Azure Virtual Machines: Basics

This section provides an introduction to Azure Virtual Machines (VMs), covering fundamental concepts and essential information for getting started.

What is an Azure Virtual Machine?

An Azure Virtual Machine is an on-demand, scalable computing resource that Azure offers. It provides the same capabilities as a physical server, but you can access it from anywhere. You can use Azure VMs to run applications, host websites, run development and testing environments, store data, and much more.

Core Concepts

Understanding these core concepts is crucial for working with Azure VMs:

Resource Group

A resource group is a logical container that holds related Azure resources for an Azure solution. You can create, manage, and delete resources like VMs, virtual networks, and storage accounts together.

Virtual Network (VNet)

A VNet provides Azure resources, such as VMs, with a private network in the cloud. You can configure VNets to isolate your resources, control network traffic, and connect to your on-premises network.

Subnet

A subnet is a range of IP addresses within your VNet. You can segment your VNet into smaller subnets to organize resources and improve security.

Network Interface Card (NIC)

A NIC connects an Azure VM to a virtual network. Each VM must have at least one NIC, and you can add more for complex network configurations.

Public IP Address

A public IP address allows your VM to be accessible from the internet. You can assign static or dynamic public IP addresses.

Storage

Azure VMs utilize Azure Storage for their operating system disks, data disks, and any other storage needs. Common options include Managed Disks (SSD and HDD) and Blob Storage.

VM Sizes and Configurations

Azure offers a wide variety of VM sizes, categorized into different series (e.g., A, B, D, E, F, G, H, M, N) to meet diverse workload requirements. Each series is optimized for specific use cases, such as general purpose, compute-optimized, memory-optimized, storage-optimized, and GPU-intensive workloads.

When choosing a VM size, consider factors like:

• CPU cores
• RAM
• Temporary storage
• Network bandwidth
• I/O performance

You can learn more about available VM sizes and pricing on the Azure documentation website.

Getting Started

The quickest way to get started is by creating a VM through the Azure portal. You'll be guided through a wizard to select your operating system, VM size, network configuration, and other settings.

Alternatively, you can use:

• Azure CLI (Command-Line Interface)
• Azure PowerShell
• ARM templates or Bicep for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) deployments

For detailed steps on creating your first VM, refer to the following guides:

• Create a Linux virtual machine
• Create a Windows virtual machine

Next Steps

Once you have created your VM, you'll likely want to explore:

• Deploying applications
• Managing your VM's lifecycle
• Configuring network security
• Attaching and managing disks