Microsoft to Phase Out Azure Classic Administrator Roles on August 31

Microsoft is notifying commercial customers that Azure classic administrator roles will be retired on August 31, 2024. On the same date, the company also plans to phase out all Azure classic resources and Azure Service Manager.

Azure classic administrator roles belong to the older Azure management model and include three main types: Account Administrator, Service Administrator, and Co-Administrator. The Account Administrator can create, manage, and cancel subscriptions, while the Service Administrator has full access to manage all services within the Azure portal. The Co-Administrator role has the same access as the Service Administrator but cannot change subscription associations.

Microsoft plans to phase out Azure classic administrator roles in favor of Azure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), which offers more granular and flexible access management. “You may continue using these Azure classic admin roles until they’re retired. However, starting 3 April 2024, you’ll no longer be able to add new Co-Administrator roles through the Azure portal,” Microsoft wrote in an email sent to IT admins.

What are the key benefits of Azure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)?

Azure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enhances security by assigning precise access levels based on roles to prevent unauthorized access. It also simplifies permission management to make it easier for IT admins to handle dynamic cloud environments.

Additionally, RBAC provides detailed access control and audit capabilities to help organizations meet compliance requirements. It also offers granular access management to ensure end users have only the necessary permissions and centralizes access management across all Azure resources.

Microsoft advises administrators to migrate any classic admin roles that still need access to a subscription to Azure RBAC roles by August 31. After this date, classic admin roles will no longer be supported in enterprise environments.