DEV Community: Kehinde Onifade

Explore Microsoft Azure: Azure and Its Services

Kehinde Onifade — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:43:26 +0000

1. Introduction

1.1 What Microsoft Azure Is:

Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform that offers a wide range of services and tools for building, deploying, and managing applications and infrastructure.

One of the most robust cloud platforms available is Microsoft Azure. It provides resources like virtual machines, databases, storage solutions, and advanced technologies such as AI and machine learning. Microsoft Azure enables businesses and developers to scale their operations, reduce costs, and innovate with greater flexibility, all while leveraging Microsoft’s extensive global network of data centers.

1.2 Microsoft Azure Plays Several Key Roles in Cloud Computing:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS):

Microsoft Azure provides virtualized computing resources over the internet, allowing users to deploy and manage virtual machines, networks, and storage without owning physical hardware.

Platform as a Service (PaaS):

Azure offers a platform for developers to build, deploy, and manage applications without dealing with the underlying infrastructure. This includes services like Azure App Services and Azure SQL Database.

Software as a Service (SaaS):

Microsoft Azure supports SaaS applications, providing ready-to-use software solutions accessible over the internet, such as Microsoft 365.

Scalability and Flexibility:

Azure allows users to scale resources up or down based on demand, providing the flexibility to handle varying workloads efficiently.
Global Reach:

With a vast network of data centers around the world, Microsoft Azure ensures low-latency access and compliance with regional data regulations.
Security and Compliance:

Azure offers advanced security features and complies with numerous industry standards and regulations to protect data and applications.
Integration and Hybrid Capabilities:

Microsoft Azure integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products and supports hybrid cloud environments, allowing businesses to connect on-premises data centers with the cloud.

2. Overview of Microsoft Azure Services

Compute Services: Virtual Machines, App Services, Azure Functions.
Storage Solutions: Blob Storage, Disk Storage, File Storage.
Databases: Azure SQL Database, Cosmos DB, Azure Database for MySQL/PostgreSQL.
Networking: Virtual Network, Azure Load Balancer, Azure VPN Gateway.
AI & Machine Learning: Azure Cognitive Services, Azure Machine Learning.
DevOps Tools: Azure DevOps, Azure Pipelines, Azure Repos.

3. Benefits of Using Microsoft Azure

Scalability: Easily scale resources up or down based on demand.
Cost Efficiency: Pay-as-you-go model and reserved instances.
Global Reach: Data centers around the world for lower latency and compliance.
Security: Advanced security features and compliance certifications.
Integration: Seamless integration with various Microsoft products and services.
Innovation: Access to cutting-edge technologies like AI and IoT.

4. Conclusion
Explore Microsoft Azure to harness these benefits and transform your IT infrastructure. Dive into its services, try out its free offerings, and see how it can meet your needs.

Azure Storage Account: A Guide To Creating an Azure Storage Account and a Blob Storage Container.

Kehinde Onifade — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 11:15:35 +0000

Imagine you run a bakery. You have different types of products like bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries. You need a place to store all these items, where they are safe, organized, and can be easily accessed whenever you need them. In your bakery, you might use different storage containers or shelves to keep everything in order.

Think of an Azure Storage Account as a big, organized, and secure warehouse in the digital world. Here’s how it works. Just like in your bakery, where you have different shelves for bread, cakes, and cookies, an Azure Storage Account has different types of storage for different kinds of data. Blob Storage for large files such as images, videos, and documents (like your cakes and pastries). File Storage for shared files that many people or systems need to access (like a shared recipe book for your bakery staff). Queue Storage for messaging between different parts of your application (like a to-do list for your bakery staff). Table Storage for structured data, like customer orders or inventory lists (like a register or catalog in your bakery). Security and Access: Just like you’d lock your bakery at night and only give keys to trusted employees, Azure Storage Account ensures your data is secure and only accessible to people or applications you trust. Scalability: If your bakery grows and you start getting more customers, you might need more storage space. Similarly, an Azure Storage Account can easily scale up to store more data as your needs grow. By providing your data with a unique namespace, this storage account enables effortless global accessibility through HTTP or HTTPS.

What is Azure Storage?
Azure offers a variety of data storage solutions, including databases like Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Table Storage. It also provides messaging services such as Azure Queues and Event Hubs. For storing loose files, you can use Azure Files and Azure Blobs.
Azure Storage encompasses four core data services: Azure Blobs, Azure Files, Azure Queues, and Azure Tables. These services are grouped under the Azure Storage umbrella.

What is a storage account?
A storage account is a container that organizes a set of Azure Storage services. It exclusively includes data services from Azure Storage, such as Azure Blobs, Azure Files, Azure Queues, and Azure Tables. The following illustration depicts a storage account with various data services.

What is Azure Blob Storage?
Azure Blob Storage can be thought of as a vast digital warehouse where you can securely store various types of data. Instead of physical items, this storage holds digital files such as images, videos, documents, and software applications. Imagine you run a bakery where you create and sell various delicious treats like bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries. To keep your bakery running smoothly, you need a reliable storage solution where you can safely store all these items. Just like in your bakery, where you use different containers or shelves to keep everything organized and accessible, Azure Blob Storage provides a similar function in the digital world.
In Azure Blob Storage, you can store different types of digital "ingredients" or files, such as images, videos, documents, and applications. Each type of file can be securely stored and organized within Azure Blob Storage, ensuring they are easily accessible whenever you need them. Just as your bakery ensures that all items are stored safely and can be easily retrieved to serve your customers, Azure Blob Storage ensures that your digital files are securely stored and readily available for your applications and users.

Let’s dive into creating an Azure storage account and a Blob storage container. The steps below will guide you through the process.

Prerequisite
Create Your Storage Account
Create Your Blob Container
Types of Access Tier

Prerequisite:
a. If you don't have an Azure subscription, create a free account before you begin.
b. Log in to the Azure Portal.

Create Your Storage Account:
a. Sign in to Azure Portal
b. Click on the search bar and type “Storage Account.”

c. Select “Create”, this will take you to the “Basic” page to set up your storage account.

Provide the necessary details, including the account name, subscription, resource group, region, and redundancy options (locally redundant storage, geo-redundant storage, or read-access geo-redundant storage).

d. Under the project details, click to choose your existing subscription.
e. Click on “Create new” to create your resource group.

f. Scroll down to the instance details to input your globally unique storage account name (The name must be unique within Azure, use only lowercase letters and digits between 3 and 24 characters.) Select the region in which your storage will be deployed.
g. Click on the “Standard” option. This option decides the type of disk storage used to hold the data in the Storage account. Standard uses traditional hard disks, and Premium uses solid-state drives (SSD) for faster access.
h. For redundancy, select “Geo-redundant storage (GRS)” This option has a failover capability in a secondary region and is recommended for backup scenarios. They are also stored in two regions.
i. You can select any of the redundancy option based on your needs, but for this guide we are going with GRS.

j. Click on “Next: Advance>”, and scroll down to the Blob storage section.
k. On the Access tier, click on “hot” to frequently access your data at any time.

Please, note that there are three types of Access tiers available namely: Hot, Cool, and Archive. When creating a storage account, only the Hot and cool tiers can be seen, however, we will demonstrate how to switch to the Archive tier once the blob storage has been created.

l. Click on Next: Networking> to configure your networking:

m. On the Networking page, go to “Network connectivity” and enable public access from all networks.
n. When enabled, the URL of the storage can be accessed over the internet. If it is disabled, it becomes private and accessible to you alone.

o. Scroll down to Network routing and leave the preference default state “Microsoft network routing”
p. Click on Next: Data protection>

q. On the Data protection page, leave it in its default state. The purpose of this page is to retrieve your deleted storage within a minimum retention period of 7 days.

r. Skip the other settings then go to Review.
s. On the Review page, you can see a summary of all that you've done. Click on "Create"
t. Once validation is passed, click on "Review +create"

u. This will take you to the deployment page, once the deployment is complete, this means that your Storage Account is created, then click on “Go to resource” and you will be directed to the storage account page.

Create Your Blob Container:
a. After your storage account is created, click on it to access the overview.

b. Navigate to the “Containers” tab. (Scroll to the left of your storage page, under data storage, and click on "Container")

c. Click “+ Container” to create a new container.

d. Choose a unique container name and set the public access level. (Private, blob, container, or anonymous).

e. On the public access level, click on the dropdown menu and pick "Blob" to grant public access to the internet.
f. Click on the “Create button”

g. Your Container is created and should reflect as seen below. To proceed, you can just click on your container.

Upload Files to the Blob Container: a. In the container overview, click the “Upload button” to upload a document or picture (Unstructured data).

b. Select files from your local device and upload them to the container by clicking on "Browse for files or drag”

Retrieve and View Blob Files/Image(s): a. Your image will upload as shown below in your container.

b. To download files from the container, click on the file name and choose “Download.”

c. Once you click on the Uploaded blob, copy the URL.

d. Paste the URL on your web browser to publicly gain access to the document. (See the sample uploaded image below)

e. You can also delete files or containers by clicking the ellipsis icon and selecting “Delete.

Types of Access Tiers Azure Storage provides various access tiers, allowing you to store your blob data most economically depending on its usage. Think of it like a library where you manage your books. In this library, there are different sections for storing books based on how frequently they are read. Each section represents a different access tier.

Hot Access Tier
Imagine the main reading area in a library, right near the entrance. This is where you keep your favorite books, the ones you read frequently. They're easily accessible, so you can quickly grab a book and start reading whenever you want. This represents the hot access tier in Azure Storage, where you store files and data that you frequently use and need immediate access to.

Cool Access Tier
Imagine a section in the library where you store books that you enjoy but don't read as often. These books are still protected and well-organized, but they’re not in the main reading area for immediate access. You might need to move a few items to reach them. This represents the cool access tier in Azure Storage, where you store files and data that you don’t use as frequently but still want to keep securely and access relatively easily.

The advantage of using the cool access tier is that it is more cost-effective than the "hot access tier," which is reserved for items you need more frequently. Data in the cool tier should be stored for a minimum of 30 days.

Archive Access Tier
Finally, imagine a separate storage room within the library, like a locked archive. This is where you keep rare books or documents that you don't need to access for a very long time but want to preserve for the future. It's not readily accessible, and you would need to go through extra steps to retrieve them, such as unlocking the room or moving other items.

This represents the archive access tier in Azure Storage, where you store files and data that you rarely need to access but want to keep for long-term preservation. Data in the archive tier should be stored for a minimum of 180 days and offers the lowest storage cost.

How to Change Access Tier
a. Navigate to the Blob Page: Stay on the blob page and click on "Change Tier".
b. Access the Change Tier Panel: The Change Tier panel will appear on the right side of the container.
c. Select Preferred Access Tier: Click on the drop-down menu to select your desired access tier. This process applies to all access tiers.

Clean Up
At the end of a project, it's wise to assess whether you still need the resources you created in your subscription. Leaving unused resources running can incur costs. You can either delete resources individually or remove the entire resource group to eliminate all associated resources at once.
Use the following steps in the Azure portal to delete the resource group and all associated resources.
a. In the resource menu, select resource groups.
b. Select the resource group you created.

c. In the command bar, select Delete resource group.

d. In the confirmation pane, you're prompted to type the resource group name; you can right-click and drag the title from the Resource group pane.
d. When the expected name is a match, Delete is available.

f. Select Delete. It may take several minutes to delete your resource group.

g. Check Notifications in the Global Controls in the upper right corner of the Azure portal to ensure your operation is completed.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating a Windows 11 Virtual Machine in Azure Portal

Kehinde Onifade — Thu, 02 May 2024 14:31:52 +0000

A Windows 11 virtual machine provides unparalleled flexibility and convenience, offering a safe environment to explore and experiment with the latest features of Windows 11 without altering your primary operating system or hardware. Whether you're a developer testing software compatibility, a student learning new technologies, or a casual user curious about Windows 11's capabilities, a virtual machine offers a risk-free platform to delve into the world of Microsoft's newest operating system. With the ability to easily create, manage, and discard virtual environments, you can freely customize settings, install applications, and troubleshoot issues without fear of irreversible changes. Embrace the power of virtualization and unlock the full potential of Windows 11 on your terms.

Let's dive in and unleash the potential of Windows 11 in the Azure cloud environment!

Please follow the steps below to create your windows 11 virtual machine.

SIGN IN TO AZURE PORTAL
To sign in to the Azure Portal:
Open your web browser and go to portal.azure.com. Enter your Azure account email address or username. Click on the "Next" button. Enter your password associated with your Azure account and then click on the "Sign in" button.
If you have multi-factor authentication enabled, you may be prompted to provide additional verification, such as a code sent to your phone or email.
Once signed in successfully, you'll be redirected to the Azure Portal dashboard, where you can begin managing your Azure resources and deploying your Windows 11 virtual machine.

CREATE YOUR VIRTUAL MACHINE
i.) In the search bar, type "Virtual Machine"

ii.) From the search results, select "Virtual Machine" from the list of resources shown
iii.) Click on the “Create” button
iv.) Select the virtual machine highlighted

v.) You will be directed to the “Basic” page

Configure Basic Settings:

Select the subscription you want to use.
Choose or create a new resource group for your VM.
Enter a name for your virtual machine.
Choose a region where your VM will be deployed.
Select "Windows 11 Pro" as the image.

Project Details:
In the project details category, we have the subscription and resource group;

(i.) Subscription: An Azure subscription is a service provided by Microsoft that allows users to access and utilize Azure Cloud. In a simple term, your ownership of Azure resources like owning a plot of land.

(ii.) Resource group: A container for organizing and managing resources within your subscription, like organizing tools and materials for a construction project in one location.

Instance Details:
(i) Enter a name for your virtual machine.
(ii) Choose a region where your VM will be deployed.
A region refers to a specific geographical location with data centers that host infrastructure and services. Each region operates independently and is designed to be self-contained, with its own set of resources and infrastructure.
(iii) Choose your availability Zone - Click on the drop-down to select your availability option and availability Zone.

(iv) In the image section, select Windows11 Pro from the drop-down as the image.
In the context of Azure and virtual machines, an “image” refers to a pre-configured template or snapshot of an operating system (OS) that includes the necessary files, settings, and software installations to deploy a virtual machine (VM) with specific characteristics.
(v) Select the size of your virtual machine from the drop-down or click on "See all sizes". (Choose a VM size based on your requirements) Leave the other information in its default state.

Administrator Account:
Under the Administrator account, give your account a username and password. Also, confirm the password to ensure they are the same. The password must be at least 12 characters long and meet the defined complexity requirements.

Inbound Port Rules:
Under Inbound port rules, choose Allow selected ports and then select RDP (3389) and HTTP (80) from the drop-down.

Click on "Next: Disks>" to direct you to the Disk page
Disk:
On the Disk page, click on the OS disk type, click dropdown and select Standard SSD or any disk type of your choice. Leave the other columns as default.

Leave the networking, management, monitoring and advanced pages as default and then Skip to the Tag page
Tag:
(i) Give your tag a name
(ii) Tags are a way to label and organize resources in cloud computing environments. The purpose of tags is to provide metadata or additional information that helps in managing, organizing, and tracking resources within a cloud infrastructure.
(iii) Next, click on Review + create
(iv) Review the summary of your virtual machine configuration and click on the "Create" button to begin the deployment process. Once validation is successful, click on the "Create" button to start provisioning your Windows 11 virtual machine.

(v) Deployment in progress

(vi) Once the deployment is complete, click on "Go to resource".

Connect to Your Windows 11 Virtual Machine
Create a remote desktop connection to the virtual machine. Once the VM is provisioned, you can access it using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The steps below tell you how to connect to your Windows 11 operating system.
(i) On the overview page of your virtual machine click "Con

(ii) Download the RDP file

(iii) Open the downloaded RDP file and click "connect"

(iv) Type in your username and password

(v) Click yes to the prompt

Congratulations! You have now successfully created a Windows 11 virtual machine in Azure Portal.

Delete resources
When no longer needed, you can delete the resource group, virtual machine, and all related resources. On the search bar, type in the Resource group.

i) At the top of the page for the resource group, select Delete resource group.
ii) Select Delete resource.
iii) Type the name of the resource group at the right bottom, to confirm deletion.