Lessons Learned #546: Maintaining a Local Azure Resource Inventory
I worked on a service request that our customer has an application works repeatedly with the same Azure resources. I guess that it may be useful to maintain our own persistent inventory instead of retrieving and validating every resource individually during each execution. In this example, a PowerShell script maintains an inventory of Azure SQL logical servers in a local JSON file. The idea is: Load the local JSON inventory -> Query Azure Resource Graph -> Compare both inventories -> Validate only detected changes -> Update the JSON file. Azure Resource Graph provides the current list of Microsoft.Sql/servers resources. The result is compared with the inventory stored by the application. If a server exists in both inventories, it is marked as: Observed: No additional request is required. NewValidatedByPointGet:If a new server is detected, it is validated individually with Get-AzSqlServer before being added If a previously known server is missing from the current result, the script also validates it individually. The possible results are: RecoveredByPointGet: the server still exists and remains in the inventory. Deleted: the individual request returns ResourceNotFound, so the server is removed. UnknownRetainedFromCache: the validation is inconclusive, so the previous inventory entry is preserved. The JSON file therefore represents the application’s active resource inventory and remains available between executions. I think this approach reduces repeated API requests because individual validation is performed only when a resource is new, missing, or has changed. I would like to share the PowerShell Script. Set-StrictMode -Version Latest $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop" # ------------------------------------------------------------ # Configuration # ------------------------------------------------------------ $tenantId = "<tenant-id>" $subscriptionId = "<subscription-id>" $resourceGroup = "<resource-group>" $cacheFile = ".\sql-server-inventory.json" # Required modules: # Install-Module Az.ResourceGraph -Scope CurrentUser # Install-Module Az.Sql -Scope CurrentUser # Connect-AzAccount -Tenant $tenantId Set-AzContext ` -Tenant $tenantId ` -Subscription $subscriptionId ` -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null # ------------------------------------------------------------ # Helper functions # ------------------------------------------------------------ function ConvertTo-NormalizedResourceId { param( [Parameter(Mandatory)] [string]$ResourceId ) return $ResourceId.Trim().TrimEnd("/").ToLowerInvariant() } function Test-IsResourceNotFound { param( [Parameter(Mandatory)] [System.Management.Automation.ErrorRecord]$ErrorRecord ) $errorText = @( $ErrorRecord.Exception.Message $ErrorRecord.ErrorDetails.Message $ErrorRecord.FullyQualifiedErrorId $ErrorRecord.ToString() ) -join " " return ( $errorText -match "(?i)(\b404\b|ResourceNotFound|ServerNotInSubscriptionResourceGroup)" ) } function New-InventoryItem { param( [Parameter(Mandatory)] [string]$ResourceId, [Parameter(Mandatory)] [string]$Name, [string]$Location, [Parameter(Mandatory)] [string]$ValidationStatus ) return [pscustomobject]@{ id = $ResourceId name = $Name location = $Location validationStatus = $ValidationStatus } } # ------------------------------------------------------------ # 1. Load the persistent inventory # ------------------------------------------------------------ if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $cacheFile) { $jsonContent = Get-Content ` -LiteralPath $cacheFile ` -Raw ` -ErrorAction Stop if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($jsonContent)) { $cachedServers = @() } else { $cachedServers = @( $jsonContent | ConvertFrom-Json ` -ErrorAction Stop ) } } else { $cachedServers = @() } $cachedServersById = @{} foreach ($cachedServer in $cachedServers) { $resourceId = [string]$cachedServer.id if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($resourceId)) { continue } $normalizedId = ConvertTo-NormalizedResourceId ` -ResourceId $resourceId $cachedServersById[$normalizedId] = $cachedServer } Write-Host "Stored inventory: $($cachedServersById.Count) server(s)" # ------------------------------------------------------------ # 2. Discover the current resources # ------------------------------------------------------------ $query = @" Resources | where subscriptionId =~ '$subscriptionId' | where resourceGroup =~ '$resourceGroup' | where type =~ 'microsoft.sql/servers' | project id = tostring(id), name = tostring(name), location = tostring(location) "@ try { $argResponse = Search-AzGraph ` -Query $query ` -Subscription $subscriptionId ` -First 1000 ` -ErrorAction Stop } catch { throw ( "Azure Resource Graph query failed. " + "The existing inventory has not been modified. " + "Error: $($_.Exception.Message)" ) } if ( $null -ne $argResponse -and $argResponse.PSObject.Properties.Name -contains "Data" ) { $currentServers = @($argResponse.Data) } else { $currentServers = @($argResponse) } $currentServersById = @{} foreach ($currentServer in $currentServers) { $resourceId = [string]$currentServer.id $serverName = [string]$currentServer.name if ( [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($resourceId) -or [string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($serverName) ) { continue } $normalizedId = ConvertTo-NormalizedResourceId ` -ResourceId $resourceId $currentServersById[$normalizedId] = $currentServer } Write-Host "Current observation: $($currentServersById.Count) server(s)" # ------------------------------------------------------------ # 3. Build the synchronized active inventory # ------------------------------------------------------------ $activeInventoryById = @() $activeInventoryIndex = @{} $deletedServers = @() foreach ($normalizedId in $currentServersById.Keys) { $currentServer = $currentServersById[$normalizedId] $resourceId = [string]$currentServer.id $serverName = [string]$currentServer.name $location = [string]$currentServer.location if ($cachedServersById.ContainsKey($normalizedId)) { # The resource is present in both inventories. $item = New-InventoryItem ` -ResourceId $resourceId ` -Name $serverName ` -Location $location ` -ValidationStatus "Observed" $activeInventoryIndex[$normalizedId] = $item continue } # The resource is new. Validate it individually. Write-Host "Validating new server '$serverName'..." try { $validatedServer = Get-AzSqlServer ` -ResourceGroupName $resourceGroup ` -ServerName $serverName ` -ErrorAction Stop $item = New-InventoryItem ` -ResourceId $resourceId ` -Name ([string]$validatedServer.ServerName) ` -Location ([string]$validatedServer.Location) ` -ValidationStatus "NewValidatedByPointGet" $activeInventoryIndex[$normalizedId] = $item } catch { Write-Warning ( "New server '$serverName' could not be validated " + "and was not added to the inventory. " + "Error: $($_.Exception.Message)" ) } } # ------------------------------------------------------------ # 4. Validate previously known resources missing from discovery # ------------------------------------------------------------ foreach ($normalizedId in $cachedServersById.Keys) { if ($currentServersById.ContainsKey($normalizedId)) { continue } $cachedServer = $cachedServersById[$normalizedId] $resourceId = [string]$cachedServer.id $serverName = [string]$cachedServer.name $location = [string]$cachedServer.location Write-Host ( "Server '$serverName' is missing from the current " + "observation. Running individual validation..." ) try { $validatedServer = Get-AzSqlServer ` -ResourceGroupName $resourceGroup ` -ServerName $serverName ` -ErrorAction Stop $item = New-InventoryItem ` -ResourceId $resourceId ` -Name ([string]$validatedServer.ServerName) ` -Location ([string]$validatedServer.Location) ` -ValidationStatus "RecoveredByPointGet" $activeInventoryIndex[$normalizedId] = $item Write-Warning ( "Server '$serverName' was not returned by discovery, " + "but individual validation confirmed that it still exists." ) } catch { if (Test-IsResourceNotFound -ErrorRecord $_) { $deletedServers += [pscustomobject]@{ id = $resourceId name = $serverName location = $location validationStatus = "Deleted" } Write-Warning ( "Deleted server detected: '$serverName'. " + "It will be removed from the active inventory." ) } else { # The result is inconclusive. Preserve the previous entry. $item = New-InventoryItem ` -ResourceId $resourceId ` -Name $serverName ` -Location $location ` -ValidationStatus "UnknownRetainedFromCache" $activeInventoryIndex[$normalizedId] = $item Write-Warning ( "The status of server '$serverName' could not be " + "confirmed. The previous inventory entry was retained. " + "Error: $($_.Exception.Message)" ) } } } # ------------------------------------------------------------ # 5. Save the updated active inventory # ------------------------------------------------------------ $activeInventory = @( $activeInventoryIndex.Values | Sort-Object name ) $jsonOutput = ConvertTo-Json ` -InputObject $activeInventory ` -Depth 10 $temporaryFile = "$cacheFile.tmp" Set-Content ` -LiteralPath $temporaryFile ` -Value $jsonOutput ` -Encoding utf8 ` -Force Move-Item ` -LiteralPath $temporaryFile ` -Destination $cacheFile ` -Force # ------------------------------------------------------------ # 6. Report the synchronization result # ------------------------------------------------------------ Write-Host "" Write-Host "Active inventory: $($activeInventory.Count) server(s)" $activeInventory | Format-Table ` name, location, validationStatus ` -AutoSize if ($deletedServers.Count -gt 0) { Write-Host "" Write-Warning "Confirmed deleted servers:" $deletedServers | Format-Table ` name, location, validationStatus ` -AutoSize } Disclaimer This PowerShell script is provided as a simplified proof of concept to illustrate a persistent resource inventory pattern. It should be reviewed, tested, and adapted before being used in a production environment. Authentication, permissions, error handling, retry policies, concurrency, logging, inventory storage, and operational requirements may differ between environments. The local JSON file is suitable for demonstration purposes and small automation scenarios.
Dynamic Mandatory Fields
In a SharePoint library, I have folders which are = a. Admin b. Events c. Furniture and Moves d. Janitorial and Maintenance e. Parking and Transportation f. Shipping and Receiving g. Supplies and Equipment h. Waste and Recycling I have Meta data across the library whose data type are all choices and are: a. Document Type = Contract, Financial, planning b. Building = Gym, Garage, Heating c. Asset Category = Office, Playground d. Fiscal Year = FY23, FY24, FY25, FY26, FY27 e. Vendor = Maple Leaf, Canadian Tire, Home Depot f. Status = Active, Pending, Not Active g. Retention Label = 3 years, 5 years h. Service Type = Admin, Events, Furniture and Moves, Janitorial and Maintenance, Parking and Transportation, Shipping and Receiving, Supplies and Equipment, Waste and Recycling Service Type and Retention Label are mandatory fields, with the Rule below for all the files in the various folders: IF Folder Name = Admin, then Service Type = Admin and Retention Label = 5 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Fiscal Year IF Folder Name = Events, then Service Type = Events and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Fiscal Year, Building and Vendor IF Folder Name = Furniture and Moves, then Service Type = Furniture and Moves and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Building IF Folder Name = Janitorial and Maintenance, then Service Type = Janitorial and Maintenance and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Fiscal Year IF Folder Name = Parking and Transportation, then Service Type = Parking and Transportation and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Fiscal Year IF Folder Name = Shipping and Receiving, then Service Type = Shipping and Receiving and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status IF Folder Name = Supplies and Equipment, then Service Type = Supplies and Equipment and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Fiscal Year IF Folder Name = Waste and Recycling, then Service Type = Waste and Recycling and Retention Label = 3 years; the mandatory fields should be Document Type, Status and Vendor I have used Column Default Value Settings for SharePoint to display Auto-Display the Service Type and Retention Label, but I cannot seem to perform the conditional mandatory fields using Validations setting for the other requirements. Please help
PowerShell DSC Pullserver stops working with SQL database
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I have a requirement that the Recycle bin and Site Contents should not be be hidden from the Site Members and Site Visitors. Please how can I achieve this because the Server Infrastructure activation is not working for me. Any workarounds? Please helpRecycle Bin and Site Content Hidden for Site Members and Site Visitors
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Delta queries are a Microsoft Graph mechanism to allow applications to query resources to find objects that have changed since a baseline was established. The technique is most useful for applications that need to synchronize a local store with online content. It’s not an appropriate method to use for reporting changes to Entra ID groups because knowing that an object changed doesn’t mean much by itself. https://office365itpros.com/2026/06/25/graph-delta-queries-entra-id-groups/
