ❌ Harder setup than service endpoints

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✅ 5. Service Principal (SPN)

Service principal = Non-human identity used for automation and CI/CD. Used everywhere: Jenkins, Terraform, GitHub, Ansible, Azure DevOps (old way).

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🔵 How Service Principal Works

1. You create an App Registration.

2. App has:

   • Client ID

   • Client Secret or Certificate

3. You assign RBAC permissions to this identity.

4. Your CI/CD tool logs in using:

   az login --service-principal -u <client-id> -p <secret> --tenant <tenant-id>

5. Azure returns an OAuth2 access token.

6. CI/CD uses token to deploy to Azure resources.

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🟢 Steps to Use SPN

Step 1 — Create SPN

az ad sp create-for-rbac --name "my-ci" --role contributor

Step 2 — Add RBAC roles

e.g., ACR → AcrPush

Step 3 — Use in pipeline

Example Azure DevOps:

dockerRegistryServiceConnection: 'my-spn-connection'

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🟣 When to Use

✔ Automation outside Azure without OIDC ✔ Terraform run from local laptop ✔ Jenkins/Azure DevOps classic pipelines ❌ Secrets must be stored and rotated manually ❌ Replaced by Workload Identity Federation in modern setups

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🎯 SUMMARY TABLE

Method	Purpose	Security	Typical Use
Managed Identity	Identity for Azure resources	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best	App → KV, App → Storage, AKS → ACR
WIF	Identity for external workloads	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best	GitHub → Azure, AKS Pods → Azure
Service Endpoint	Secure network routing	⭐⭐⭐	VM → Storage/SQL
Private Endpoint	Private IP access	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	App → KV/SQL/Storage
Service Principal	Legacy identity using secrets	⭐⭐	Terraform/Jenkins (old)

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If you want, I can also create:

✅ A diagram explaining all 5 with flow paths ✅ A real example: App Service → Key Vault (PE + MI) ✅ Full cheatsheet PDF for all identity methods

Just tell me!

Common Ways

Here are very short, crisp definitions for each Azure concept:

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Managed Identity (MI)

An identity automatically created and managed by Azure for your resource (VM, Function, AKS, etc.) so it can access other Azure services without storing secrets.

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Workload Identity Federation (WIF)

Allows Azure resources (like GitHub Actions, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines) to access Azure using token-based identity instead of secrets—no need to store service principal secrets.

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Service Endpoint

Extends your VNet private network to Azure services (like Storage, SQL). Traffic flows through Microsoft backbone but still uses the service’s public endpoint.

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Private Endpoint

A private IP in your VNet that directly connects to an Azure service. The service becomes accessible only via your private network, no public endpoint.

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Service Principal (SP / App Registration)

A non-human identity (application identity) in Azure AD used by apps, pipelines, and services to authenticate to Azure. Traditionally uses client ID + secret/certificate.

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Azure Integration Method	Purpose	Works Between	Authentication Type	Network Type	Common Use Cases
Managed Identity (MI)	Identity for Azure resources	Azure Resource → Azure Service	Token (no secrets)	Public or Private (depends on service)	App Service → Key Vault, AKS → ACR, VM → Storage, Functions → SQL
Workload Identity Federation (WIF)	Identity for external workloads	External System → Azure	OIDC Token (no secrets)	Public OIDC + Azure Token Endpoint	GitHub Actions → ACR, AKS Pods → Key Vault, GitLab CI → Azure Deploy
Service Endpoint	Secure routing to Azure service over Azure backbone	VNet Subnet → Public Azure Service	Uses existing identity (MI/SPN)	Public endpoint but VNet restricted	VM → Storage, App Service → SQL (old method), Subnet → Key Vault
Private Endpoint	Fully private IP access	VNet → Azure Service	Uses MI/SPN/Tokens	Private IP (privatelink)	App Service → SQL, AKS → Storage, Function → Key Vault, VM → CosmosDB
Service Principal (SPN)	Automation identity for scripts/CI & external tools	External Tool → Azure	Client ID + Secret/Cert	Public Azure endpoints	Terraform → Azure, Jenkins → ACR, Azure DevOps → AKS/ACR (old way)

Azure Service	Managed Identity	WIF	Service Endpoint	Private Endpoint	Service Principal
Azure Key Vault	✔ Best method	✔ For GitHub/AKS	✔ Supported	✔ Best for production	✔ Sometimes used
Azure Storage	✔	✖	✔	✔	✔
Azure SQL DB	✔ (SQL AD Token)	✖	✔	✔ Best method	✔ (username/password token)
Azure Container Registry (ACR)	✔ (AcrPull)	✔ (GitHub)	✖	✔	✔ (docker login)
Azure App Service → Service	✔	✖	✔	✔	✔
AKS → Azure Services	✔ (Workload Identity)	✔ (Pods)	✔	✔	✔ (if using Kubeconfig auth)
Functions → Services	✔	✖	✔	✔	✔
VM → Azure Services	✔	✖	✔	✔	✔
GitHub → Azure	✖	✔ Best	✖	✖	✔ (legacy)
Terraform → Azure	✔ (if run in Azure)	✔ Best (OIDC Terraform Cloud)	✖	✖	✔ (common)