Azure Database Authentication and Access

Authentication and access control are two crucial factors in securing databases and their servers. One, authentication, controls who can access the data resource, and in what capacity, while the other, access control, specifies what a user can do once they have been authenticated.

Historically, authentication and access have been managed entirely by SQL Server, but Azure has enabled integrated password and multi-factor authentication courtesy of Azure Active Directory, along with built-in SQL DB roles.

This lesson looks at various ways to integrate Azure SQL with Azure Active Directory and how to best manage user privileges once logged into the database.

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Learning Objectives

• Get a basic understanding of the history and context of SQL authentication
• Understand how to to use Azure Active Directory to authenticate users with a SQL database
• Learn how to use database roles to customize access
• Understand the principle of least privilege and how to apply it
• Learn how to fine-tune access to database objects

Intended Audience

This lesson is intended for database administrators using Azure, or anyone who wants to understand more about using Azure Active Directory to authenticate a user to access a database.

Prerequisites

To get the most out of this lesson, you should have a basic understanding of databases and the Azure platform.