Emmanuel

Posted on Apr 7 • Updated on Apr 9

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO CREATE WINDOWS 11 VIRTUAL MACHINE ON AZURE

Creating an Azure Virtual Machine (VM) involves several steps. Here's a step-by-step method to create one:

NUMBER ONE
Sign in to the Azure Portal
a. Open your web browser and navigate to the Azure Portal.
b. Sign in with your Azure account credentials.

STEP ONE
Go to the search bar and search for Virtual Machines

STEP THREE
Click on create new

STEP THREE
Input instance details.

In Azure, "instance details" typically refer to the specific configuration and settings of a particular instance of a resource. An instance in Azure can represent various resources such as virtual machines, databases, containers, and more.

For example, if we consider an Azure Virtual Machine (VM), the instance details would include:

Size and Configuration:

The size of the VM, which determines the amount of CPU, memory, and storage allocated to the instance.
Configuration settings such as the number of CPU cores, amount of RAM, and disk type (Standard HDD, Standard SSD, Premium SSD).
Operating System and Image:

The operating system installed on the VM, such as Windows Server, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.
The image used to provision the VM, whether it's a pre-configured image provided by Azure or a custom image created by the user.
Networking:

Network configuration settings such as virtual network (VNet) and subnet assignment.
Public IP address assignment (if applicable) for internet access.
Network security group (NSG) rules for controlling inbound and outbound traffic.
Storage:

Disk configuration, including OS disk and any additional data disks attached to the VM.
Storage account settings if using Azure Managed Disks.
Management and Monitoring:

Monitoring settings for performance metrics and diagnostics.
Auto-shutdown schedules for cost optimization.
Update management settings for automated patching and updates.
Security and Access:

Security settings such as encryption for data at rest and in transit.
Access control settings including role-based access control (RBAC) assignments.
Instance details provide a comprehensive overview of the specific configuration of a resource instance within Azure. This information is crucial for managing, monitoring, and troubleshooting Azure resources effectively. It allows users to understand the characteristics and settings of their resources, ensuring they are optimized for performance, security, and cost-efficiency.

STEP THREE
Select your size

In the context of creating an Azure Virtual Machine (VM), "size" refers to the specification of resources allocated to the VM, including CPU, memory, and disk capacity. Azure offers a wide range of VM sizes to accommodate various workloads and performance requirements. When creating a VM, selecting an appropriate size is essential to ensure optimal performance and cost-effectiveness.

Here are some key aspects to consider when choosing the size for an Azure VM:

CPU and Memory Configuration:

Azure VM sizes are categorized based on the number of virtual CPUs (vCPUs) and the amount of memory (RAM) they provide.
VM sizes range from small instances with a few vCPUs and limited memory to large instances with multiple vCPUs and a significant amount of memory.
Consider the compute requirements of your workload, such as CPU-intensive tasks or memory-intensive applications, when selecting the size.
Disk Configuration:

Azure VMs come with an OS disk by default, but you can also attach additional data disks for storage.
Different VM sizes offer varying amounts of temporary storage, premium storage, and SSD storage options.
Evaluate your storage needs, including disk space and disk performance, to choose an appropriate VM size.
Performance Characteristics:

VM sizes are optimized for different types of workloads, such as general-purpose computing, compute-intensive tasks, memory-optimized applications, and storage-intensive operations.
Consider the performance characteristics of the VM size, including CPU speed, memory bandwidth, and disk I/O performance, to ensure it meets the requirements of your workload.
Cost Considerations:

Larger VM sizes with more resources typically come with higher costs.
Choose a VM size that balances performance requirements with cost considerations to optimize your cloud spending.
Azure provides pricing information for each VM size, allowing you to estimate the cost based on your usage.
Scalability and Flexibility:

Azure VM sizes can be scaled up or down dynamically to adjust to changing workload demands.
Consider future scalability needs when choosing a VM size, and be prepared to scale resources as your workload grows.
When creating an Azure VM, you can select the desired size from the available options provided by Azure. It's essential to evaluate your workload requirements carefully and choose a size that provides adequate resources to meet performance, storage, and cost objectives. Regular monitoring and optimization of VM sizes can help ensure efficient resource utilization and cost-effective operations in the Azure cloud.

NOTE
Leave Enable Hibernation (preview) at default state.

STEP FOUR
Administrative Account

When creating a virtual machine (VM) on Azure, setting up an administrative account is a crucial step. This administrative account will have elevated privileges on the VM, allowing you to perform administrative tasks such as installing software, configuring settings, and managing users.

Here are some key points about the administrative account when creating a virtual machine on Azure:

Username and Password:

You need to specify a username for the administrative account. This username is often referred to as the "administrator" or "admin" username.
Choose a username that is easy to remember but difficult for others to guess.
You also need to set a password for the administrative account. Ensure that the password is strong and meets Azure's password requirements, including a minimum length and a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
SSH Key (for Linux VMs):

If you're creating a Linux VM, you have the option to use SSH key-based authentication instead of a password.
Instead of setting a password, you can provide the public key portion of an SSH key pair. Azure will use this public key to authenticate SSH connections to the VM.
SSH key-based authentication is considered more secure than password authentication and is the recommended method for accessing Linux VMs.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC):

Azure provides Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), which allows you to assign permissions to users, groups, or applications at a granular level.
By default, the administrative account you create during VM creation will have full administrative privileges on the VM.
You can further manage access to the VM by assigning appropriate RBAC roles to users or groups, limiting their permissions based on their responsibilities and requirements.
Security Best Practices:

Follow security best practices when setting up the administrative account, such as using complex passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regularly rotating passwords.
Avoid using default or common usernames and passwords to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Implement network security group (NSG) rules to control inbound and outbound traffic to the VM, limiting access to only necessary ports and protocols.
Accessing the VM:

Once the VM is provisioned, you can access it using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) for Windows VMs or Secure Shell (SSH) for Linux VMs.
Use the specified username and password (or SSH key) to authenticate and log in to the VM as the administrative user.
By properly configuring the administrative account when creating a virtual machine on Azure and following security best practices, you can ensure secure access and effective management of your Azure VMs.

STEP FIVE
INBOUND PORT RULES
In Azure, inbound port rules are configurations that control the incoming network traffic to a virtual machine (VM) from external sources. These rules are defined within the Network Security Group (NSG) associated with the VM and specify which ports and protocols are allowed or denied for inbound connections. NSGs act as a basic firewall for controlling traffic to and from Azure resources, including VMs.

Here's what you need to know about inbound port rules when creating virtual machines in Azure:

STEP SIX

Thick that you confirm you have a valid windows 11/10 for this VM.

STEP FOUR

Select Next Disk

When you get to the next tab, you will see that
When creating a virtual machine (VM) in Azure, disks play a crucial role in storing the operating system, applications, and data associated with the VM. Here's a summary of disks in creating a VM in Azure:

OS Disk:

The OS disk is the primary disk used to store the operating system files of the VM.
When creating a VM, you need to specify the size and type (Standard HDD, Standard SSD, Premium SSD) of the OS disk.
The OS disk is attached to the VM and typically contains the boot partition and system files required for the VM to start and operate.
Data Disks:

Data disks are additional disks attached to the VM for storing data, applications, and other files.
You can attach multiple data disks to a VM, each with its own size and type (Standard HDD, Standard SSD, Premium SSD).
Data disks provide additional storage capacity and can be used for various purposes, such as databases, file storage, and application data.
Disk Encryption:

Azure Disk Encryption can be used to encrypt both OS and data disks attached to the VM.
During VM creation, you have the option to enable disk encryption and specify the encryption settings, including the encryption key source (Azure Key Vault or customer-managed key) and encryption algorithms.
Disk encryption helps protect data at rest and ensures compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
Managed Disks:

Azure Managed Disks simplify disk management by handling storage provisioning, replication, and scaling automatically.
When creating a VM, you can choose to use managed disks instead of traditional storage accounts for storing OS and data disks.
Managed disks offer features such as built-in redundancy, simplified management, and integration with Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery.
Disk Caching:

Disk caching settings can be configured to optimize disk performance and reduce latency.
Azure provides three caching options for data disks: None, Read-only, and Read-write.
By default, OS disks use read-write caching for better performance, but you can modify caching settings for data disks based on your workload requirements.
Disk Snapshots and Backups:

Azure offers features for creating snapshots and backups of VM disks to protect against data loss and enable disaster recovery.
You can take point-in-time snapshots of disks for backup and restore operations or create scheduled backups using Azure Backup.
Disk snapshots and backups provide data protection and recovery capabilities for VMs and their associated disks.
In summary, disks in creating a VM in Azure encompass the OS disk, data disks, disk encryption, managed disks, caching settings, and disk backup and recovery features. By configuring disks appropriately during VM creation, you can ensure efficient storage management, data protection, and performance optimization for your Azure VMs and workloads.

NEXT CLICK NETWORKING
Azure creates the and selects the network by default.

STEP FIVE
Click on next as management
Also leave at default state

STEP SIX
You can decide to click on alert or not, but for now leave at default.

STEP SEVEN
Click on advanced. leave at default too.

STEP EIGHT
Click on tags

In Azure, tags are metadata labels that you can assign to Azure resources, including virtual machines (VMs), to organize and categorize them based on attributes that are meaningful to your organization. When creating a virtual machine in Azure, you have the option to add tags to the VM. Here's an explanation of tags in the context of creating a virtual machine:

Purpose of Tags:

Tags provide a flexible and customizable way to organize and manage resources in Azure.
They allow you to logically group and categorize resources based on attributes such as environment (e.g., production, development, testing), department, project, cost center, or any other custom attribute that is relevant to your organization.
Key-Value Pairs:

Tags consist of key-value pairs, where the key is a descriptive label and the value is the specific attribute or value associated with that label.
You can assign multiple tags to a single resource, each with a unique key and value.
Common Use Cases:

Environment: Tags can indicate the environment of the VM, such as "Environment: Production" or "Environment: Development".
Project: Tags can specify the project or initiative associated with the VM, such as "Project: Website Redesign" or "Project: Database Migration".
Cost Center: Tags can track the cost center or department responsible for the VM's expenses, such as "Cost Center: Marketing" or "Cost Center: IT".
Owner: Tags can identify the owner or primary contact for the VM, such as "Owner: John Doe" or "Owner: IT Operations Team".
Management and Reporting:

Tags can be used for resource management tasks such as billing, cost analysis, and resource tracking.
Azure Cost Management + Billing allows you to analyze and visualize spending based on tags, helping you understand and allocate costs more effectively.
Tags can also be used for resource organization, filtering, and searching within the Azure portal or through Azure Resource Manager (ARM) queries and PowerShell/CLI commands.
Automation and Governance:

Tags can be leveraged in automation scripts and policies to enforce governance and compliance standards.
Azure Policy can enforce tagging requirements for VMs, ensuring that certain tags are applied to resources during deployment.
Automation tasks such as resource provisioning, monitoring, and scaling can use tags to identify and manage resources dynamically.
In summary, tags are metadata labels that provide a flexible and powerful way to organize, manage, and govern virtual machines and other Azure resources. By assigning tags to VMs during creation, you can improve resource management, cost allocation, and governance within your Azure environment.

STEP NINE
REVIEW AND CREATE
In the context of creating a virtual machine (VM) or any other resource in Azure, the last stage involves reviewing the configuration settings before finalizing the deployment. This review and validation step is crucial to ensure that the resource is provisioned with the correct settings, meets requirements, and aligns with organizational standards. Here's a breakdown of the last stage review and creation process:

Configuration Review:

Review all the configuration settings you've specified for the virtual machine, including VM size, operating system, disk configuration, networking, security, and management settings.
Verify that the selected settings align with the requirements of the workload or application you intend to deploy on the VM.
Double-check critical settings such as network configuration, security rules, and access controls to ensure they are correctly configured and aligned with organizational policies.
Cost Estimation:

Estimate the cost of the VM deployment based on the selected configuration settings.
Consider factors such as VM size, disk types, data transfer costs, and any additional services or features enabled for the VM.
Use Azure Pricing Calculator or Azure Cost Management tools to estimate the ongoing costs associated with the VM deployment.
Security and Compliance Review:

Ensure that security measures such as encryption, network security group (NSG) rules, and access controls are configured according to security best practices and compliance requirements.
Review encryption settings for data at rest and in transit, as well as any additional security features enabled for the VM.
Verify compliance with regulatory standards and organizational security policies.
High Availability and Disaster Recovery Considerations:

Assess the high availability and disaster recovery (HA/DR) capabilities of the VM deployment.
Review the availability set or availability zone configuration to ensure fault tolerance and redundancy.
Consider implementing backup and recovery solutions for data protection and business continuity.
Documentation and Collaboration:

Document the configuration settings and deployment details for future reference and knowledge sharing.
Collaborate with team members or stakeholders to review the deployment plan and obtain any necessary approvals or feedback.
Ensure that relevant documentation, such as runbooks or deployment guides, is updated with the latest information.
Validation and Testing:

Perform validation and testing procedures to verify that the VM deployment behaves as expected.
Test connectivity to the VM, verify application functionality, and perform any required performance or load testing.
Address any issues or discrepancies identified during testing before finalizing the deployment.
Finalize Deployment:

Once the review process is complete and any necessary adjustments have been made, proceed to finalize the deployment.
Click on the "Create" or "Deploy" button to initiate the provisioning of the virtual machine based on the specified configuration settings.
Monitor the deployment progress in the Azure portal and address any errors or issues that may arise during the deployment process.
The last stage review and creation process ensure that the virtual machine deployment in Azure is well-planned, configured correctly, and meets the requirements of the workload or application. By conducting thorough reviews and validations before finalizing the deployment, you can minimize risks, improve operational efficiency, and ensure a successful implementation of the VM in your Azure environment.