The Connect-AzAccount cmdlet is an essential tool for administrators and developers working with Microsoft Azure through Windows PowerShell. This cmdlet allows users to authenticate and connect to their Azure accounts, enabling them to manage Azure resources directly from the PowerShell command line. This article will guide you through the process of using Connect-AzAccount in a Windows environment, highlighting its importance and providing practical examples to help you get started.

Examples:

1. Installing the Azure PowerShell Module:

Before you can use Connect-AzAccount, you need to install the Azure PowerShell module. Open PowerShell with administrative privileges and run the following command:

   Install-Module -Name Az -AllowClobber -Scope CurrentUser

This command installs the Azure module, which includes the Connect-AzAccount cmdlet.

2. Connecting to Your Azure Account:

Once the Azure module is installed, you can use Connect-AzAccount to authenticate and connect to your Azure account. Run the following command:

   Connect-AzAccount

This command will prompt you to enter your Azure credentials (username and password). After successful authentication, you will be connected to your Azure account.

3. Connecting with a Service Principal:

For automated scripts and applications, you might want to use a service principal to connect to Azure. First, create a service principal in the Azure portal or using the Azure CLI. Then, use the following command to connect with the service principal:

   $tenantId = "your-tenant-id"

   $appId = "your-application-id"

   $password = "your-application-password"



   Connect-AzAccount -ServicePrincipal -TenantId $tenantId -ApplicationId $appId -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString $password -AsPlainText -Force)

Replace your-tenant-id, your-application-id, and your-application-password with the appropriate values for your service principal.

4. Listing Azure Subscriptions:

After connecting to your Azure account, you might want to list all available subscriptions. Use the following command:

   Get-AzSubscription

This command will display a list of all subscriptions associated with your Azure account.

5. Selecting a Subscription:

If you have multiple subscriptions, you can select the one you want to work with using the following command:

   Select-AzSubscription -SubscriptionId "your-subscription-id"

Replace your-subscription-id with the ID of the subscription you want to select.