How To Deploy An Azure Virtual Machine

Anthony Iwuchukwu — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 03:21:42 +0000

Step 1: Create an Azure Free Trial Account
To use Azure, you need an account. Visit portal.azure.com and sign up for a free trial. Azure gives you $200 in free credits to test its services.
🔹 Why this step? You need an account before creating anything in Azure.

Step 2: Log in to Your Azure Account
Go to the Azure portal and log in with your email and password. You will see the Azure Dashboard, where you can manage everything.
🔹 Why this step? This is the main control centre where you create and manage services.

Step 3: Search for "Virtual Machines"
At the top of the Azure portal, there is a search bar. Type "Virtual Machines" and select the option when it appears.
🔹 Why this step? Instead of searching manually, this helps you quickly find what you need.

Step 4: Click on "Virtual Machine"
From the search results, click on "Virtual Machine" to open the page where you can create one.
🔹 Why this step? This takes you to the section where you can set up a new Virtual Machine.

Step 5: Click "Create" to Start the Process
Click the "Create" button. Choose "Create a Virtual Machine" from the options.
🔹 Why this step? You need to start the setup process before selecting details for your VM.

Step 6: Select a Subscription & Resource Group
Azure asks for a Subscription and a Resource Group.
• A subscription is your Azure account type (Free Trial, Pay-as-you-go, etc.).
• A resource group is a folder where you organize related items. Click "Create new" to make one if needed.
🔹 Why this step? This keeps your resources organized and helps manage billing.

Step 7: Enter Virtual Machine Details
Now, you need to provide some details about your VM:
• VM Name – Choose a name (e.g., "MyFirstVM").
• Size – Keep the default option unless you have specific needs.
🔹 Why this step? The VM needs a name and an operating system before it can be created.

Step 8: Create an Admin Account
Choose a username and password for your VM. This will be used to log in later.
• For Linux: Use SSH authentication.
• For Windows: Use RDP authentication.
🔹 Why this step? You need login details to access and control your VM later.

Step 9: Set Inbound Port Rules
• If you picked Linux, allow SSH connections.
• If you picked Windows, allow RDP connections.
🔹 Why this step? This ensures you can connect to your VM remotely.

Step 10: Check Licensing
By default, licensing is unchecked. Click the checkbox to agree to the terms.
🔹 Why this step? You need to accept the terms before proceeding.

Step 11: Disable Boot Diagnostics
Click Next until you reach the Monitoring tab, then disable Boot Diagnostics to speed up deployment.
🔹 Why this step? This reduces unnecessary settings that can slow things down.

Step 12: Add Tags to an Azure Resource
Select a Resource – Click on the virtual machine, storage account, or any other resource.
Navigate to "Tags" – Find the Tags option in the left menu.
Enter Tag Key & Value – Example: Key = Environment, Value = Production.
Save Changes – Click Apply to confirm.
🔹 Why this step? Tags help you organize, track costs, and manage Azure resources efficiently.

Step 13: Review and Create
Click "Review + Create" to check all details. If everything looks good, click "Create" to start the deployment.
🔹 Why this step? Azure double-checks your setup before creating the VM.

Step 14: Wait for Deployment
Azure will take about 3-5 minutes to create your VM. You will see a progress bar.
🔹 Why this step? Creating a virtual machine takes a little time, just like setting up a new computer.

Step 15: Check VM Status
Once the VM is created, check its status. If it says "Running", it’s ready to use!
🔹 Why this step? This confirms that everything is working fine.

Step 16: Connect to the Virtual Machine
• Click "Connect" in the Azure portal.
• If using Windows, download the RDP file.
• If using Linux, connect using SSH.
🔹 Why this step? This allows you to control the VM from your own computer.

Step 17: Open the RDP File (For Windows Users)
For Windows, open the downloaded RDP file and click "Connect".
🔹 Why this step? This opens a remote connection to your virtual machine.

Step 18: Enter Login Details
Use the username and password you created earlier to log in.
🔹 Why this step? This is required to access the virtual machine.

Step 19: Follow the Prompts
Click "Continue" if a security warning appears.
🔹 Why this step? Sometimes Windows shows a warning when connecting to a new remote computer.

Step 20: Wait for Configuration
The remote desktop will configure itself for first-time use.
🔹 Why this step? The first connection takes a little time to set up.

Step 21: Start Using Your Virtual Machine!
Congratulations! Your VM is ready to use. You can now install apps, run programs, and do anything you would on a regular computer.
🔹 Why this step? This is the final step—your VM is now live and ready for work!

Fundamental Concepts in Cloud Computing

Anthony Iwuchukwu — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 09:52:59 +0000

Cloud Computing
This is when we use the internet to access things like storage, servers, or programs, so we do not need to own or take care of the physical computers on our own. There are basic concepts that are really important to make sure today's IT systems can handle the needs of businesses. Modern businesses need their systems to be fast at adapting, use resources wisely, always stay up and running, and be able to reach people all around the world. Cloud computing has changed how companies use these ideas, making it easier to grow, set up, and manage services. This helps businesses stay strong, flexible, and efficient in a world where technology is always changing.

Virtualization
I can explain virtualization as a technology that allows us to create virtual versions of physical hardware resources, like servers, storage, and networks. Virtualization makes it possible for us to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical machine, with each VM acting as a separate, isolated system. This approach helps in optimizing resource usage, reducing operational costs, and enhancing flexibility.
Scalability
Scalability can mean the ability of a system to handle increasing workloads, or the capability of the system to expand in response to growing demands. We can achieve this in two methods. Firstly, by scaling “Vertically” by adding more resources, such as CPU or memory, to an existing system. And secondly, by scaling “horizontally, this means adding more machines to work together as a single system. With this we can ensure that performance remains steady as demand grows.
Agility
Agility is the ability of a company, person, or system to quickly adjust to changes, like shifts in the market or internal processes. In technology, it means being able to launch new services or update existing ones fast to keep up with changing needs. This helps businesses to innovate rapidly, react to market changes, and implement new products or services with reduced time to market.
High Availability
High availability (HA) can refer to the ability of a system to remain operational and accessible for the maximum possible amount of time. HA systems are designed to minimise downtime and are often achieved through redundancy, failover mechanisms, and distributed architectures. This is very important in mission-critical applications where downtime could lead to significant consequences.
Fault Tolerant
This is the capability of a system to continue functioning correctly even when some of its components fail. Fault-tolerant systems are designed to detect failures and automatically recover without interrupting the service, ensuring seamless operation. This involves redundancy and the use of backup systems or components that take over when a failure occurs.
Global Reach
Global reach refers to the capability of a system, application, or service to be accessed from anywhere in the world. In cloud computing, it means that users can leverage the cloud infrastructure from multiple geographic locations, ensuring low latency and high availability regardless of where users are located. This is essential for businesses with international customers because of the gap in geographical locations.
Difference between Elasticity and Scalability

Scalability is the ability of a system to handle more work as demand grows. It can involve adding more resources, either automatically or by making adjustments manually, to keep things running smoothly. This helps prevent slowdowns or crashes when more users or tasks come in. Over time, it ensures the system can keep up with growth without losing performance.

While Elasticity means that a system can automatically increase or decrease its resources depending on how much work it needs to handle at any given moment. The system makes these changes on its own, without anyone needing to adjust it manually. This is important for saving money, especially in cloud computing, because you only use and pay for the resources you need when you need them.

DEV Community: Anthony Iwuchukwu

How To Deploy An Azure Virtual Machine

Fundamental Concepts in Cloud Computing