Microsoft Applied Skills: Configure and migrate to Azure Database for PostgreSQL

I have the same problem, tried twice once on 3rd and one today the issues is same "AuthorizationFailed" and it still exists. Can we please get this fixed and ensure the users have enough rights to perform the tasks

I also ran into a similar issue, and have attempted the assessment twice in the span of 4 days (after waiting for the 72 hour cooldown). I have tried reregistering, reloading the VM, running different CLI commands. None of it works.

I am trying to complete this before Oct. 13 for the sweepstakes entry, so if there can be a solution before then that would be great. Private messages take a business day or two between communications.

@Paul Lynch Hey man,

Can you please convert your answer to a comment? So that more people can know that this is unresolved? Look for a 3-dot button under your answer...

I just tried the assessment again and it is still failing for the same reason.

Tried again - quit after waiting over 50 minutes for the Resource Provider to finish registering. This Applied Skill lab is truly broken.

Hi Paul Lynch,
Thanks for all the screenshots and for sticking with it.

What’s happening
The Applied Skills sandbox gives you Contributor on a temporary subscription. Creating an Azure Database for PostgreSQL (Flexible Server) forces the platform to register the provider Microsoft.DBforPostgreSQL at the subscription scope. That action needs Owner (or a custom role with */register/action). Because the lab subscription isn’t pre-registered and you don’t have that permission, the implicit register call fails with AuthorizationFailed, exactly as your toasts show.

What you can verify quickly

• In the portal: Subscription → Resource providers → search “postgres”. Microsoft.DBforPostgreSQL (and sometimes Neon.Postgres) must show Registered. If it’s NotRegistered or stuck on Registering and pops the same error, it’s a permission boundary, not something you can fix inside the lab.
• CLI check (read-only): az provider show -n Microsoft.DBforPostgreSQL --query registrationState -o tsv Anything other than Registered in this sandbox means the same issue.

Practical ways forward

• End the sandbox and start a fresh one. Wait ~2–3 minutes after the portal loads, then check Resource providers first. Only proceed if you see Registered.
• If you hit the 72-hour cooldown or it keeps failing, share these in the thread so we can route it to the Applied Skills team: • Sandbox subscription ID • Time of your attempt (UTC) • Screenshot of the Resource providers page showing the status • The exact lab name (“Microsoft Applied Skills: Configure and migrate to Azure Database for PostgreSQL”)

Why this isn’t an analytics/DB issue
The failure occurs before the server deployment. It’s the subscription’s ability to register the provider, not anything you set on the resource group, network, or the PostgreSQL parameters.

I know this is frustrating—this one needs a fix in the lab provisioning (pre-register the provider on the sandbox subscription). Once the provider shows Registered, the create step should go through without needing any special rights from your side.

Hi Swapnesh Panchal,

My Lab ID was : 55620188 and the time of the attempt was 15:00 UTC

The exact lab name is "Microsoft Applied Skills: Configure and migrate to Azure Database for PostgreSQL"

This time the resource provider for Postgresql registered successfully but unfortunately I hit another issue with the lab.

The primary task is to complete the migration of a PostgreSQL database from the VM to an Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server.

The problem with this is that whilst we are given the credentials for the Azure PostgreSQL Flexible Server, we are not provided with the credentials to login to the PostgreSQL server running on the local VM.

I tried using the same password as the Azure PostgreSQL Database but that didn't work and then I tried to reset the password for the local PostgreSQL instance but I didn't have the necessary Admin privileges needed to do this.

So, I had no choice but to exit the lab once again.

If credentials for the local PostgreSQL instance are not provided, migration cannot proceed because admin rights are required to reset passwords or export data.

Other Possible Options

1. Check Lab Guide for Hidden Credentials
   • Sometimes the local PostgreSQL VM credentials are listed in the lab instructions or in the “Resources” section of the lab environment.
   • Ask the customer to carefully review the lab guide or any pop-up messages when the VM starts.
2. Use psql with Default Credentials
   • Many Microsoft Learn labs use default PostgreSQL credentials like: Username: postgres Password: Pass@word1
   • Suggest trying these defaults if not explicitly provided.
3. Verify VM Access
   • Confirm that the VM is fully provisioned and accessible via RDP or SSH.
   • If the VM is stuck or inaccessible, restarting the lab might help.
4. Check for Role Privileges
   • If the customer can log in but lacks admin privileges, they can:
   • Use ALTER USER if they have superuser rights.
5. Alternative Practice
   • If the lab repeatedly fails, suggest using Azure free tier or their own VM for migration practice:
   • Deploy a PostgreSQL instance locally.
   • Use pg_dump and pg_restore or Azure Database Migration Service for migration.

Just checking in, if you have any questions or need clarification, feel free to let us know. We’d be happy to continue the conversation

Hi - I read through all of the instructions, scenarios, emails, etc and I couldn't find any credentials for the local instance of PostgreSQL.

Could I ask you to do something ? If you are in touch with the team responsible for this Applied Skills lab, could you ask them if there have been any successful completions so far ? I can't imagine anyone has been able to complete this lab successfully without being able to access the local PostgreSQL database.

@Swapnesh Panchal bro,

I think you are not approaching this the right way. You are telling us to do this and that, try commands share outputs. But not once did you say that "huh, hello Paul, I just tried to open the lab myself, it works from my end. And I also found the password hidden between the lines :) "

I could not get myself to finish another learning path and applied skill; and missed the sweepstakes offer 50%, thats why a bit irritated :)

Ok, so I tried it again this morning. The resource provider not being registered issue has been resolved. The issue of not being able to actually access the local postgresql instance has now also been resolved (previously you couldn't even log in because it was asking you for a password that you didn't have !)

Now, when you try to run the migration from the 'on-premises' VM to the Azure PostgreSQL database you are not able to connect because the VM you are logged in to does not have a routable public IP address. This means that there is no possible route from the Azure PostgreSQL migration service to the PostgreSQL server hosted on the VM.

This lab is still broken and to add insult to injury they have now included a banner message when you start which says :

"This assessment is intentionally designed to reflect real-world, problem-solving scenarios where all necessary information might not be explicitly provided. While we understand the desire for step-by-step instructions, offering such guidance would compromise the authenticity and evaluative purpose of this summative assessment. Your ability to navigate ambiguity, make informed decisions, and apply critical thinking is a key part of what is being assessed."

No, Microsoft - having a PostgreSQL server install where the login credentials are hidden from the user (and where the user has no permission to re-set those credentials !) is not 'real world problem solving' it is just poor implementation.

This just goes from bad to worse. I just re-took this Applied Skill and actually passed it. I could see the congratulations message and my score (18/24) in the background whilst the dialog box in the foreground just spun indefinitely. After about 25 minutes I clicked close on the dialog box and I was taken back to the start and told that I am eligible to re-take the assessment in 72 hours.

I don't think I'll bother. I've had enough of this.

Also, there is yet ANOTHER bug in this lab. This one relates to the user account not having the necessary permissions to create a private endpoint or DNS zone in the subscription.

I've wasted a lot of time on this assessment for nothing.