Azure Search: How to create and delete an account programmatically using C#

Question

I want to create a Cognitive Search Service account (with Basic configuration) programmatically using C# and delete it on demand. Is there any documentation out there for doing this?

I was able to find documentation for creating and deleting indexes, but I need to go one level higher and create and delete the account instead. I need to do this to cut costs. For example, when I'm not actively dev testing, I need to delete the service account to avoid charges.

Answer 1

You can manage your Azure resources using ARM templates through the REST API. To get the ARM template for the Cognitive Search Service you can create a sample service and downloading the template from Export template under Settings on Azure portal.

Answer 2

You could try the Azure CLI. This has all endpoints for creating and deleting the search service.

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cli/azure/search/service?view=azure-cli-latest

az login -u <username> -p <password>
#SKU List --> https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/microsoft.azure.management.search.models.skuname?view=azure-dotnet 
az search service create --name "<SEARCH SERVICE NAME>"  --resource-group "<RESOURCE GROUPNAME>" --sku "<SKU ENUM>" --subscription "YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ID"

Script can be coupled with a C# application and invoking it on demand.

Alternatively, I was checking what was the underlying endpoint that was invoked by the Azure CLI. You could refer my post for more information on the 'How To'.

Request:

Request Body:

You can also try hitting this endpoint directly from your C# Application.

The same thing is applicable for the Delete as well.

az search service delete --name
                         --resource-group
                         [--subscription]
                         [--yes]

Answer 3

I haven't used Cognitive and C#, but you can find Azure Resource Management Package From here .

And you will find operations for Account.

Maybe you can search it by keywords above in Github , and find this piece of code.

       //public static CognitiveServicesAccount CreateAndValidateAccountWithOnlyRequiredParameters(CognitiveServicesManagementClient cognitiveServicesMgmtClient, string rgName, string skuName, string accountType = Kind.Recommendations, string location = null)
        //{
        //    // Create account with only required params
        //    var accountName = TestUtilities.GenerateName("csa");
        //    var parameters = new CognitiveServicesAccountCreateParameters
        //    {
        //        Sku = new Microsoft.Azure.Management.CognitiveServices.Models.Sku { Name = skuName },
        //        Kind = accountType,
        //        Location = location ?? DefaultLocation,
        //        Properties = new object(),
        //    };
        //    var account = cognitiveServicesMgmtClient.CognitiveServicesAccounts.Create(rgName, accountName, parameters);
        //    VerifyAccountProperties(account, false, accountType, skuName, location ?? DefaultLocation);

        //    return account;
        //}