Deploying Azure Virtual Machines
This guide walks you through the process of deploying a virtual machine (VM) in Azure using the Azure portal. Azure VMs provide on-demand, scalable computing resources.
Prerequisites
- An Azure account with an active subscription. If you don't have one, you can create a free account.
- Basic understanding of cloud computing concepts and virtual machine components.
Step 1: Sign in to the Azure Portal
Open your web browser and navigate to https://portal.azure.com/. Sign in with your Azure account credentials.
Step 2: Create a Virtual Machine
In the Azure portal, search for "Virtual machines" in the search bar at the top and select it.
Click on the + Create button, then select Virtual machine.
Step 3: Configure Basic Settings
On the "Create a virtual machine" page, you'll need to configure several basic settings:
- Subscription: Select the Azure subscription you want to use.
- Resource group: Create a new resource group or select an existing one to organize your VM resources.
- Virtual machine name: Enter a unique name for your VM.
- Region: Choose the Azure region where you want to deploy your VM.
- Availability options: Configure availability sets, zones, or scales sets for high availability.
- Security type: Choose a security level (Standard, Trusted launch, or Confidential).
- Image: Select an operating system image (e.g., Windows Server, Ubuntu Server).
- VM architecture: Choose between x64 or Arm64.
- Size: Select the VM size based on your performance and cost requirements.
- Administrator account: Configure authentication (SSH public key or password) for Linux VMs, or username and password for Windows VMs.
- Inbound port rules: Specify which ports to allow traffic to (e.g., RDP (3389) for Windows, SSH (22) for Linux).
Click Next: Disks > to proceed.
Step 4: Configure Disks
Choose the OS disk type (e.g., Premium SSD, Standard SSD, Standard HDD) and configure data disks as needed.
Click Next: Networking >.
Step 5: Configure Networking
Configure virtual network, subnet, public IP address, and network security group (NSG) settings. The defaults are often suitable for basic deployments.
Click Next: Management >.
Step 6: Configure Management Settings (Optional)
This section allows you to configure monitoring, identity, auto-shutdown, and backup settings.
Click Next: Advanced >.
Step 7: Configure Advanced Settings (Optional)
Configure extensions, custom data, and host group settings if required.
Click Next: Tags >.
Step 8: Add Tags (Optional)
Tags are key-value pairs that help you organize your Azure resources.
Click Next: Review + create >.
Step 9: Review and Create
Review all the settings you've configured. Azure will perform a validation check. If validation passes, you can click the Create button.
Deployment may take a few minutes. You can monitor the deployment progress.
View Deployed VMConnecting to Your VM
Once the deployment is complete, you can connect to your VM:
- For Windows VMs: Use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). You'll need the public IP address of your VM and the administrator credentials you configured.
- For Linux VMs: Use SSH. You'll need the public IP address of your VM and your SSH key or password.
You can find connection details on the VM's overview page in the Azure portal.
Next Steps
- Learn how to manage your virtual machines.
- Explore networking options for your VMs.
- Consider setting up backups for your VM data.