401 Error using PnP PowerShell in Azure Runbooks

[Deleted]

Trying to get PnP PowerShell cmdlets to work within an Azure Runbook with modern authentication (no username/password).

I tried registering an Azure AD app and a Service Principal (Run as account) from the automation account that hosts the Runbook. Both use a certificate thumbprint and authorization itself doesn't throw an error. Here's the code I'm using:

$connection = Get-AutomationConnection –Name "AzureRunAsConnection"
$tenant = '[tenant].onmicrosoft.com'
$url = 'https://[tenant].sharepoint.com/sites/test'

Connect-PnPOnline -Url $url –Thumbprint $connection.CertificateThumbprint –ClientId $connection.ApplicationID -Tenant $tenant

For every PnP cmdlet this throws the following error.

Get-PnPTenantSite : The remote server returned an error: (401) Unauthorized.
At line:7 char:1
+ Get-PnPTenantSite
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-PnPTenantSite], WebException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.Net.WebException,PnP.PowerShell.Commands.GetTenantSite
 

I have also updated the cmdlets from SharePointPnPPowerShellOnline to the newest PnP.PowerShell.

Furthermore, the Azure app and service principal are members of the SharePoint administrators group.

When I attempt to reproduce the issue on a local machine I get the same 401 error.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[#2]

Hi, I am not tried that approach before, but I created a sample in the PnP.PowerShell for setting up with Azure Automation with certificates as an alternative approach: https://github.com/pnp/powershell/tree/dev/samples/Connect.AzureAutomation

Of course, pls post here if you find the answer, interested in learning new approaches

[#3]

Hi,
were you able to find a fix for the problem?
I have the same issue, when trying to authenticate with certificates, authentication doesn't throw any error, but any action afterwards does. The same 401 error as yourself.
I'm certain it's not a matter of the app registration not having enough permissions, since when I use a different authentication method, everything goes fine.

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I have recent presented at the Scottish summit an example of setting this up in Azure Automation using certificates: https://youtu.be/8qsnhfSilic?t=1234 (i've skipped the intro parts gone straight to the demo)

Hope this helps.

Paul