What you will learn
- Entra tenants are identity directories; subscriptions are resource and billing scopes.
- Resource groups organize related resources within a subscription.
- Azure CLI commands start with az and can return JSON or table output.
Cloud concepts and Azure subscriptions
An Azure subscription determines where many cloud resources are billed and governed. A Microsoft Entra tenant is the identity directory that users and applications belong to; a person can see multiple subscriptions and tenants. That difference becomes important when a command seems to work but changes the wrong environment. Begin with an approved training subscription and a spending limit. In this chapter, you will inspect the CLI version, review visible subscriptions and confirm which subscription is active. These are read-only actions. They help you avoid accidental charges before creating your first resource group or cloud service.
- Entra tenants are identity directories; subscriptions are resource and billing scopes.
- Resource groups organize related resources within a subscription.
- Azure CLI commands start with az and can return JSON or table output.
- You should verify the selected subscription before running any deployment.
- Budget alerts and tagging are part of responsible cloud training.
Words you need
Entra
Entra tenants are identity directories; subscriptions are resource and billing scopes.
Resource
Resource groups organize related resources within a subscription.
Azure
Azure CLI commands start with az and can return JSON or table output.
You
You should verify the selected subscription before running any deployment.
Examples
Inspect Azure CLI
az version{"azure-cli":"2.x", ...}Explanation: A working local Azure CLI reports installed component versions; this does not sign you in.
List subscriptions you can access
az account list --query "[].{name:name,id:id,isDefault:isDefault}" -o tableName Id IsDefault Training subscription ... True
Explanation: The list depends on your permissions and sign-in. Never copy real subscription IDs into public course examples.
Check the active subscription
az account show --query "{name:name,tenant:tenantId,id:id}" -o json{"name":"Training subscription","tenant":"...","id":"..."}Explanation: Compare the shown subscription and tenant with your training plan before creating billable resources.
Practical chapter project
Build and verify
Record your Azure training tenant, subscription name, budget safeguard, and proposed resource group plan without deploying a paid service.
How to check the result
Record your actual starting state and the visible final result. If a service account is needed, confirm permission and cost protection first. Your project meets the target when someone else can repeat it safely and see the intended outcome.
Check your understanding
01 What is a subscription?
An Azure scope for resource management, policy and billing.
02 What is a tenant?
A Microsoft Entra identity directory that can be related to one or more subscriptions.
03 Why run az account show before deployment?
To confirm the subscription and tenant targeted by later CLI commands.
04 Does az version prove you are signed in?
No, it only reports the installed CLI version.
Summary
Entra tenants are identity directories; subscriptions are resource and billing scopes. Resource groups organize related resources within a subscription. Complete the chapter project before opening Chapter 2.