How can I implement access control on azure synapse analytics objects(pipeline, notebooks etc)?

To achieve department-specific access control for pipelines and notebooks in Azure Synapse Analytics, the best solution given the current limitations is to create separate Synapse workspaces for each department.

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Create Separate Synapse Workspaces:
   • For each department, create a new Synapse workspace.
   • This ensures that each department has its own isolated environment for their pipelines and notebooks.
2. Deploy Department-Specific Pipelines and Notebooks:
   • Deploy the specific pipelines and notebooks for each department into their respective workspaces.
3. Configure Access Control:
   • Navigate to each Synapse workspace in the Azure portal.
   • Go to Access control (IAM).
4. Assign Roles:
   • Assign appropriate roles to users or groups for each workspace.
     • For department-specific users or groups, assign roles like Synapse Contributor or Synapse Reader.

Example of Assigning Roles:

1. In the Azure Portal:
   • Open the Synapse workspace for a specific department.
   • Go to Access control (IAM) on the left pane.
   • Click Add > Add role assignment.
2. Select the Role:
   • Choose Synapse Contributor for users who need full access to pipelines and notebooks.
   • Choose Synapse Reader for users who need read-only access.
3. Assign to Users or Groups:
   • Select the appropriate Azure Active Directory (AAD) users or groups for the department.
   • Save the role assignment.

By creating separate Synapse workspaces for each department and assigning appropriate RBAC roles, you can effectively control access to the pipelines and notebooks, ensuring that each department only has access to their dedicated resources.

Given the pricing of Synapse workspaces. Creating multiple workspaces for each department will not be a great option.

Creating separate Synapse workspaces will not be a great idea as it will affect the pricing.

Hmm Given the pricing implications of creating multiple Azure Synapse workspaces for each department, here's a recommended approach to manage access control without creating separate workspaces:

Solution: Using Access Control and Resource Group Segregation

1. Resource Groups for Segregation:
   • Utilize Azure Resource Groups to logically segregate resources. Each department can have its own resource group within the same Azure Synapse workspace.
2. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):
   • Implement RBAC to manage permissions at a granular level within the Azure Synapse workspace. Assign roles such as Contributor, Reader, or custom roles to departments based on their access requirements.
3. Azure AD Integration:
   • Integrate Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for user authentication and authorization. This allows you to assign permissions based on Azure AD groups, making it easier to manage access across departments.
4. Workspace Level Access Policies:
   • Define access policies at the Azure Synapse workspace level to control who can perform operations like managing pipelines, notebooks, and data integrations.
5. Data Access Controls:
   • Use Azure Synapse's built-in data access controls to restrict access to specific data sets or databases within the workspace. This ensures that departments can only access the data they are authorized to work with.

Benefits of This Approach:

• Cost Efficiency: By using a single Azure Synapse workspace with segregated resource groups, you avoid additional costs associated with multiple workspaces.
• Centralized Management: You can centrally manage and monitor resources, security policies, and access controls from a single Azure Synapse workspace.
• Scalability: This approach scales well as your organization grows, allowing you to add more departments or teams within the existing workspace structure.
• Compliance: Helps in maintaining compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements by centralizing management and control.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage departmental access and operations within a single Azure Synapse workspace while optimizing costs and maintaining security.