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Stages of a blueprint deployment

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Important

On July 11, 2026, Blueprints (Preview) will be deprecated. Migrate your existing blueprint definitions and assignments to Template Specs and Deployment Stacks. Blueprint artifacts are to be converted to ARM JSON templates or Bicep files used to define deployment stacks. To learn how to author an artifact as an ARM resource, see:

When a blueprint gets deployed, a series of actions is taken by the Azure Blueprints service to deploy the resources defined in the blueprint. This article provides details about what each step involves.

Blueprint deployment is triggered by assigning a blueprint to a subscription or updating an existing assignment. During the deployment, Azure Blueprints takes the following high-level steps:

  • Azure Blueprints granted owner rights
  • The blueprint assignment object is created
  • Optional - Azure Blueprints creates system-assigned managed identity
  • The managed identity deploys blueprint artifacts
  • Azure Blueprints service and system-assigned managed identity rights are revoked

Azure Blueprints granted owner rights

The Azure Blueprints service principal is granted owner rights to the assigned subscription or subscriptions when a system-assigned managed identity managed identity is used. The granted role allows Azure Blueprints to create, and later revoke, the system-assigned managed identity. If using a user-assigned managed identity, the Azure Blueprints service principal doesn't get and doesn't need owner rights on the subscription.

The rights are granted automatically if the assignment is done through the portal. However, if the assignment is done through the REST API, granting the rights needs to be done with a separate API call. The Azure Blueprints AppId is f71766dc-90d9-4b7d-bd9d-4499c4331c3f, but the service principal varies by tenant. Use Azure Active Directory Graph API and REST endpoint servicePrincipals to get the service principal. Then, grant the Azure Blueprints the Owner role through the Portal, Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, REST API, or an Azure Resource Manager template.

The Azure Blueprints service doesn't directly deploy the resources.

The blueprint assignment object is created

A user, group, or service principal assigns a blueprint to a subscription. The assignment object exists at the subscription level where the blueprint was assigned. Resources created by the deployment aren't done in context of the deploying entity.

While creating the blueprint assignment, the type of managed identity is selected. The default is a system-assigned managed identity. A user-assigned managed identity can be chosen. When using a user-assigned managed identity, it must be defined and granted permissions before the blueprint assignment is created. Both the Owner and Blueprint Operator built-in roles have the necessary blueprintAssignment/write permission to create an assignment that uses a user-assigned managed identity.

Optional - Azure Blueprints creates system-assigned managed identity

When system-assigned managed identity is selected during assignment, Azure Blueprints creates the identity and grants the managed identity the owner role. If an existing assignment is upgraded, Azure Blueprints uses the previously created managed identity.

The managed identity related to the blueprint assignment is used to deploy or redeploy the resources defined in the blueprint. This design avoids assignments inadvertently interfering with each other. This design also supports the resource locking feature by controlling the security of each deployed resource from the blueprint.

The managed identity deploys blueprint artifacts

The managed identity then triggers the Resource Manager deployments of the artifacts within the blueprint in the defined sequencing order. The order can be adjusted to ensure artifacts dependent on other artifacts are deployed in the correct order.

An access failure by a deployment is often the result of the level of access granted to the managed identity. The Azure Blueprints service manages the security lifecycle of the system-assigned managed identity. However, the user is responsible for managing the rights and lifecycle of a user-assigned managed identity.

Blueprint service and system-assigned managed identity rights are revoked

Once the deployments are completed, Azure Blueprints revokes the rights of the system-assigned managed identity from the subscription. Then, the Azure Blueprints service revokes its rights from the subscription. Rights removal prevents Azure Blueprints from becoming a permanent owner on a subscription.

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