[APIM] Make backend LB and CB more discoverable

Author: dlepow

articles/api-management/api-management-policies.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ services: api-management
 author: dlepow
 ms.service: api-management
 ms.topic: article
-ms.date: 12/01/2022
+ms.date: 03/08/2024
 ms.author: danlep
 ---
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ More information about policies:
 -   [Convert XML to JSON](xml-to-json-policy.md) - Converts request or response body from XML to JSON.
 -   [Find and replace string in body](find-and-replace-policy.md) - Finds a request or response substring and replaces it with a different substring.
 -   [Mask URLs in content](redirect-content-urls-policy.md) - Rewrites (masks) links in the response body so that they point to the equivalent link via the gateway.
--   [Set backend service](set-backend-service-policy.md) - Changes the backend service for an incoming request.
+-   [Set backend service](set-backend-service-policy.md) - Changes the backend service base URL of an incoming request to a URL or a [backend](backends.md). Referencing a backend resource allows you to manage the backend service base URL and other settings in a single place. Also apply backend properties such as [distributing traffic to a pool of URLs](backends.md#load-balanced-pool-preview) and [circuit breaker rules](backends.md#circuit-breaker-preview) to protect the backend from too many requests.
 - [Set body](set-body-policy.md) - Sets the message body for a request or response.
 -   [Set HTTP header](set-header-policy.md) - Assigns a value to an existing response and/or request header or adds a new response and/or request header.
 -   [Set query string parameter](set-query-parameter-policy.md) - Adds, replaces value of, or deletes request query string parameter.

articles/api-management/backends.md

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ services: api-management
 author: dlepow
 ms.service: api-management
 ms.topic: article
-ms.date: 01/09/2024
+ms.date: 03/08/2024
 ms.author: danlep 
 ms.custom:
 ---
@@ -23,22 +23,19 @@ API Management also supports using other Azure resources as an API backend, such
 * A [Service Fabric cluster](how-to-configure-service-fabric-backend.md).
 * A custom service. 
 
-API Management supports custom backends so you can manage the backend services of your API. Use custom backends for one or more of the following:
+## Benefits of backends
+
+API Management supports custom backends so you can manage the backend services of your API. A backend resource abstracts information about the backend service, promoting reusability across APIs and improved governance.
+
+Use custom backends for one or more of the following:
 
 * Authorize the credentials of requests to the backend service
+* Take advantage of API Management functionality to maintain secrets in Azure Key Vault if [named values](api-management-howto-properties.md) are configured for header or query parameter authentication.
 * Protect your backend from too many requests
 * Route or load-balance requests to multiple backends
 
 Configure and manage custom backends in the Azure portal, or using Azure APIs or tools.
 
-## Benefits of backends
-
-A custom backend has several benefits, including:
-
-* Abstracts information about the backend service, promoting reusability across APIs and improved governance.  
-* Easily used by configuring a transformation policy on an existing API.
-* Takes advantage of API Management functionality to maintain secrets in Azure Key Vault if [named values](api-management-howto-properties.md) are configured for header or query parameter authentication.
-
 ## Reference backend using set-backend-service policy
 
 After creating a backend, you can reference the backend in your APIs. Use the [`set-backend-service`](set-backend-service-policy.md) policy to direct an incoming API request to the custom backend. If you already configured a backend web service for an API, you can use the `set-backend-service` policy to redirect the request to a custom backend instead of the default backend web service configured for that API. For example:

articles/api-management/set-backend-service-policy.md

@@ -6,13 +6,15 @@ author: dlepow
 
 ms.service: api-management
 ms.topic: article
-ms.date: 12/02/2022
+ms.date: 03/08/2024
 ms.author: danlep
 ---
 
 # Set backend service
 Use the `set-backend-service` policy to redirect an incoming request to a different backend than the one specified in the API settings for that operation. This policy changes the backend service base URL of the incoming request to a URL or [backend](backends.md) specified in the policy.
 
+Referencing a backend entity allows you to manage the backend service base URL and other settings in a single place and reuse them across multiple APIs and operations. Also apply backend properties such as [distributing traffic to a pool of URLs](backends.md#load-balanced-pool-preview) and [circuit breaker rules](backends.md#circuit-breaker-preview) to protect the backend from too many requests.
+
 > [!NOTE]
 > Backend entities can be managed via [Azure portal](how-to-configure-service-fabric-backend.md), management [API](/rest/api/apimanagement), and [PowerShell](https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages?q=apimanagement).