title	description	ms.date	ms.topic
Pattern: The count operator in a policy definition	This Azure Policy pattern provides an example of how to use the count operator in a policy definition.	08/17/2021	sample

Azure Policy pattern: the count operator

The count operator evaluates members of a [*] alias.

Sample policy definition

This policy definition audits Network Security Groups configured to allow inbound Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) traffic.

:::code language="json" source="~/policy-templates/patterns/pattern-count-operator.json":::

The core components of the count operator are field, where, and the condition. Each is highlighted in the following snippet.

field tells count which alias to evaluate members of. Here, we're looking at the securityRules[*] alias array of the network security group.
where uses the policy language to define which array members meet the criteria. In this example, an allOf logical operator groups three different condition evaluations of alias array properties: direction, access, and destinationPortRange.
The count condition in this example is greater. Count evaluates as true when one or more members of the alias array matches the where clause.

:::code language="json" source="~/policy-templates/patterns/pattern-count-operator.json" range="12-32" highlight="3,4,20":::