DEV Community: Okechukwu Udensi

How to host Static Website on Azure Blob Storage

Okechukwu Udensi — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 11:52:15 +0000

Table of Contents

Introduction
Step 1. Obtain these necessary tools:
Step 2. Create a storage account:
Step 3. Enable Static Website:
Step 4. Upload root/main folder:
Step 5. Browse the Url:

Introduction
Static website is a simple website anybody, enterprise, NGO etc. can own to showcase their object clause. It could contain business advert, public announcement and any other info-display that does not require connecting and adding data to the database or running queries from the database.

Static Website is not dynamic in the sense that it requires static content and client-side scripts, HTML codes and does not accept higher programming languages or Server-side scripting like PHP, Python, Laravel etc. But it can run with JavaScript, ajax etc.

Below are the steps to host a successful Static Website.

Step 1. Obtain these necessary tools:
A. You have to have developed a script/folder that contains all the information you want to be displayed over the web. This comes in form of codes written in HTML format. If you are not a developer, kindly engage the services of a developer to obtain such script. Also, the root/main folder could be named "MyWebsite" which should house these items below:

index.html
errorpage.hmtl or 404.html
css folder or file
image folder
javascript folder
other folders depending on the desired website end result.

B. You have to have an account that runs subscription with Azure. From a browser, quickly open portal.azure.com to register or sign in if you are an existing user.

Step 2. Create a storage account:

Navigate to the search bar, type storage account and select storage account.
Click on +Create and fill in the necessary details which includes:
Creating a new resource group
Type the storage name
Select your Region
Pick your Performance
Select your Redundancy
Click Review and Create (leaving every other tab on default) and wait for it to deploy.

After deploying, Click on Go to Resource

Step 3. Enable Static Website:

Navigate through the left panel, locate and click on Data Management
Click on Static Website
Switch the button to Enable
Fill in these 2 fields below:
- Index document name This is the root folder/script/file that contains, calls up and displays your website contents. It must be a file in HTML format E.g. index.html
- Error document path This is the script/file that contains an error message that displays whenever an invalid/empty page is clicked.
Click Save.
Saved, it will automatically create
- $web container (where *MyWebsite * root/main folder will be uploaded)
- Primary endpoint (this contains the url)

Step 4. Upload root/main folder:

Navigate through the left panel, locate and click Data Storage
Click on Container
Click on $web

Click on upload.
Click Browse for file (explore and select all the necessary folders) drag and drop

Click Upload and wait for it Upload.

Files uploaded successfully.

Step 5. Browse the Url (website):

Navigate through the left panel, locate and click on Data Management
Click on Static Website
Copy the primary endpoint url
Open the Url through a browser

Creating a Virtual Machine Scale Set (VMSS)

Okechukwu Udensi — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:44:40 +0000

Table of Contents
Introduction
Step 1. Login to Azure Portal

Introduction
Virtual Machine Scale sets (VMSS) is all about deploying multiple VMs, trying to manage them, scaling them (auto scaling and manual scaling). The purpose is to provide a high availability while you centrally manage large number of VMs. With the help of load balancers, resources and track loads are distributed among the VMs in such a way that no VM will be overloaded.

Step 1. Login to Azure Portal
Open a browser, type url: portal.azure.com
Fill in your registered username and password, then process your entries. A successful login lands into Azure portal where various tasks can be executed accordingly. Also make sure you have a subscription in Azure to enable the creation of VM.

Step 2. Search and select VMSS

Click on Create located at the top left of the Tab

Step 3. Configure/set-up the VMSS

Select your Azure subscription, select existing or new Resource group, type your VMSS name, select region and availability zone

Select Orchestration mode (uniform),
Select Security type (standard),
select Scaling mode (manually)
select Instance count (2 VMs to start with)
select Image (linux: ubuntu)
select VM architecture (x64)

select Size from the dropdown field
select Authentication type: SSH public key
Type in Username, then key pair name appears automatically
Click Next: Spot Tab
Note: Spot Tab enables you to set the VM on discount basis which is not favorable in the long run. You can choose to ignore Spot settings if you wish not to run on discounts.

Click Next: Networking:

Here you create Azure load balancer, thus:

Here your network name will automatically be created
In load balancing option: Select Azure Load balancer
Select an existing Load balancer (if any) or click to create a new load balancer. In creating a new load balancer, there is a field to type in the name of your load balancer. You can choose to leave other fields on default, click on create button.
This will create a new Load Balancer name which shall be attached automatically.
Proceed to Review and create. Allow to pass validation then click on Create Button.

Step 4. Go to Resource Group

Here you see all the properties of this VMSS created.

To see the created instances (Virtual Machines).
Locate and click on Instance by the lefthand side of the VMSS panel.

Step 5. Run Command Prompt lines

Here you type in "command prompt" in the search field of your task bar, select run as administrator.

To copy private key file path, open the download folder, click on the file once to select the file, click inside the address bar and copy the highlighted folder path (eg. C:\Users\dell\Downloads)

Combine and type these 3 things inside the command prompt:

ssh -i
C:\Users\dell\Downloads\DezxLVM_key.pem
DenzAzure@4.233.65.67 (this is your Linux VM username@Ip address)
-p 50000 (note: this is your inbound nat rule)

ssh -i C:\Users\dell\Downloads\De_key.pem DenzAzure@4.233.65.67 -p 50000

Hit enter button on your keyboard and type yes to process further.

type in: sudo apt-get -y update
Hit enter key to process further
DezAzure@DezxLVM:~$ sudo apt-get -y update

type in: sudo apt-get -y install nginx
Hit enter key to process further

Step 6. Run IP address on browser
If you see this page, the nginx web server is successfully installed and working. Further configuration is required.

For online documentation and support please refer to nginx.org.
Commercial support is available at nginx.com.

Thank you for using nginx.

Step 7. Stress your CPU
Stress your CPU by running a command line to install stress:
sudo apt-get install stress-ng
Then login to check your instances percentage CPU.

How to Create and Connect to a Linux VM using a Public Key

Okechukwu Udensi — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 13:44:50 +0000

Table of Contents

Introduction
Step 1. Login to Azure Portal
Step 2. Select/click Virtual Machine
Step 3. Create Azure Virtual Machine
Step 4. Basic Tab: Create new Resource Group
Step 5. Basic Tab: Fill all the Virtual Machine Instance Details
Step 6. Disk Tab: Fill all the Disk fields
Step 7. Validation Passed then Click Create
Step 8. Create the Linux VM
Step 9. Open Command Prompt and run some command lines
Step 10. Run IP address on browser

Introduction
Virtual Machine is one of the resources Azure has, to help organizations and individuals execute various tasks without accessing a local computer. It simply means, having a full computer system running in the cloud with lots of advantages than carrying or stationing a physical computer system.

Connecting a Virtual Machine using SSH Public Key makes it a more secured way of connection. This helps to make a connection via command lines, run commands through your terminals to talk to server and client.

Step 2. Select/click Virtual Machine
There are 3 ways to locate Virtual Machine in the portal (via search bar/resource group/portal tab). Go to the search bar type in virtual machine, select Virtual Machine from the dropdown list.

Step 3. Create Azure Virtual Machine
Locate the create button up left, click Connect from the dropdown.

Step 4. Basic Tab: Create new Resource Group

Notice: There is a note on how each instance field works. This icon is found suffix each field label. Take a cursor point to the icon, then read. Also all red asterixis label field are compulsory and must be filled.

Select from already created resource group or create new one if none exists. Click New and type in the new resource group name, click ok.

Step 5. Basic Tab: Fill all the Virtual Machine Instance Details

Virtual Machine Name: Valid name could contain alpha-numeric, alpha + some special characters excluding underscore (_). Eg. Denz-VM, Denz4 etc
Region: Select from the dropdown according to your architectural plan.

Step 6. Disk Tab: Fill all the Disk fields

Region: Select a desired data center region
Availability options: Select how you want your availability zone to run (eg. no infrastructural redundancy required etc.)
Availability zone: Select your zone(s) or
Security type: Select how you want to secure the VM. Eg. Standard
Image: Select either Linux type of OS (e.g Ubuntu Server 24.04LTS x64)

VM architecture: Could be on x64
Size: Select from the dropdown as it is available in the regional zone selected.
Enable Hibernation: Check if you want otherwise ignore Administrator account Because Linux image was selected instead of Windows, the Authentication type will show these options --SSH Public Key -- Password Here we are selecting SSH Public Key.
Username: Type in your username
SSH public key source: You have options to Generate a new key or Use the existing key. (Select Generate new Key Pair).
SSH Key Type: Checkbox: RSA SSH Format
Key pair name: This key is automatically generated using the inputted VM name and must be kept safe because without this key your connection to VM will be aborted.

Public inbound ports: Allow selected ports
Select inbound ports: Select how you want the VM to be accessed. Eg. HTTP(80), SSH(22)
Click on Next Disk button to proceed to the next tab set-up.

Note:
You can leave every other field in this Tab at default then proceed.

For now, accept Networking, Monitoring, Advance and Tags Tabs at default level. Click Review and Create Button.

Step 7. Validation Passed then Click Create
At this point the information inputted on the Tabs are reviewed for validation. Most especially make sure you have a strong internet connection in order to experience smooth loadings.

Step 8. Create the Linux VM
Once you click on create button, it will prompt you to download a private key file which must be done if not you will not find it again. Click "Download private key and create resource", automatically the file will be downloaded into your download folder.

Step 9. Open Command Prompt and run some command lines
Here you type in "command prompt" in the search field of your task bar, select run as administrator.

To copy private key file path, open the download folder, click on the file once to select the file, click inside the address bar and copy the highlighted folder path (eg. C:\Users\dell\Downloads)

Combine and type these 3 things inside the command prompt:

ssh -i
C:\Users\dell\Downloads\DezxLVM_key.pem
DezAzure@20.160.81.95 (this is your Linux VM username@Ip address)

ssh -i C:\Users\dell\Downloads\DezxLVM_key.pem DezAzure@20.160.81.95

Hit enter button on your keyboard and type yes to process further.

type in: sudo apt-get -y update
Hit enter key to process further
DezAzure@DezxLVM:~$ sudo apt-get -y update

type in: sudo apt-get -y install nginx
Hit enter key to process further

Step 10. Run IP address on browser
If you see this page, the nginx web server is successfully installed and working. Further configuration is required.

For online documentation and support please refer to nginx.org.
Commercial support is available at nginx.com.

Thank you for using nginx.

How to create a windows 11 Virtual Machine (VM) on Azure

Okechukwu Udensi — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 18:13:50 +0000

Table of Contents

Introduction
Step 1. Login to Azure Portal
Step 2. Select/click Virtual Machine
Step 3. Create Azure Virtual Machine
Step 4. Create new Resource Group
Step 5. Basic Tab: Fill all the Virtual Machine Instance Details
Step 6. Disk Tab: Fill all the Disk fields
Step 7. Network Tab: Fill in Network Fields
Step 8. Management Tab: Fill in Management Fields
Step 9. Monitoring Tab: Set Monitoring Fields
Step 10. Advance Tab: Set Advance Fields
Step 11. Tags Tab: Set Tag Fields
Step 12. Review and Create Tab
Step 13. Connect to VM
Step 14. Download RDP
Step 15. Next, Next and Accept
Step 16. VM is ready
Step 17. Deleting A Resource Group

Introduction
Virtual Machine is one the resources Azure has to help organizations and individuals execute various tasks without accessing a local computer. It simply means, having a full computer system running in the cloud with lots of advantages than carrying or stationing a physical computer system. Being a virtual machine, a single computer system can be accessed by multiple persons all over the globe quite unlike a stationed physical computer.

Shortly we shall be taking some steps to learn how Virtual Machines can be deployed via Azure platform.

Step 3. Create Azure Virtual Machine
Locate the create button up left, click Connect from the dropdown.

Step 4. Basic Tab: Create new Resource Group

Select from already created resource group or create new one if none exists. Click New and type in the new resource group name, click ok.

Step 5. Basic Tab: Fill all the Virtual Machine Instance Details

Virtual Machine Name: Valid name could contain alpha-numeric, alpha + some special characters excluding underscore (_). Eg. Denz-VM, Denz4 etc
Region: Select from the dropdown according to your architectural plan.
Region: Select a desired data center region
Availability options: Select how you want your availability zone to run (eg. no infrastructural redundancy required etc.)
Availability zone: Select your zone(s) or
Security type: Select how you want to secure the VM.
Image: Select either Linux type of OS or windows type of OS (e.g Windows 11 pro
VM architecture: Could be on x64
Size: Select from the dropdown as it is available in the regional zone selected.
Enable Hibernation: Check if you want otherwise ignore
Username: Type in VM username
Password: Type in VM password
Confirm Password: Type in VM password for confirmation
Public inbound ports: Allow selected ports
Select inbound ports: Select how you want the VM to be accessed (e.g RDP port allows for remote access)
I confirm I have an eligible Windows 10/11 license with multi-tenant hosting rights: Check this box and click Next Disk.

Step 6. Disk Tab: Fill all the Disk fields

Step 7. Network Tab: Fill in Network Fields

Step 8. Management Tab: Fill in Management Fields

Step 9. Monitoring Tab: Set Monitoring Fields

Step 10. Advance Tab: Set Advance Fields

Step 11. Tags Tab: Set Tag Fields

Step 12. Review and Create Tab
Review all the fields to ensure they are well inputted and selected according to your architectural plan. Then click on create button to create the VM. Validations will be carried out to determine any error exists in each Tab, if not error is found, it will pass a successful VM creation.

Step 13. Connect to VM

Step 14. Download RDP
Here you download the RDP file in your local PC, open file and install the remote access connection.

Step 15. Next, Next and Accept
Follow the instructions and accept the VM connection.

Step 16. VM is ready
At this point the VM is ready to be used. You have successfully created and deployed VM and can be accessed across the globe.

Step 17. Deleting A Resource Group
You clear a resource you don't want to be running otherwise it shall be building unwanted cost.
So to clear this VM resource. Close the remotely accessed VM:

Go to Resource group, locate and open the right resource group housing the VM.
Select all the installed resources, scroll up and click Delete Resource Group Tab, Confirm by re-entering the resource group name clicking Delete. Wait for it to delete all the installed resources.