Examine the use of roles in the Microsoft 365 permission model

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Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based platform that offers various services and applications for businesses and organizations. One of the key features of Microsoft 365 is the permission model, which defines how users and groups can access and manage resources within the platform. Administrators can enhance the security, efficiency, and productivity of their Microsoft 365 environment by understanding and applying the permission model. The permission model is based on the concepts of roles, scopes, and assignments, which can be combined and configured in various ways to suit different scenarios and use cases.

  • Roles. Roles are collections of permissions that allow users and groups to perform specific tasks or functions within Microsoft 365. For example, a user with the Global Administrator role can manage all aspects of the platform, while a user with the User Administrator role can only manage user accounts and licenses. There are two types of roles in Microsoft 365: built-in roles and custom roles.
    • Built-in roles. These roles are predefined and available by default in Microsoft 365. They cover the most common scenarios and use cases for the platform. There are over 30 built-in roles in Microsoft 365, such as Exchange administrator, SharePoint administrator, Teams administrator, and Security Reader.
    • Custom roles. Administrators can create custom roles to suit their specific needs and requirements. You can base custom roles on existing built-in roles or created from scratch. Custom roles can have granular permissions that allow or deny access to specific resources or actions within Microsoft 365.
  • Scopes. Scopes are filters that limit the range or extent of a role. You can apply scopes to roles to restrict the access and management of resources within Microsoft 365. For example, you can apply a scope to a role to limit its effect to a specific group, department, location, or domain. There are two types of scopes in Microsoft 365: directory scopes and management scopes.
    • Directory scopes. These scopes are based on the organizational structure of Microsoft 365. You can apply directory scopes to roles to limit their effect to a specific organizational unit (OU), such as a group, a site, or a team. You can also apply directory scopes to roles to limit their effect to a specific attribute, such as a location, a department, or a job title.
    • Management scopes. These scopes are based on the service or application of Microsoft 365. You can apply management scopes to roles to limit their effect to a specific service or application, such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, or Teams. You can also apply management scopes to roles to limit their effect to a specific condition or criteria, such as a mailbox type, a site collection, or a team type.
  • Assignments. Assignments are the links that connect roles and scopes to users and groups. Assignments are the final step in the permission model, as they determine who can do what and where within Microsoft 365. You can make assignments directly or indirectly, depending on the type of role and scope.
    • Direct assignments. These assignments are made directly to a user or a group. Direct assignments are the simplest and most straightforward way of granting permissions within Microsoft 365. You can make direct assignments to any type of role and scope, as long as the administrator has the permission to do so.
    • Indirect assignments. These assignments that are made indirectly through a membership or a rule. Indirect assignments are more dynamic and flexible than direct assignments, as they can automatically grant or revoke permissions based on changes in the membership or the rule. You can only make indirect assignments to custom roles and management scopes, as they require a more granular level of control.

Types and Categories of Roles in Microsoft 365

There are different types and categories of roles in Microsoft 365, depending on the scope and level of permissions they grant. The main types of roles are:

  • Global roles. These roles are the highest-level roles that grant permissions to perform tasks across all Microsoft 365 services and features. There are only a few global roles, such as Global administrator, Global reader, and Power Platform administrator. Global roles are reserved for the most senior and trusted administrators in the organization.
  • Service-specific roles. These roles grant permissions to perform tasks in a specific Microsoft 365 service, such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, or OneDrive. There are many service-specific roles, such as Exchange administrator, SharePoint administrator, Teams administrator, or OneDrive administrator. Service-specific roles are typically assigned to administrators who are responsible for managing and configuring a particular service.
  • Feature-specific roles. These roles grant permissions to perform tasks in a specific feature or function within a Microsoft 365 service, such as security, compliance, or device management. There are many feature-specific roles, such as Security administrator, Compliance administrator, Device administrator, or Intune administrator. Feature-specific roles are typically assigned to administrators who are responsible for managing and configuring a particular aspect of the Microsoft 365 environment.

The main categories of roles are:

  • Administrator roles. These roles grant permissions to perform administrative tasks, such as creating and managing users, devices, licenses, policies, settings, and reports. Administrator roles are typically assigned to administrators who must manage and configure the Microsoft 365 environment.
  • Reader roles. These roles grant permissions to view information and reports, but not to make any changes or modifications. Reader roles are typically assigned to administrators who must monitor and audit the Microsoft 365 environment, but not to perform any actions.
  • Application roles. These roles grant permissions to access and use certain Microsoft 365 applications, such as Power BI, Power Apps, or Power Automate. Application roles are typically assigned to users who must work with these applications, but not to administer them.