Azure Integration for On-Premises Deployments

 Date: January 2, 2025

Topic: Azure Integration for On-Premises Deployments

Key Learnings:

1. Azure Arc with Managed Identity:

• Simplifies secure integration of on-premises resources with Azure.

• Removes the need for manual credential management.

2. Client ID + Secret Approach:

• Requires periodic renewal, adding operational overhead.

• Less efficient and secure compared to modern solutions like managed identities.

3. Deploying Azure Services On-Premises:

• Using Windows Servers for Azure services is inefficient unless required by regulations.

• Azure Arc offers better manageability and reduced complexity for hybrid environments.

4. Current Setup:

• IIS-hosted web app uses Client ID + Secret to authenticate with Azure AD and call Microsoft Graph API.

5. Challenges with Client Secrets:

• Periodic renewal increases management effort.

• Secure storage is critical but challenging.

6. Managed Identity Exploration:

• Automatically manages identities for Azure-hosted resources.

• Not usable for IIS-hosted apps as it is designed for Azure-native environments.

Reflections:

• Modern solutions like managed identities and Azure Arc simplify security management.

• Certificate-based authentication may improve security and efficiency for the current IIS setup.

• Regulatory constraints play a critical role in designing effective deployment strategies.