Azure Access Package Guest Access Patterns for Azure Subscriptions

Guest Access Patterns for Azure Subscriptions Using Access Packages

External users—partners, vendors, contractors, auditors—often need access to Azure subscriptions. Without governance, this becomes risky fast. Access Packages provide a clean, controlled, auditable way to onboard and manage guest access.

This post covers how to design and implement guest access patterns for subscription access.

Why Guest Access Needs Special Governance

1. External users pose higher risk

They’re not part of your organisation, so:

• You can’t rely on internal HR processes
• You can’t assume their accounts are well-managed
• You must enforce strict expiry and reviews

2. Guests often need temporary access

Access Packages allow:

• Time-bound access
• Automatic removal
• Approval workflows
• Justification requirements

3. Auditors love Access Packages

They provide:

• Full request history
• Approval logs
• Expiry dates
• Review outcomes

4. Avoid direct RBAC assignments

Never assign RBAC roles directly to guest accounts. Access Packages give you:

• Controlled onboarding
• Automatic offboarding
• Centralised governance

Prerequisites for Guest Access

1. Microsoft Entra ID P2
2. External collaboration settings configured
1. Allow B2B guests
2. Restrict invitation permissions if needed
3. Identity Governance Administrator role
4. Defined approval chain for external users
5. Defined expiry rules (guests should always have expiry)

Guest Access Patterns for Subscriptions

There are three common patterns:

Pattern 1 — Guest Access Package Per Subscription

Best for vendors or partners working on a specific environment.

Example:

• Guest-Access-Subscription-A
• Guest-Access-Subscription-B

Characteristics:

• Strict approval
• Short expiry (7–30 days)
• Mandatory justification
• Access Reviews enabled
• Limited roles (Reader or Contributor only)

Pattern 2 — Guest Access Package Per Project

Best for multi-subscription projects.

Example:

• Project-X-Guest-Access
• Includes Subscription A + Subscription B roles
• Includes Teams group or SharePoint site
• Includes project-specific apps

Characteristics:

• Unified access
• Project owner approval
• Expiry aligned with project timeline
• Access Reviews monthly

Pattern 3 — Guest Access Package for Auditors

Auditors often need read-only access across multiple subscriptions.

Example:

• Audit-Guest-Access
• Subscription A → Reader
• Subscription B → Reader
• Subscription C → Reader

Characteristics:

• Very short expiry (7–14 days)
• No Contributor roles
• Multi-stage approval (security + platform team)
• Mandatory justification
• Access Reviews weekly during audit period

Step-by-Step: Creating a Guest Access Package

Step 1 — Create a Catalog

Use a dedicated catalog:

• Guest-Access-Catalog

This keeps external access separate from internal packages.

Step 2 — Add Subscription Resources

Add subscription RBAC roles to the catalog:

• Reader
• Contributor (only if necessary)

Avoid Owner roles for guests.

Step 3 — Create the Access Package

• Go to Access packages → New access package
• Name: Guest-Subscription-A-Access
• Select Guest-Access-Catalog

Step 4 — Configure Resource Roles

Add:

• Subscription A → Reader
• Optional: specific resource groups

Step 5 — Configure Guest Request Policy

Under Policies → Add policy:

• Who can request:
• All users (including guests)
• Or Only users from specific domains
• Approval:
• Stage 1: Project owner
• Stage 2: Platform team
• Justification: Required
• Access duration:
• Expires after 14 days
• Require reapproval: Enabled

Step 6 — Configure Lifecycle

• Access Reviews: Weekly or monthly
• Auto-remove if no response: Enabled
• Block permanent access: Enabled

Step 7 — Validate

Use a test guest account to:

• Request access
• Trigger approval
• Validate RBAC assignment
• Confirm expiry behaviour

Operational Tips for Guest Access

• Use short expiry for all guest access
• Use multi-stage approvals
• Use Reader roles unless absolutely necessary
• Use Access Reviews aggressively
• Document guest access packages separately
• Monitor guest activity via Entra ID sign-in logs

Summary

Guest access is one of the highest-risk areas in Azure governance. Access Packages give you a controlled, auditable, and automated way to onboard and offboard external users. When combined with expiry, approvals, and Access Reviews, they form a robust governance pattern that scales across all subscriptions and projects.