How to use the command 'az provider' (with examples)

The az provider command is a part of the azure-cli (also known as az) and is used to manage resource providers in Azure. Resource providers are responsible for managing and exposing services and resources in Azure. This command allows you to register/unregister providers, list all providers for a subscription, show information about a specific provider, and list all resource types for a specific provider.

Use case 1: Register a provider

Code:

az provider register --namespace Microsoft.PolicyInsights

Motivation: Registering a provider is necessary before you can use its resources and services in Azure. By registering a provider, you enable its functionality in your subscription. In this example, the Microsoft.PolicyInsights provider is being registered.

Explanation:

• register: This sub-command is used to register a provider.
• --namespace: Specifies the namespace of the provider to register. In this case, the namespace is Microsoft.PolicyInsights.

Example output:

{
  "id": "/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/providers/Microsoft.PolicyInsights",
  "namespace": "Microsoft.PolicyInsights",
  "registrationState": "Registered",
  "resourceTypes": []
}

Use case 2: Unregister a provider

Code:

az provider unregister --namespace Microsoft.Automation

Motivation: Unregistering a provider will disable its functionality in your subscription and remove any associated resources. This can be useful if you no longer need a particular provider or want to disable its services temporarily. In this example, the Microsoft.Automation provider is being unregistered.

Explanation:

• unregister: This sub-command is used to unregister a provider.
• --namespace: Specifies the namespace of the provider to unregister. In this case, the namespace is Microsoft.Automation.

Example output:

{
  "id": "/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/providers/Microsoft.Automation",
  "namespace": "Microsoft.Automation",
  "registrationState": "Unregistered",
  "resourceTypes": []
}

Use case 3: List all providers for a subscription

Code:

az provider list

Motivation: Listing all providers for a subscription can give you an overview of the available providers and their registration states. This information can be helpful when managing and working with resources in Azure.

Explanation:

• list: This sub-command is used to retrieve a list of all providers for a subscription.

Example output:

[
  {
    "id": "/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/providers/Microsoft.KeyVault",
    "namespace": "Microsoft.KeyVault",
    "registrationState": "Registered",
    "resourceTypes": [
      {
        "aliases": null,
        "apiVersions": [
          "2015-06-01",
          "2015-06-01-preview",
          ...
        ],
        "capabilities": [
          {
            "name": "PerVaultBackupRecoveryPoints",
            "value": "25"
          },
          ...
        ],
        "defaultApiVersion": "2019-09-01",
        "locations": [
          "westus",
          "eastus",
          ...
        ],
        "resourceType": "vaults"
      },
      ...
    ]
  },
  ...
]

Use case 4: Show information about a specific provider

Code:

az provider show --namespace Microsoft.Storage

Motivation: Showing information about a specific provider can give you detailed information about its registration state, associated resource types, API versions, and capabilities. This can be useful when troubleshooting or gathering information about a provider.

Explanation:

• show: This sub-command is used to retrieve information about a specific provider.
• --namespace: Specifies the namespace of the provider to show information about. In this case, the namespace is Microsoft.Storage.

Example output:

{
  "id": "/subscriptions/{subscription-id}/providers/Microsoft.Storage",
  "namespace": "Microsoft.Storage",
  "registrationState": "Registered",
  "resourceTypes": [
    {
      "aliases": null,
      "apiVersions": [
        "2019-06-01",
        "2019-04-01",
        ...
      ],
      "capabilities": [
        {
          "name": "supportsContainerDeleteRetentionPolicy",
          "value": "True"
        },
        ...
      ],
      "defaultApiVersion": "2020-08-01",
      "locations": [
        "eastus",
        "eastus2",
        ...
      ],
      "resourceType": "storageAccounts"
    },
    ...
  ]
}

Use case 5: List all resource types for a specific provider

Code:

az provider list --query "[?namespace=='Microsoft.Network'].resourceTypes[].resourceType"

Motivation: Listing all resource types for a specific provider can help you understand the types of resources that provider offers. This can be useful when planning and creating resources in Azure.

Explanation:

• list: This sub-command is used to retrieve a list of all providers.
• --query: Specifies a JMESPath query to filter the output to only include a specific namespace and retrieve only the resource types. In this case, the query filters the providers to only include Microsoft.Network and retrieves their resource types.

Example output:

[
  "applicationGateways",
  "azureFirewalls",
  "azureLoadBalancers",
  ...
]

Conclusion:

The az provider command provides a convenient way to manage resource providers in Azure. From registering/unregistering providers to retrieving information about them, this command allows you to easily work with providers and their associated resources.