Microsoft Docs > Azure > Compute > Virtual Machines

Virtual Machines

Explore Microsoft Azure's Virtual Machines for scalable, on-demand compute resources.

What are Azure Virtual Machines?

Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) provide on-demand, scalable computing resources. You can use Azure VMs to deploy and manage a wide range of computing services. With Azure VMs, you get the flexibility of virtualization for a wide variety of computing workloads, and the benefits of using Microsoft Azure for compliance, scalability, and management.

Key Benefits:

Scalability: Easily scale your compute resources up or down based on demand.
Flexibility: Choose from a wide range of operating systems, including Windows and Linux.
Cost-Effectiveness: Pay only for what you use, with various pricing options including reserved instances.
Global Reach: Deploy VMs in data centers around the world.
Managed Services: Leverage Azure's robust infrastructure and management tools.

Common Use Cases:

Running applications and websites.
Development and testing environments.
Big data analytics.
High-performance computing (HPC).
Running Windows Server and SQL Server workloads.

Getting Started with Azure VMs

Here are some essential resources to help you get started with Azure Virtual Machines:

Choosing the Right VM Size:

Azure offers a variety of VM sizes optimized for different workloads. Understanding these options is crucial for performance and cost management.

For detailed information on VM sizes, refer to the VM size documentation.

Advanced Topics

Example Configuration

Here's a basic example of how to create a Linux VM using Azure CLI:

az vm create \
  --resource-group MyResourceGroup \
  --name MyVM \
  --image UbuntuLTS \
  --admin-username azureuser \
  --generate-ssh-keys

This command creates a virtual machine named MyVM in the resource group MyResourceGroup using the latest Ubuntu LTS image, along with an SSH key pair for secure access.