Azure Monitor Agent (AMA)

Azure Monitor Agent (AMA)

Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) collects monitoring data from the guest operating system of Azure and hybrid virtual machines and delivers it to Azure Monitor for use by features, insights, and other services, such as Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud.

Introduction

Upgrading your virtual machines (VMs) with new extensions is key to enhancing their performance and security. These extensions are essential for collecting monitoring data from your VMs. However, if there are certain VMs you want to exclude from this update, below you will find the instructions on how to establish an exemption policy for those particular VMs.

Log in to Azure Portal

In the Azure Portal, search for Policy and select Assignments and search for "amaagent"
  1. For demonstration purposes, we'll use "DreWindowsAmaAgentDeploy". This needs to be done for "DreWindowsAmaAgentDeploy" and "DreLinuxAmaAgentDeploy". As a member of the Research Support team, you'll only be able to view the Policies associated with the subscriptions your organization holds.


Create Exemption
  1. Here you will be able to create exemptions for specific Workspaces and/or Virtual Machines



  1. Stay on Basics to create exemption
  2. Select the Exemption scope
  3. Choose the Subscription (Some organizations have multiple Subscriptions)
  4. Find the Resource Group (Workspace)
  5. Select the Resource (Virtual Machine)
  6. Click on Select
  7. By default there is no expiration date on the exemption
    1. Be aware when you set an Exemption without an expiration date. This might lead to challenges when introducing new features.
  8. Review + create

Check Exemptions
  1. Here is where you can see the Exemptions. Please keep track of the Expiration date if there are any!