On-Demand Assessment FAQs

Q. What is an On-Demand Assessment?

A. An Assessment provides a prioritized list of recommendations tailored to your environment. These recommendations are categorized across six focus areas, which allow you and your team to quickly understand the risk and health of your environments and to easily act to decrease risk and improve health.

Q. Why do I need a Microsoft Azure subscription to run an On-Demand Assessment?

A. An Azure subscription is needed because it hosts the Microsoft Azure Log Analytics workspace that you'll use to run Assessment. By providing your subscription you can control the access to, and the use of Azure Log Analytics workspaces and other Azure subscribed services.

Q. Where can I find a list of available On-Demand Assessments?

A. You can find a list of current On-Demand Assessments here, and also in the Services Hub by clicking on Health tab and then Assessments and you can view all Assessments in the "Available On-Demand Assessments" section.

Q. How do I get started with On-Demand Assessments?

A. For a general overview, see Getting Started with On-Demand Assessments.

Q. How are Services Hub On-Demand Assessments different from the Health Check Assessments in Microsoft Azure Log Analytics?

A. The Services Hub On-Demand Assessments available through the Services Hub provide enhanced recommendations and robust checks beyond the Health Check Assessments in the Solution gallery of Azure Log Analytics.

Q. Are On-Demand Assessments available to all Microsoft Unified Support customers?

A. Yes. Microsoft Support customers have access to the Services Hub On-Demand Assessments.

Q. Where is On-Demand Assessment data stored?

A. For information about where Services Hub On-Demand Assessments are stored and handled, visit the Microsoft Azure Trust Center.

Q. Can an existing Azure subscription and Azure Log Analytics Workspace be used with Services Hub On-Demand Assessments?

A. Yes. For more information, review Getting Started with On-Demand Assessments.

Q. Does running Services Hub Azure Log Analytics On-Demand Assessments impact performance?

A. On-Demand Assessments have minimal performance effect on production servers.

Q. If I don't have an Azure subscription, can I run the Services Hub Azure Log Analytics On-Demand Assessments?

A. No, but there are several options available. For more information, see Getting Started with On-Demand Assessments.

Q. Who can enable On-Demand Assessments in Services Hub?

A. Review the Azure Roles for Log Analytics and How they Relate to the Services Hub.

Q. What data is uploaded to Microsoft when the On-Demand Assessments are run through the Services Hub?

A. All data collected by Log Analytics is stored in the Azure Log Analytics repository as a record. Records collected from different data sources will have their own set of properties and be identified by their Type property. See the documentation for each data source and solution for details on each record type.

Q. How will I know who the Azure subscription owner is for my company?

A. Work with your company’s Services Admin, Microsoft Technical Account Manager, or Microsoft Support Account Coordinator to help you determine who is your Azure subscription owner.

Q. Can I run the same On-Demand Assessments on different machines and point it to the same Azure Log Analytics workspace?

A. Yes. You can target multiple servers with the same Assessment pointing to the same Azure Log Analytics workspace. For more information, see Running Assessments with Multiple Environments.

Q. Can I have separate Azure Log Analytics workspaces for different users?

A. No.

Q. Is there a report that I can download the On-Demand Assessments results?

A.Yes, we have two places you can find this kind of information. You can see the Executive Summary article for a high-level view of the data, or you can view all recommendations in the Excel Recommendations download file.

Q. What license is needed to run Azure Log Analytics?

A. No license is needed.

Q. Can existing Azure subscriptions be used to run Azure Log Analytics On-Demand Assessments?

A. Yes; an existing Azure Subscription and Azure Log Analytics Workspace can be used with Services Hub On-Demand Assessments.

Q. How often do On-Demand Assessments collect data when running an On-Demand Assessment?

A. You can set the cadence up to meet your organizational needs, but by default, Assessments run one hour after configuration and then every seven days.

Q. Is access to RAP as a Service solution still available, or has it been replaced by the Services Hub On-Demand Assessments?

A. RAP as a Service has been replaced by On-Demand Assessments.

Q. Is a RAP as a Service included as part of our service or now considered an add-on?

A. On-Demand Assessments take the best from RAP as a Service to offer a lean, high impact, and high value online assessment that can be experienced with or without engaging an engineer. Customers get limited remote On-Demand engineer-led Assessments and remediation planning either as part of the agreement or as an add-on service. To schedule these remote engineer-led Assessment deliveries, contact your Microsoft representative.

Q. Can any Services Hub user configure an On-Demand Assessment?

A. No. Only Services Hub users who have proper permissions in Azure Log Analytics can configure On-Demand Assessments. Learn more about Azure Roles and Permissions.

Q. How does Services Hub accommodate specific country/region privacy and data collection rules?

A. If your country/region has specific data storage requirements, you can integrate with an Azure Log Analytics instance that complies with your country's/region's requirements.

Q. How do On-Demand Assessments get the information needed to run in an environment?

A. Depending on the On-Demand Assessment, various scripts are run locally or in the cloud. The pre-requisites documents for the On-Demand Assessment outline what information is needed and where it resides.

Q. How does someone get access to an On-Demand Assessment?

A. Review the Adding Users to Azure Log Analytics via the Azure portal.

Q. How does an On-Demand Assessment work?

A. Within hours of setup, data is collected and processed, and then the results are displayed in Azure Log Analytics.

An On-Demand Assessment provides a prioritized list of recommendations tailored to your environment. These recommendations are categorized across six focus areas, which allows you and your team to quickly understand the risk and health of your environments and to easily act to decrease risk and improve health.

For more information, see the Getting Started with On-Demand Assessments article.

Q. How can I get help setting up On-Demand Assessments?

A. For assistance setting up Services Hub On-Demand Assessments, visit On-Demand Assessment: Setup and Config Service for details on our setup service and to request the On-Demand setup and configure service.

Q. Don't see your Azure subscription?

A. Ensure that you’re an owner or contributor to the Azure subscription. Log into portal.azure and view your subscriptions to see permissions.

Q. How long does it take to set up an On-Demand Assessment?

A. On average, it takes two hours to configure your environment to run an On-Demand Assessment. Once configured, data is sent to Azure Log Analytics and run automatically every seven days.

Q. How will I be charged for any Azure data consumption for Services Hub On-Demand Assessments?

A. Microsoft Services Hub uses the Microsoft Azure Log Analytics pricing model. Review the latest pricing information.

Q. If I use my existing Azure subscription to run an On-Demand Assessment, what additional costs might I incur?

A. On-Demand Assessments use a small amount of data and you can monitor your usage under the Usage and estimated cost section of your Log Analytics workspace.

Q. What are the charges associated with a sponsored Azure account?

A. Sponsored Azure accounts are capped at $10 annually, which is enough to run On-Demand Assessments. Once that limit is reached, Assessments will stop running.

Q. What's the difference between Services Hub Assessments and RAP as a service?

A. The Services Hub Azure Log Analytics On-Demand Assessment performs the same in-depth Assessment as RAP as a Service, however, they can be run online On-Demand without engaging an engineer and results are viewable through the Services Hub dashboard. Once installed, On-Demand Assessments run automatically without requiring manual intervention. On-Demand Assessments are part of your Support agreement.

Q. Why is Azure Subscription needed?

A. An Azure subscription is needed because it hosts the Microsoft Azure Log Analytics workspace that you'll use to run On-Demand Assessment. By providing your subscription information you can control the access to, and the use of, Azure Log Analytics workspaces and other Azure subscribed services.

Q. Can I bring in Azure Log Analytics assessments that I already have an Azure Subscription to into the Services Hub?

A. Yes. You can link to the Azure Subscription or sponsorship that is associated with your previous Log Analytics workspace that has the configured ODA. This will allow the Services Hub to bring in all your existing data. This is because all ODA data lives with the Log Analytics workspace. If a new Azure Log Analytics workspace is created, previous ODA data for those assessments won't be carried over.

Note: If your organization already has an Azure subscription that you want to use, you'll need your organization’s Azure administrator to grant access. For more information, see Learn how to grant access.

If you don’t have an Azure Subscription, you can create a sponsored account.

If you still need help, refer to Reporting Services Hub issues for assistance.

Feature Area	Question	Answer
Assessments	How do Microsoft Support Assessments available in Service Hub differ from the solution gallery assessments in Microsoft OAzure Log Analytics)?	The Microsoft Support assessments available through the Services Hub provide enhanced recommendations and robust checks beyond the assessments in the Solution gallery of Azure Log Analytics.
Assessments	Are assessments available to all Microsoft Support customers?	Yes. Microsoft Support customers have unlimited access to the Services Hub on-demand assessments.
Assessments	Where is assessment data stored?	For information about where Services Hub On Demand Assessments is stored and handled, visit the Microsoft Azure Trust Center.
Assessments	Why do I need Microsoft Azure to run an assessment?	For information about Azure Log Analytics, visit Log queries in Azure Monitor
Assessments	Where can I find a list of available on-demand assessments?	You can find a list of current on-demand assessments in the Services Hub. Click Services, then select Catalog. Using the filters select Service type and then click on the filter Assessments to see all the current on-demand assessments.
Assessments	Can an existing Azure subscription and Azure Log Analytics Workspace be used with Services Hub assessments?	Yes.
Assessments	Does running Services Hub Azure Log Analytics assessments impact performance?	On-demand assessments have minimal performance impact on production servers.
Assessments	My customer doesn't have an Azure subscription, can they run the Services Hub Azure Log Analytics assessments?	No, but there are several options available.
Assessments	Who can manage permissions to an Azure Log Analytics Workspace?	Only users who are both Azure subscription owners and are either an Azure Log Analytics workspace owner or contributor may enable assessments can manage Azure Log Analytics permission.
Assessments	Where can I find more information about assessments that use log analytics?	For more information on log analytics visit Azure Monitor overview/
Assessments	What data is uploaded to Microsoft when the assessments are run through the Services Hub.	All data collected by Log Analytics is stored in the Azure Log Analytics repository as a record. Records collected by different data sources will have their own set of properties and be identified by their Type property. See the documentation for each data source and solution for details on each record type. For more information, see:
		What is Log Analytics?: Log queries in Azure Monitor
		Data Security: Azure Monitor Logs data security
		Data Sources: Log Analytics agent data sources in Azure Monitor
Assessments	How will I know who the Azure subscription owner is for my company?	Please work with your company’s Services Admin, Microsoft Technical Account Manager, or Microsoft Support Account Coordinator to determine your Azure subscription owner.
New assessments	What are the terms of the Get an Azure subscription button?	The Services Hub Azure subscription terms of use are:
		This account is valid for 1 year from the time of activation and includes up to $10 USD of Azure usage.
		If you use other Azure services with this account, you will be notified of usage cost. The cost will not exceed your $10 USD annual limit.
		The Services Hub On-Demand Assessments are included in your Microsoft Support plan, but if you might be charged with other Azure services you use. You will be notified of any incremental costs as they occur.
New assessments	Can I run the same assessments on different machines and point it to the same Azure Log Analytics workspace?	Yes. You can target multiple servers with the same assessment pointing to the same Azure Log Analytics workspace.
		Currently, you need to run the assessment in the different machines (the process runs on those machines). Soon, you'll be able to run one process on one server and target up to 100 machines.
New assessments	Can I have separate Azure Log Analytics workspaces for different users?	No.
New assessments	Is there a report that I can download with the on-demand assessments results.	No.
Assessments	Can I run assessments myself?	Yes. The assessments in Azure Log Analytics are self-service and you can setup as many as you want.
		Depending on the support level, there may be an option to engage an engineer who can dig deeper into the results of specific assessments and help prioritize improvements.
Assessments	How do I get started with assessments?	For a general assessments overview, take a look at our getting started videos
Assessments	What license is needed to run Azure Log Analytics?	No license is needed - it's included as a part of your Support agreement.
Assessments	Can existing Azure subscriptions be used to run Azure Log Analytics assessments?	Yes, an existing Azure Subscription and Azure Log Analytics Workspace can be used with Services Hub assessments.
Assessments	How often do assessments collect data when running an assessment?	The you can set the cadence up to meet your organizational needs, but by default, assessments run one hour after configuration and then every 7 days.
Assessments	Is access to RAP as a Service solutions still available, or has it been replaced by the Services Hub on-demand assessments?	RAP as a Service solutions may be available as part of your existing agreement, or they can be purchased as an add-on service.
Assessments	Is a RAP as a Service included as part of our service or now considered an add-on?	Advanced and Performance customers get limited remote on-demand engineer-led assessments and remediation planning. To schedule these remote-led assessments, contact your Microsoft representative.
Assessments	Can any Services Hub user run an assessment?	No. Only Services Hub users who have permission in Azure Log Analytics can run assessments.
Assessments	How does Services Hub accommodate specific country/region privacy and data collection rules?	If your country/region has specific data storage requirements, you can integrate with an Azure Log Analytics instance that complies with your country's/region's requirements.
Assessments	What do I do if I don't see my Azure subscription listed when I try to link Services Hub to Azure Log Analytics?	To see an Azure subscription you must have owner permissions to view in Services Hub.
Assessments	How do assessments get the information needed to run in an environment?	Depending on the assessment, various scripts are run locally or in the cloud. The delivery guides for the assessment will outline what information is needed and where it resides.
Assessments	How does someone get access to an assessment?	To allow members of your team access to Services Hub assessments, they must be added to the Services Hub and be granted permission by the Azure owner.
Assessments	How does an assessment work?	Within hours of set up, data is collected and processed, and then the results are displayed in Azure Log Analytics.
Assessments	How can I get help setting up assessments?	For assistance setting up Services Hub assessments, visit the Services Hub and request the on-demand set up and configure service.
Assessment	What do assessments provide?	Assessments provide a prioritized list of recommendations about your IT environment categorized across six focus areas allowing you and your team to quickly understand the risk and health of your IT environment, and easily take action to decrease risk and improve health.
Assessments	How long does it take to set up an assessment?	On average it takes two hours to configure your environment to run an assessment. Once configured, data is sent to Azure Log Analytics and run automatically every seven days.
Assessments	What costs are associated with creating or linking an Azure subscription and an Azure Log Analytics workspace?	Creating an Azure subscription is free, but there may be charges for the services linked to that subscription.
		When you create an Azure Log Analytics workspace via Services Hub, the workspace will be configured to use Azure Log Analytics free data plan. This includes a data upload allotment that is sufficient for running the On-Demand Assessments.
		Learn about Azure Log Analytics pricing.
Assessments	If I use my existing Azure subscription to run an on-demand assessment, what additional costs might I incur?	On-demand assessments use a small amount of data and when your Azure Log Analytics workspace is on the free tier you will not incur additional costs.
Assessments	Are there limitations when using a Microsoft-sponsored Azure subscription to run on-demand assessments?	Yes, there are some limitations. The sponsored subscription is valid for one year or if the subscription uses the $10
Assessments	What are the charges associated with a sponsored Azure account?	Sponsored Azure accounts are capped at $10 annually which is enough to run on-demand assessments. Once that limit is reached, assessments will stop running.
Assessments	What's the difference between Services Hub assessments and RAP as a Service?	The Services Hub Azure Log Analytics assessment performs the same in-depth assessment as RAP as a Service, however they can be run online on-demand without engaging an engineer and results are viewable through the Services Hub dashboard.
		Further, once installed, assessments run automatically without requiring manual intervention. There is no additional charge for Services Hub on-demand assessments.
Assessments	Will I have access to the RAP as a Service solutions or Azure Log Analytics assessments only in the Services Hub?	RAP as a Service solutions can be purchased as add-on services. The need for Offline Assessments, or assessments for technologies that are not yet available in Azure Log Analytics, should be fulfilled by offering the relevant service as an add-on.
		Talk to your Microsoft Technical Account Manager for more information.
Assessments	Is there offline version of Services Hub or Azure Log Analytics?	No, not at this time.
Assessments	Can I tie an existing Azure Log Analytics workspace to Services Hub, or do I need to have a dedicated Azure Log Analytics workspace to run on-demand assessments?	You can use an existing Azure Log Analytics environment in the Services Hub.
Assessments	How do the Service Hub Azure Log Analytics assessments handle multiple environments?	Running a single assessment in multiple environments is not currently supported.