🖥️ Part 3: Managing the Virtual Machine - Migration, Scaling & Cost Optimization

Overview

As the environment continued to evolve, networking was only one piece of the puzzle.

With the new ftpSubnet created and secured in Part 2, the next step was ensuring the virtual machine could properly support its workload.

This phase moved beyond networking and focused on VM management ,i.e aligning subnet placement, compute power,storage and cost optimization to ensure performance, security, and efficiency.

Here’s how I handled it 👇

🔄 Step 1: Migrating the VM to the New Subnet

Since the new subnet had stricter network rules (allowing only SSH – Port 22), the VM had to be placed inside it.

I navigated to:
•Virtual Machines
•Selected guided-project-vm

•Stopped the VM (Azure requires deallocation for subnet changes)

•Waited until it showed Stopped (deallocated)

Then:
•Opened Networking
•Selected the Network Interface / IP configuration

•Changed the subnet to ftpSubnet
•Clicked Apply

📝 Note

The VM was now operating inside the secured subnet environment
✅ Network segmentation
✅ Security alignment

📈 Step 2: Vertically Scaling the VM

With the VM transitioning into an FTP server role, it needed more processing power.

From the VM blade:
•I selected Size under Availability + Scale
•Chose a higher SKU (e.g., D2s_v5)
•Clicked Resize

📝 Note

✅ Vertical scaling allows us to increase CPU and memory without redeploying the VM.
✅ Now the machine could handle more concurrent connections and file transfers.
✅ Performance upgraded 🚀

💾 Step 3: Attaching a New Data Disk

An FTP server without sufficient storage is a problem waiting to happen.
So I attached a new managed disk:
•Opened Disks
•Selected Create and attach a new disk

•Named it ftp-data-disk
•Set size to 20 GB
•Applied changes

📝 Note

✅ The VM now had dedicated storage for uploads and file transfers.

⏱️ Step 4: Configuring Automatic Shutdown (Cost Control)

Running a VM 24/7 can quietly increase cloud costs.
Since the admin only needed the FTP server during working hours, I configured automatic shutdown:
•Navigated to Auto-shutdown
•Set scheduled shutdown to 7:15 PM (UTC)
•Saved configuration

📝 Note

✅ Now,the VM automatically powers down daily thereby reducing unnecessary compute charges.
✅ Cost optimization is also in action 💡

📊 Final Outcome

By the end of this task, I had:
✅•Migrated the VM to a secured subnet
✅•Increased its compute capacity
✅•Expanded its storage
✅•Implemented automated cost control

This exercise reinforced something important:
Azure management isn’t just about deploying resources,it’s about maintaining,optimizing, and securing them over time.

That’s what real cloud administration looks like.

Comments

[SKILL.SCH]

Good finops practices welldone!