Why are service principals preferred over personal access tokens (PATs) from a user account for automated production Databricks workflows?

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B. Service principals are machine identities not tied to a specific user, so workflows continue uninterrupted if the user leaves. Service principals are non-human identities in Databricks designed for automated workflows and API access. Unlike user PATs, they are not tied to a specific person's account. If a user leaves the organization or their account is deactivated, any PAT-based automation using their credentials will stop working. Service principals ensure continuity and are better aligned with least-privilege and security best practices for production automation.

Why are service principals preferred over personal access tokens (PATs) from a user account for automated production Databricks workflows?

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