When deploying Microsoft Security Copilot/AI services a dedicated subscription instead of integrating with security or management subscriptions this ensures clear separation, better security control, and simplified management of Security Copilot resources. This approach offer significant advantages like:
Enhanced Security & Access Control
One of the biggest advantages of placing Security Copilot in a dedicated subscription is the enhanced Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and segmentation of duties. This setup allows security teams to enforce a least-privilege model, ensuring that only authorized users can access and manage Security Copilot Capacity Units (SCU). In environments where Security Copilot is deeply integrated into real-time cybersecurity operations—such as supporting automated security workflows, SOAR integrations, or assisting Level 1 (L1) analysts during night shifts—any accidental or intentional loss of access could have severe consequences. By isolating Security Copilot in a dedicated subscription, organizations can better safeguard access, maintain operational continuity, and mitigate potential security risks.
Operational efficiency and governance
Managing Security Copilot Capacity Units separately enhances operational efficiency and governance by ensuring clear oversight and control. It allows organizations to implement well-defined governance policies, ensuring that security tool management is handled exclusively by the appropriate teams. This approach also minimizes cross-team conflicts, preventing non-security teams from unintentionally affecting Security Copilot’s deployment, configuration, or data access. Additionally, maintaining a dedicated subscription provides the flexibility needed for future security architecture changes without disrupting critical business applications or IT services, ensuring seamless and secure operations.
Cost management and transparency
A dedicated subscription for Security Copilot Capacity Units significantly improves cost tracking and visibility, enabling organizations to attribute expenses specifically to security functions rather than merging them with general IT or cloud costs. This separation allows for better optimization and forecasting of Security Copilot’s usage, which is especially valuable for organizations with strict budgeting and chargeback models. Additionally, it helps prevent unexpected cost spikes from being hidden within broader cloud spending, making it easier to demonstrate Security Copilot’s return on investment (ROI) to leadership and justify ongoing expenditures.
This above approach ensures clear separation of duties by defining the roles as show below
- Security Copilot RBAC – Managed within Copilot, granting access only to Copilot features (not Microsoft Entra roles).
- Microsoft Entra RBAC – Provides access across Microsoft security services; users or apps must have appropriate permissions to execute prompts on connected data.
- Azure RBAC – Controls access to Azure resources like Security Capacity Units (SCU) and Microsoft Sentinel workspaces, crucial for provisioning and managing Security Copilot capacity.
