DEV Community: olakunle makanjuola

Creating An Azure Virtual Network(VNET) And Multiple Subnets: A Step-By-Step Beginner's Guide

olakunle makanjuola — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:58:44 +0000

Introduction:
A virtual Network (VNet) is a logically isolated private network you create inside Azure. Virtual Network (VNET) is one of the essential building blocks of Microsoft Azure networking architecture and also the foundation of your networking setup.

Virtual Network allows resources running in Microsoft Azure, like Virtual Machines, Storage Accounts, Applications, to communicate with each other, internet, and even on-premises network environments.

A Subnet is a subdivision of your VNet. It allows you to divide your network into smaller, logical sections and assign different resources to different sections based on their purpose.

Subnets are logical segments of a Virtual Network which assist in organizing and securing network resources. In this project, I have designed an Azure Virtual Network with three separate Subnets.

Objectives

The objectives of this project are to:

Create an Azure Virtual Network (VNet)
Configure an address space for the VNet
Create three separate subnets
Understand Azure networking fundamentals
Document the deployment process

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:
.An active Azure Subscription
.Access to Azure Portal
.Internet Connection
.Appropriate permissions to create Azure resources

Azure Portal:

https://portal.azure.com

Architecture Overview
Azure Virtual Network (10.0.0.0/16)
│
├── Subnet-1 (10.0.1.0/24)
│
├── Subnet-2 (10.0.2.0/24)
│
└── Subnet-3 (10.0.3.0/24)

Step 1: Sign in to Azure Portal
Open Azure Portal.
https://portal.azure.com.

Step 2: Create a Resource Group

Search for Resource Groups on search bar and click on Resource group from the dropdown
Click on Create
Type the Resource group name, select the region and click Next
Apply tags to your resources to logically organize them by categories and click Next
Review the resources group and click on Create
Click on Resource Group on the left to bring out the resource group you created

Step 3: Create a Virtual Network
1.Click on Resource group created and right on the Resource Group page Search for Virtual Network on search bar and click on Virtual Network from the dropdown

Click on +Create(With a plus sign)

2. Define Basic Settings
Subscription: Select your subscription
Resource group: Choose an existing resource group or create a new one.
Region: Select the same region as your resource group
Virtual Network Name: Provide a name for the VNet.
Click on Next and Next under the Security

3. Define IP Address Space
Enter the IPV4 address 10.0.0.0/16 space for your virtual network. The image below shows that we can have 65,536 IP addresses within this network.

_NOTE: Whenever you create your VNet there is a subnet that comes with it defaultly. We delete the subnet and create our own Subnet
_

- Click Next -> Review + Create

-4. Click on Create, the deployment will be submitted, and the VNet will be created
_Click on Go To Resources and you will see the the Created VNet
_

_Step 4: Configure Subnets _
Now, let's configure the Three subnets within the virtual network:

Type Subnet on the search bar and click on Subnet

- Click + Add subnet to define each subnet

Configure each subnet as follows:
Subnet Name: Enter a name for the subnet (e.g., Subnet1, Subnet2,Subnet3, etc.).
Subnet Address range: Specify the subnet range within the virtual network address space (10.0.0.0/24). Ensure each subnet range is within the /24 address space 10.0.0.0 - 10.0.0.255)

- Creation of Subnet 1

- Creation of Subnet 2

- Creation of Subnet 3

To have a view of the subnets created, click on Settings on the left pane and then on Subnets

Congratulations! You have successfully created an Azure virtual network with Three subnets using the address space (10.0.0.0/24)

From Template to Cloud: Hosting a Free Static Website on Azure Blob Storage Step-by-Step

olakunle makanjuola — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:34:49 +0000

Introduction
Website hosting has been greatly improved through the use of cloud computing. This has made it easier for individuals as well as businesses to access, scale, and use hosting services at a reasonable price. One of the easiest and most efficient methods that developers may use to host a static site on Microsoft Azure is the Static Website Hosting option offered by Azure Blob Storage, which allows developers to upload their static files without the need for a traditional web or virtual server (i.e., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and media files).

In this project, I will download a free static website template from Tooplate, customize the downloaded version using Visual Studio Code (VS Code), and then deploy the new version to Azure Blob Storage for public viewing. This will involve editing all content, images, styles, and branding so that the template reflects how I want it to look when it is completed.

To develop my own static website using Azure Blob Storage, I will first navigate to Tooplate and browse the templates available for modification (or further development). After deciding which template is most suitable, I will download the ZIP package of the template and extract it onto my local computer's disk drive. Then, I will open the ZIP file's contents using VS Code to customize all aspects of the website prior to publishing.

After customizing the template, we will create an Azure storage account, enable Static Website Hosting, upload the customized/static website files to the Azure Blob Storage $web container, and then publish the created static website into the cloud.

Project Objectives

.Download a free static website template from Tooplate.
.Go to VS code and edit the downloaded template from there
.Create a Resources Group
.Create an Azure Storage Account.
.Enable Azure Static Website Hosting.
.Upload website files to Azure Blob Storage.
.Deploy and access the website through Azure's public endpoint.
.Document the deployment process.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following installed on your machine:
Active Azure Subscription
Microsoft Azure Account(portal.azure.com)
VS Code download and install (https://code.visualstudio.com/Download)
Internet Connection
ZIP Extraction Tool

Step 1: Download a Free Website Template
Procedure
Visit Tooplate (https://www.tooplate.com/)

.Browse available templates.

.Select a template of your choice and Download it

.Download the ZIP package and from your download extract all files locally

Step 2: Download the latest version of vs code and install it.
.Open the vs code

.Click on file -> Select Open Folder-> Select the unzip folder and the folder containing the /index.html,css ,js,images ,fonts ,news-detail.html will be upload on the Vs code template

.Click index.html which has the code as seen
.You can edit some elements especially those on white characters
.You can edit elements as they appear in the lines 48
.Be careful not to change the code, so the browser will not be scattered

The new edited index.html page will look like this after what you edited on the template is save.

Storage Hierarchy:
Azure Subscription → Resource Group → Storage Account → Container → Blob Files

_Step 3:First thing login to your Microsoft Azure Portal by going to https://portal.azure.com.
_

_Step 4: Create a Resources Group
_
We need to create our Resources Group first before we go ahead to create our storage account
. Search for Resource Group in the search bar at the top of your portal

page and Select/Click on Resource Group.

. Click on Create to create Resource Group

. Type the Resource group name, select the region and click Next

. Apply tags to your resources to logically organize them by categories and click Next

. Review the resources group and click on Create

. _ Click on Resource Group on the left to bring out the resource group you created_

Step 5: Create an Azure Storage Account
.Search for Storage in the search bar at the top of your portal page and Select/Click on Storage account.

_Click on Create _

In the Basics tab, under Project details, make sure the correct subscription is selected and for the Storage Resource Group click on the list arrow and select resource group you have already created above.

.Storage account name - flakernpro (Choose a unique name)
.Region -Select a region
.Preferred Storage Type: Azure Blob Storage
.Performance - Select Standard
.Redundancy - Select Local Redundant Storage (LRS)
.Click the next button

Click the next button or configure the other sections if required, otherwise leave as default.

Under the security, toggle the Allow enabling anonymous access on individual containers.(This is to give access to our static website)

Under Encryption, tags leave as default and click Next

Click on Review + Create

Validation
Check if storage account has configured properly or not, if properly configured it will show the create option otherwise you need to check all the configurations again. Then click on the Create Button.

After Deployment, if the deployment is successful it will show your deployment is complete, then click on Go to Resource and you will see our storage account is been created.

_Step 6: Enable Static Website Hosting
_
.On the left pane search bar type static website and click on static website.

Enable Static Website and configure:
.Index Document Name:index.html
.Error Document Path: 404.html
.And click Save

Enabling static websites on the blob service allows you to host static content.
In the Index document name field, provide the name for your default index page, for instance index.html. This is the page that displays when a user navigates to the root of your static website.
In the Error document path field, specify the path to a default error page of your site(404.html). This is the default error page that is displayed when a user attempts to navigate to a page that does not exist in your static website.

Azure created a storage container to host the static website $WEB, Click on it or Navigate to Containers

.On Data storage dropdown
.Click container
.Click $WEB

Step 7: Upload Website Files
click on Upload.
Navigate to where the website folder is located on the computer.
Drag and Drop the files from the location to the provided box.

Upload:
index.html/css/images/js/font/news-detail.html/about this template.txt

Step 8 — Verify the Deployment
Open the endpoint: go back to static web site and copy the endpoint

You can open this URL in your browser to view your static website.
https://flackernprod.z19.web.core.windows.net/

Conclusion

In this project, I successfully deployed a free static website template downloaded from Tooplate to Azure Blob Storage using Azure Static Website Hosting. This approach actually provides a simple, secure, scalable, and cost-effective solution for hosting static websites without the difficulty of managing web servers.

The project reinforced key Azure concepts such as Resource Group, Storage Accounts, Blob Containers, Static Website Hosting, and cloud-based web deployment. For beginners entering cloud computing, DevOps, or Azure administration, this is an excellent hands-on project that demonstrates practical cloud hosting skills while building confidence in Azure services.

Azure Entra ID User & Role Management — Step-by-Step Practical Guide With A Simple Excercise

olakunle makanjuola — Mon, 25 May 2026 17:50:55 +0000

Before going into the step by step practical guide on Creating User Via Azure Active Directory (Microsoft Entra ID) and Assigning Roles with RBAC,I will like to define key concepts to learn:

Microsoft Entra ID: Azure's Identity Management System Microsoft Entra ID(previously called Azure Active Directory or Azure AD) is the service that manages all identities in Azure. Every user account, every application identity, every group, all of them are stored and managed here. When you log into the Azure Portal, Entra ID is checking your credentials behind the scene.

2. Identity And Access Management(IAM)
Identity and Access Management(IAM) Is the system that answers three very important questions about every person or application that tries to use cloud: WHO are you? Are you really who you say you are? And what are you ALLOWED to do here? Which talks about IDENTITY! AUTHENTICATION! AUTHORISATION!

3. Role Based Access Control(RBAC)
RBAC is how Azure controls what a logged-in user is allowed to DO. Instead of giving everyone full admin access. RBAC lets you assign specific roles to specific people. RBAC allows administrators to assign permissions based on roles instead of assigning permissions individually.
Examples:
Global Administrator
User Administrator
Security Administrator

4.Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP)
Users should only have the minimum access required to perform their duties.

Azure Entra ID User & Role Management Practice Exercise

Create a new user in Azure Entra ID.

Grant the user Global Administrator access.

Using the newly promoted account, create another new user in Azure Entra ID.

After creating the second user, revoke the Global Administrator access from the first user account.

Document the entire process with screenshots and explanations

The Practice Exercise involved:
In this exercise, I carried out administrative tasks in Microsoft Azure using Microsoft Entra ID.
Creating users in Azure Entra ID
Assigning Global Administrator privileges
Testing administrative access
Revoking elevated permissions
Demonstrating Identity and Access Management (IAM) best practices

Introduction

This step by step guide will helped us gain practical experience in Azure identity administration and role-based access control (RBAC).

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:
An active Azure subscription
Access to Azure Portal
First thing login to your Microsoft Azure Portal by going to https://portal.azure.com.

If you do not have an azure account sign up and create an account for free with this link https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/free/. Registration will require a phone number and a debit or credit card details to validate your account even for the free account. You have a choice between the free or pay as you go account.

Official Portal:
Microsoft Azure Portal

Step 1 — Create a New User in Azure Entra ID

1.First thing login to your Microsoft Azure Portal by going to https://portal.azure.com.

2.Search for Microsoft Entra ID in the search bar at the top of your portal page and Select Microsoft Entra ID.

You are now in the Default Directory| Overview page.

3.Navigate to Users → + New user → Create new user.
Type Users on the search box and click on Users then click on + New User with a drop down arrow and click on create a new user

4.Fill in the details:

User principal name: Shalom1503
Display name: Shalom Ife
Password:***************
First name: Shalom
Last name: Ife
Usage location: Nigeria
And click on Next(Property)-> Next(Assignment)-> Review + create -> Create

Step 2 — Sign In with the Newly Created User Account

Open a new browser/incognito window
Go to: Microsoft Sign In Page
Sign in using: . Newly created username . Username: Shalom1503@makansgreatolakunleoutlook.onmicrosoft.com . Password: saved password . Change password when prompted . Complete MFA setup when prompted by scanning the QRCODE

Step 3: Assign a Role to a User(Grant Global Administrator Access)

Come to Default Directory through the Entra ID

2.Type USER on the search box and Click on the USER → SHALOM IFE(New User Created)

3.Select Assigned roles → + Add assignment.

4.Choose admin roles that you want to assign to user and add it

Step 4 — Use the Newly Promoted Account to Create Another User

# Sign in with the promoted user account to create another new user in Azure Entra ID

1.login to your Microsoft Azure Portal by going to
(https://portal.azure.com)
2.From the Default Directory page of the User created
'Shalom1503@makansgreatolakunleoutlook.onmicrosoft.com".
Click on +ADD → User → Create new user.

3 Fill in the details:
User principal name: Favour1403
Display name: Favour Timi
Password:***************
First Name:************
Last Name:*************

And click on Next(Properties)-> Next(Assignment)->

Review + create -> Create

Step 5 — Revoke Global Administrator Access from the First User

1.Sign in using the original administrator account
login to your Microsoft Azure Portal by going to

https://portal.azure.com/auth/login/

2.Navigate to and click on Microsoft Entra ID

3.Click on Manage button under the overview to bring down the arrow

which brings out the Roles and administrator button.
OVERVIEW -> MANAGE -> ROLES AND ADMINISTRATOR

4.On the search bar under the Administrator Roles, type the Global Administrator Roles given to the User and click on it

5.Click on the User given the Global administrator Roles(Shalom Ife)

6.Click the button in front of Global Administrator to make the X Remove Assignments button active and click on it and it will ask whether to Remove selected assignment. Click on YES

7.This successfully removed assignment "Global Administrator" from the
USER (Shalom Ife)

Removing/Revoking privileged access follows the concept called the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), ensuring users only retain permissions necessary for their tasks or give people only the minimum access needed to do their job

Conclusion

This assignment provided hands-on experience with Azure identity and access management using Microsoft Entra ID. This allow us to learn how to create users, assign administrative privileges, manage RBAC roles, and apply security best practices in a cloud environment.

The exercise also reinforced the importance of privilege management and secure administrative operations in enterprise cloud environments.