Azure-connected deployment planning decisions for Azure Stack Hub integrated systems
After you've decided how you'll integrate Azure Stack Hub into your hybrid cloud environment, you can finalize your Azure Stack Hub deployment decisions.
Deploying Azure Stack Hub connected to Azure means that you can have either Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) for your identity store. You can also choose from either billing model: pay-as-you-use or capacity-based. A connected deployment is the default option because it allows customers to get the most value out of Azure Stack Hub, particularly for hybrid cloud scenarios that involve both Azure and Azure Stack Hub.
Choose an identity store
With a connected deployment, you can choose between Microsoft Entra ID or AD FS for your identity store. A disconnected deployment, with no internet connectivity, can only use AD FS.
Your identity store choice has no bearing on tenant virtual machines (VMs). Tenant VMs may choose which identity store they want to the connect to depending on how they'll be configured: Microsoft Entra ID, Windows Server Active Directory domain-joined, workgroup, and so on. This is unrelated to the Azure Stack Hub identity provider decision.
For example, if you deploy IaaS tenant VMs on top of Azure Stack Hub, and want them to join a Corporate Active Directory Domain and use accounts from there, you still can. You aren't required to use the Microsoft Entra identity store you select here for those accounts.
Microsoft Entra identity store
Using Microsoft Entra ID for your identity store requires two Microsoft Entra accounts: an app admin account and a billing account. These accounts can be the same accounts, or different accounts. While using the same user account might be simpler and useful if you have a limited number of Azure accounts, your business needs might suggest using two accounts:
Application administrator account (only required for connected deployments). This is an Azure account that's used to create and manage all aspects of enterprise applications for Azure Stack Hub infrastructure services in Microsoft Entra ID. This account must have directory admin permissions to the directory that your Azure Stack Hub system will be deployed under. It will become the "cloud operator" administrator for the Microsoft Entra user and is used for the following tasks:
- To provision and delegate apps and service principals for all Azure Stack Hub services that need to interact with Microsoft Entra ID and Graph API.
- As the Service Administrator account. This account is the owner of the default provider subscription (which you can later change). You can log into the Azure Stack Hub administrator portal with this account, and can use it to create offers and plans, set quotas, and perform other administrative functions in Azure Stack Hub.
Billing account (required for both connected and disconnected deployments). This Azure account is used to establish the billing relationship between your Azure Stack Hub integrated system and the Azure commerce backend. This is the account that's billed for Azure Stack Hub fees. This account will also be used for offering items in the marketplace and other hybrid scenarios.
AD FS identity store
Choose this option if you want to use your own identity store, such as your corporate Active Directory, for your Service Administrator accounts.
Choose a billing model
You can choose either Pay-as-you-use or the Capacity billing model. Pay-as-you-use billing model deployments must be able to report usage through a connection to Azure at least once every 30 days. Therefore, the pay-as-you-use billing model is only available for connected deployments.
Pay-as-you-use
With the pay-as-you-use billing model, usage is charged to an Azure subscription. You only pay when you use the Azure Stack Hub services. If this is the model you decide on, you'll need an Azure subscription and the account ID associated with that subscription (for example, serviceadmin@contoso.onmicrosoft.com). EA, CSP, and CSP Shared Services subscriptions are supported. Usage reporting is configured during Azure Stack Hub registration.
Note
In most cases, Enterprise customers will use EA subscriptions, and service providers will use CSP or CSP Shared Services subscriptions.
If you're going to use a CSP subscription, review the table below to identify which CSP subscription to use, as the correct approach depends on the exact CSP scenario:
| Scenario | Domain and subscription options |
|---|---|
| You're a Direct CSP Partner or an Indirect CSP Provider, and you'll operate the Azure Stack Hub | Use a CSP Shared Services subscription. or Create a Microsoft Entra tenant with a descriptive name in Partner Center. For example, <your organization>CSPAdmin with an Azure CSP subscription associated with it. |
| You're an Indirect CSP Reseller, and you'll operate the Azure Stack Hub | Ask your indirect CSP Provider to create a Microsoft Entra tenant for your organization with an Azure CSP subscription associated with it using Partner Center. |
Capacity-based billing
If you decide to use the capacity billing model, you must purchase an Azure Stack Hub Capacity Plan SKU based on the capacity of your system. You need to know the number of physical cores in your Azure Stack Hub to purchase the correct quantity.
Capacity billing requires an Enterprise Agreement (EA) Azure subscription for registration. The reason is that registration sets up the availability of items in the Marketplace, which requires an Azure subscription. The subscription isn't used for Azure Stack Hub usage.
Learn more
- For information about use cases, purchasing, partners, and OEM hardware vendors, see the Azure Stack Hub product page.
- For information about the roadmap and geo-availability for Azure Stack Hub integrated systems, see the white paper: Azure Stack Hub: An extension of Azure.
- To learn more about Microsoft Azure Stack Hub packaging and pricing, download the .pdf.