Implement and manage Azure DevOps service connections and personal access tokens

This article provides a comprehensive guide on implementing and managing Azure DevOps Service Connections and Personal Access Tokens (PATs). These authentication methods ensure secure interactions between users, services, and Azure DevOps, maintaining the integrity of your DevOps processes.

Both Service Connections and PATs play essential roles by offering secure access to Azure DevOps resources, each tailored for different scenarios.

Azure DevOps Service Connections

Service Connections in Azure DevOps enable your pipelines to securely connect to both internal and external services (such as Azure Subscriptions, Docker Registries, GitHub, and more). By centralizing credential management, service connections simplify integration processes and enhance overall security.

Use Cases and Benefits

Service Connections are primarily used for:

• Deploying resources to Azure.
• Integrating with various external services.
• Accessing protected resources efficiently.

Key benefits include:

• Centralized management of credentials.
• Simplified configuration and deployment.
• Enhanced security across DevOps processes.

Creating a Service Connection

Follow these steps to create a Service Connection in Azure DevOps:

1. Navigate to your project settings.
2. Under the Pipelines section, select Service Connections.
3. Click New Service Connection, then choose the required service type (e.g., Azure Resource Manager or Docker Registry).
4. Complete the configuration prompts by providing authentication details and the necessary permissions.
5. Save the connection and incorporate it into your pipelines.

This step-by-step procedure is critical for practical implementation as well as exam preparation.

Managing Service Connections

To manage your Service Connections, consider the following actions:

• Updating Credentials and Configurations:
  Navigate to your project settings and select the Service Connections section. Choose the connection to update, modify the necessary details, and save your changes.

• Deleting a Service Connection:
  Select the appropriate connection and click Delete. Ensure you have the required project administrator rights to perform these actions.

Personal Access Tokens (PATs)

Personal Access Tokens provide a secure method for authenticating access to Azure DevOps services, particularly for scripting, API integrations, and third-party applications. PATs grant flexible access levels for automation tasks such as work item creation or repository management.

Generating a PAT

To generate a Personal Access Token, follow these steps:

1. Access your Azure DevOps profile and select Personal Access Tokens.
2. Enter a descriptive name for the token.
3. Set an appropriate expiration date.
4. Choose the required scopes and permissions (e.g., read, write, or manage).
5. Click Create and securely store the generated token.

Using PATs according to the Least Privilege principle ensures that tokens have only the access necessary for their specific tasks.

Using PATs in Automation

Use PATs to authenticate API requests by including them in HTTP headers. Below is an example Python script that creates a new work item (Task) in Azure DevOps using a PAT:

import requests

url = 'https://dev.azure.com/{organization}/{project}/_apis/wit/workitems/${Task}?api-version=6.0'
headers = {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json-patch+json',
    'Authorization': 'Basic {PAT}'
}
data = [
    {
        "op": "add",
        "path": "/fields/System.Title",
        "value": "New Task"
    }
]

response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

Replace {organization}, {project}, and {PAT} with your actual organization name, project name, and personal access token. This script streamlines task automation, reducing manual effort while improving efficiency.

Service Connections vs. PATs

Each authentication method is designed for specific use cases:

Security Best Practices

Adhering to robust security practices is critical when working with Service Connections and PATs. Follow these guidelines to secure your Azure DevOps environment:

• Grant only the minimum necessary permissions.
• Rotate tokens and credentials regularly.
• Monitor access logs for any unauthorized activities.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) and enforce strict access policies.

By following these best practices, you ensure that your Azure DevOps environment remains secure while enabling efficient automation and integration workflows.