Azure Virtual Machine

 



Azure Virtual Machine

Azure Virtual Machine (VM) is a compute resource offered by Microsoft Azure that allows you to run applications and workloads in the cloud. It provides flexibility in terms of operating systems, configurations, and scalability, making it a versatile choice for various use cases from development and testing to production environments. Here’s an overview of Azure Virtual Machines and important concepts associated with them:

Azure Virtual Machine Overview:

  1. Deployment Options:

    • Windows and Linux: Azure VMs support a wide range of Windows Server and Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Debian, and more.
    • Pre-built Images: Azure provides pre-configured images for common server applications like SQL Server, Oracle Database, SharePoint Server, and more.

  2. Virtual Machine Sizes:

    • Azure VMs come in various sizes categorized by CPU, memory, storage capacity, and networking capabilities (e.g., Basic, Standard, and Premium tiers). You can choose the appropriate size based on your workload requirements.

  3. Storage Options:

    • Azure VMs use Azure Managed Disks for persistent storage, offering different types such as Standard HDD, Standard SSD, and Premium SSD. Managed Disks simplify disk management and provide options for encryption and snapshots.

  4. Networking:

    • Azure Virtual Machines can be deployed within an Azure Virtual Network (VNet) to provide isolation, security, and control over network traffic. You can configure network security groups (NSGs), subnets, load balancers, and VPN gateways to customize network settings.

  5. High Availability:

    • Azure VMs can be placed in availability sets to ensure high availability and fault tolerance. Availability sets distribute VM instances across multiple fault domains and update domains within an Azure data center.

  6. Security and Monitoring:

    • Azure VMs benefit from built-in security features such as Azure Security Center, encryption at rest, role-based access control (RBAC), and integration with Azure Monitor for monitoring performance metrics and generating alerts.

Types of Images on Azure Virtual Machine:

Azure Virtual Machines offer different types of images that can be used to create VM instances:

  1. Azure Marketplace Images:

    • Purpose: Pre-built images from Azure Marketplace offer ready-to-use configurations for various applications and services.
    • Use Cases: Quickly deploy servers like SQL Server, Ubuntu Server, Windows Server, etc., with pre-configured settings and licensing options.

  2. Azure Gallery Images:

    • Purpose: Standardized images provided by Microsoft, including base images for Windows and Linux distributions.
    • Use Cases: Create VMs from standard OS images like Windows Server, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc., for general-purpose computing needs.

  3. Custom Images:

    • Purpose: Create customized VM images based on your specific configurations, applications, and settings.
    • Use Cases: Capture and reuse VM configurations with specialized software installations, custom scripts, or pre-configured applications tailored to your business needs.

Steps to Create an Azure Virtual Machine (using Azure Portal):

  1. Sign in to Azure Portal:

  2. Create a Resource:

    • Click on "+ Create a resource" button on the left-hand side of the Azure portal dashboard.

  3. Search for Virtual Machine:

    • In the search box, type "Virtual Machine" and select Virtual Machine from the suggested results.

  4. Configure Basics:

    • In the Basics tab of the Virtual Machine creation wizard:
      • Subscription: Select the Azure subscription you want to use.
      • Resource Group: Create a new resource group or select an existing one. Resource groups help you organize and manage related Azure resources.
      • Virtual Machine Name: Enter a name for your VM.
      • Region: Choose the Azure region where you want to deploy the VM.
      • Image: Select an operating system image. Azure provides various images for Windows Server, Linux distributions, and specialized images like SQL Server, Oracle, etc.
      • Size: Choose a VM size based on your workload requirements (CPU, memory, disk performance).
      • Authentication Type: Select authentication type (password for Windows, SSH public key or password for Linux).

  5. Configure Disks:

    • In the Disks tab:
      • OS Disk Type: Select between Standard HDD, Standard SSD, or Premium SSD.
      • Disk Size: Specify the size of the OS disk in GB.

  6. Configure Networking:

    • In the Networking tab:
      • Virtual Network: Select a Virtual Network (VNet) or create a new one to place your VM in.
      • Subnet: Choose a subnet within the selected VNet.
      • Public IP: Decide whether to assign a public IP address to the VM (for remote access).
      • Network Security Group: Optionally, associate a Network Security Group (NSG) to control inbound and outbound traffic to the VM.

  7. Configure Management:

    • In the Management tab:
      • Monitoring: Enable Azure Monitor for VM monitoring and diagnostics.
      • Auto-shutdown: Optionally, configure auto-shutdown settings to manage costs by automatically shutting down the VM outside of working hours.

  8. Review + Create:

    • Review the configuration settings for your VM.
    • Click on "Create" to start deploying the VM based on your settings.

  9. Deployment Progress:

    • Azure will start deploying your Virtual Machine. The deployment process may take a few minutes to complete.

  10. Accessing the Virtual Machine:

    • Once the VM deployment is complete, you can access it via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for Windows VMs or Secure Shell (SSH) for Linux VMs. Use the credentials you specified during the VM creation process.

Additional Tips:

  • Custom Script Extension: Azure allows you to run custom scripts on your VM during deployment using Custom Script Extensions. This can be configured in the Extensions tab during VM creation.

  • Resource Locks: Consider applying resource locks to prevent accidental deletion or modification of critical Azure resources like your VM.

  • Azure Policies: Utilize Azure Policies to enforce organizational standards and compliance controls on VM configurations.

Creating an Azure Virtual Machine through the Azure portal gives you control over various aspects of VM configuration, networking, and security settings, allowing you to tailor the VM to meet your specific workload requirements in the cloud.

Connecting to Azure Virtual Machines:

Using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for Windows VMs:

  1. Generate SSH Keys (for Linux VMs):

    • If using Linux VMs, generate SSH keys using tools like PuTTYgen or ssh-keygen command on Unix-based systems.

  2. Connect via Azure Portal:

    • Navigate to the Azure portal (https://portal.azure.com).
    • Go to your Virtual Machine resource.
    • Click on "Connect" to get connection details for RDP (Windows) or SSH (Linux).

  3. Using Remote Desktop (Windows):

    • Use a Remote Desktop Client to connect to the VM using the public IP address or DNS name provided in the Azure portal. Authenticate using the VM's administrator credentials.

  4. Using SSH (Linux):

    • Open a terminal or SSH client.
    • Use the SSH command with the VM's public IP address or DNS name and the SSH private key.
    • Example: ssh azureuser@<public-ip-address> -i <path-to-private-key>

  5. Azure Bastion:

    • For enhanced security, you can use Azure Bastion to securely connect to your VMs over SSH or RDP directly from the Azure portal without exposing public IPs or managing SSH keys manually.

Connecting to Azure Virtual Machines involves configuring network security rules, ensuring proper authentication credentials, and choosing the appropriate remote access method based on the VM's operating system (RDP for Windows, SSH for Linux). Azure provides comprehensive documentation and tools to simplify the deployment, management, and connectivity of Azure Virtual Machines in various scenarios.

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