Is there way to have multiple blueprint file?

[azsec]

Given the fact that a large blueprint requires a very long list of parameters in blueprint.json. Would it be ideal to have each artifact a blueprint file so we could manage easier? I think that could be technically done by refactoring/extending the current Az.Blueprint module?

[alex-frankel]

I'm not sure I'm following - today each artifact is in it's own file. Can you elaborate a bit?

[azsec]

Thank for your reply @alex-frankel . With the current design, there is one blueprint definition file that stores all parameters. Would it be an ideal approach if we could have each artifact a blueprint definition. For example I could manage my VM artifact's parameters in something called blueprint.vm.json ?

In artifacts.vm.json

{
    "kind": "template",
    "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Blueprint/blueprints/azsec_foundation/artifacts/vm_blueprint",
    "type": "Microsoft.Blueprint/blueprints/artifacts",
    "name": "vm_blueprint",
    "properties": {
        "resourceGroup": "vmResourceGroup",
        "displayName": "VM template",
        "description": "A blueprint to deploy VM",
        "template": {
            "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
            "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
            "parameters": {
                "vmName": {
                    "type": "string",
                    "metadata": {
                        "displayName": "Virtual Machine Name",
                        "description": "Specify Name for the virtual machine"
                    }
                }
            },
            "variables": {

            },
            "resources": [

            ],
            "outputs": {

            }
        },
        "parameters": {
            "vmName": {
                "value": "[parameters('g_vmName')]"
            }            
        },
        "dependsOn": [
            
        ]
    }
}

In blueprint.vm.json:

{
    "id": "/providers/Microsoft.Blueprint/blueprints/azsec_foundation",
    "type": "Microsoft.Blueprint/blueprints",
    "name": "azsec_foundation",
    "properties": {
        "targetScope": "subscription",
        "displayName": "Azure Blueprint",
        "description": "Azure Blueprint provides foundation templates for a new project",
        "parameters": {
            "g_vmName": {
                "type": "string",
                "metadata": {
                    "displayName": "Virtual Machine Name",
                    "description": "Specify Name for the virtual machine"
                }
            }
        },
        "resourceGroups": {
            
        }
    }
}

So I could manage blueprint parameter for each of artifact separately. Given the fact that in a large blueprint the blueprint definition (blueprint.json) is a long list of params :)

This is the best example of managing a long list of param https://github.com/Azure/azure-blueprints/blob/master/samples/001-builtins/iso_27001_shared_services/blueprint.json

[alex-frankel]

I see - so instead of having a single blueprint.json, you want one for each artifact. Is that right?

If that's the case, this is not a change we are likely to make in the short term unfortunately.

[azsec]

Yes it is what I'd like - so hopefully we would have an easier way for managing large blueprint in the future. Thanks for the reply @alex-frankel

[tikicoder]

You can create multiple blueprints. Also you could create a process for merging the blueprints. For me I use everything as yaml and convert to json and build out the structure. I have the yaml broken out into groups.