Concept Tasks for Azure Compute Services

Last updated: October 26, 2023

Azure Compute provides a wide range of services to run your applications and workloads. Understanding the common tasks and concepts associated with these services is crucial for effective cloud adoption and management.

Core Compute Concepts

Before diving into specific tasks, familiarize yourself with these fundamental concepts:

• Virtual Machines (VMs): On-demand, scalable computing resources. Learn how to create, configure, and manage VMs in Azure.
• Containers: Lightweight, portable, and self-sufficient compute units. Explore Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure Container Instances (ACI).
• Serverless Computing: Run code without provisioning or managing servers. Understand Azure Functions and Azure Logic Apps for event-driven and automated workflows.
• App Services: Fully managed platform for building, deploying, and scaling web apps, mobile backends, and API apps.
• Scale Sets: Manage and automate the creation of a set of identical, load-balanced VMs.

Common Task Categories

1. Resource Provisioning and Management

This category covers the creation, configuration, and deletion of compute resources.

• Creating a Virtual Machine: Step-by-step guides for deploying Windows and Linux VMs.
• Configuring Network Security: Setting up Network Security Groups (NSGs) and firewalls for secure communication.
• Deploying Container Images: Pushing and running container images on AKS and ACI.
• Setting up App Services: Deploying web applications from various sources like Git, GitHub, or CI/CD pipelines.
• Managing Scale Sets: Configuring auto-scaling rules to adjust the number of VM instances based on demand.

2. Application Deployment and Hosting

Tasks related to getting your applications running on Azure Compute services.

• Deploying Web Applications to App Services: Various deployment methods and configurations.
• Running Microservices with AKS: Orchestrating and managing containerized applications.
• Hosting APIs: Creating and deploying RESTful APIs using App Service or Azure Functions.
• Running Background Jobs: Utilizing Azure Functions or VM Scale Sets for batch processing and background tasks.

3. Monitoring and Diagnostics

Ensuring your compute resources are performing optimally and troubleshooting issues.

• Monitoring VM Performance: Using Azure Monitor to track CPU, memory, disk, and network usage.
• Analyzing Container Logs: Collecting and reviewing logs from AKS and ACI.
• Diagnosing App Service Issues: Leveraging Application Insights and Kudu for in-depth debugging.
• Setting up Alerts: Configuring alerts for critical performance metrics and events.

4. Security and Compliance

Securing your compute workloads and adhering to compliance standards.

• Managing VM Access: Implementing secure authentication and authorization methods.
• Applying Security Patches: Keeping your VM operating systems and applications up-to-date.
• Using Azure Key Vault: Storing and managing secrets, keys, and certificates securely.
• Container Security Best Practices: Securing container images and runtime environments.

Example: Creating a Linux VM

Here's a high-level overview of creating a Linux Virtual Machine:

1. Navigate to the Azure portal.
2. Click "Create a resource" and search for "Virtual machine".
3. Select a Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu Server).
4. Configure VM size, region, and storage.
5. Set up authentication (SSH public key or password).
6. Configure networking and security settings (ports, NSGs).
7. Review and create the VM.

You can also automate this process using Azure CLI, PowerShell, or ARM templates.

# Example Azure CLI command to create a Linux VM
az vm create \
  --resource-group MyResourceGroup \
  --name MyVM \
  --image UbuntuLTS \
  --admin-username azureuser \
  --generate-ssh-keys