Background

Update operations, such as tagging virtual machines, require that state be passed as part of the operation. If batch automations are required, then that means the automator has to find a way to split automation between resources with different states so that the state does not change when tags are applied (i.e. starting a stopped VM or vice versa). Metadata changes should not require the state of the resource; this would greatly improve automated management of fleets of infrastructure.

Business Impact: Allowing for ease of scalability for automation use cases, safer usage of Azure resources without risk of increased/cost changes to VMs/resources not having correct state changes when needed.

Story

As an Ansible user attempting to automate Azure Virtual Machines I am able to perform metadata updates to the infrastructure records without passing the state of the resource at the same time. This will allow me to make changes to those resources without fear of making an involuntary state change, such as turning a VM on or off, when simply updating tags or other metadata that does not require the VM state to accompany the change.