How to Create and Connect to an Azure Virtual Machine: A Beginner's Guide
Introduction
Provisioning a Virtual Machine (VM) is one of the most fundamental tasks in cloud computing. Whether you need a sandbox for development, a host for a web application, or a remote Windows environment, Azure makes the deployment process seamless. In this guide, we will walk through the exact steps to search for, configure, deploy, and connect to your first Azure VM.
3. Search for "Virtual Machines"
In the Search bar, type "Virtual Machines" and click on virtual machine.
You can also find it by clicking the hamburger menu or selecting "Create a Resource" → "Virtual Machine".
4. Select Virtual Machine from the Search Results
- Click on "Virtual Machine" from the search results.
5. Click on "Create"
- Click "Create" → "Azure Virtual Machine".
- Choose "Virtual Machine hosted by Azure".
6. Enter Project Details
- Select the appropriate Subscription.
- Click "Create Resource Group" → Enter a name for it and click OK.
7. Configure Virtual Machine Details
Enter:
Virtual Machine Name (e.g., MyAzureVM)
Region and select Europe west.
Security type select standard.
Operating System: Select Windows Server Datacenter - x64 G2
VM Size: Keep the default option.
Run with azure spot discount and check box
8. Set Up Administrator Account
- Authentication Type: Select Password.
Username: Azureuser
Password: password•••* (Change for security purposes).
9. Configure Inbound Port Rules
- Select RDP (for Windows).
10. Accept Licensing Terms
- Click the checkbox to accept the license agreement.
11. Disable Boot Diagnostics
Click Next → Navigate to Monitoring Tab → Disable Boot Diagnostics.
Click Tag(a key value pair) add name and value to identify resources
12. Review & Deploy the Virtual Machine
Click "Review + Create".
Ensure validation passes.
Go to resource
Go to the public IP address and click on it
Stretch the idle timeout to 30
click save
14. Check VM Status
- If the status is "Running", your VM is ready! 🎉
15. Connect to the Virtual Machine
Click "Connect" in the Azure VM blade.
Click on check VM access
16. Download & Open RDP File (Windows VM Only)
- Click "Native RDP" → Download RDP file.
- Open the RDP file on your computer.
17. Enter Admin Credentials
- Enter the Username & Password created earlier.
- Click "Connect" to access the VM.
18. Complete Connection
- Follow the prompts & click "Continue" when asked.
19. Wait for Configuration
- The remote desktop will be configured in a few seconds.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully navigated the Azure Portal to deploy and access your own Virtual Machine. By following these steps, you’ve learned how to manage project details, configure security through inbound port rules, and establish a remote connection. As you move forward, remember to stop or delete your VM when it's not in use to manage costs effectively. Happy cloud computing!
Top comments (1)
Nice!