Describe Azure Compute And Networking Services Summary
Tags: azure, network, cloud, cloudskills
Published: 2023-06-22 04:14:07

In this module you will learn about Azure's compute and networking services, such as virtual machines, containers, and functions. It includes networking features like virtual networks, DNS, and ExpressRoute. Azure Virtual Machines are like virtualized servers that give you complete control over the operating system, the ability to run custom software, and the ability to use custom hosting configurations. You can use VMs to run one VM at a time for testing, development, or small tasks. Or, you can combine multiple VMs for better performance, flexibility, and backup. You can use VMs for testing and development, running applications in the cloud, extending a datacenter to the cloud, disaster recovery, and moving from a physical server to the cloud.

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Windows Virtual Desktop is a tool that helps you use different applications and devices on your computer. It's easy to manage and use. Azure Containers is a service that lets you upload containers and run them dynamically. Deciding whether to use VMs or containers depends on how much control you need. VMs are good when you need complete control, but if you want something that's easy to move around and manage, containers are a better choice because they're more portable and perform better.


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Azure Containers and Azure Container Instances are like virtual computers that can run many copies of an app on one real computer. These containers are made to be easily created, scaled up or down, and stopped as needed. Azure Container Instances is a service that lets you upload your containers and then it runs them for you. People often use containers to make solutions using a microservice architecture. This way, they can take care of, expand, or change parts of an app separately.

Deploying server applications can be complicated, so people started using virtualization techniques like VMs and containers. VMs make it easy to use the same hardware for different purposes by creating a virtual environment that can be customized for specific needs. This helps save money and ensures security. But virtual machines have some limitations, like being able to run only one operating system at a time. Containers are a better option than full virtual machines because they are lighter and more efficient. Azure can work with different types of containers, but Docker is the most commonly used one. Deciding whether to use VMs or containers depends on how much flexibility you need.


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Azure Functions is a type of computing that works based on events and doesn't need you to manage virtual machines or containers. It's best to use this when you have to do something in response to an event, timer, or message from another Azure service, and when you can finish that task quickly, within seconds or less. Developers can change their app's needs and deploy the project in a non-serverless environment. This will help them manage scaling, run on virtual networks, and isolate the functions completely.

Serverless computing helps developers focus on building applications by taking care of server infrastructure management. Azure has a feature called Azure Functions that supports serverless computing. This allows developers to upload their code and take advantage of infrastructure management, scalability, and a payment model that is based on actual usage.


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Azure virtual networks and virtual subnets allow different Azure resources like VMs, web apps, and databases to talk to each other, as well as to users on the internet and computers that are located on-premises. Azure virtual networks allow you to do important networking tasks like separating and organizing your network, communicating with the internet, directing and controlling network traffic, and connecting different virtual networks.

Here are the steps to configure network access for a virtual machine (VM):

Go to the web server's home page.
Can you show me the rules for the network security group right now?
Make a security group for the network that permits incoming HTTP traffic on port 80.
To see the rules linked to the NSG named my-vmNSG, run the command az network nsg rule list.

To put it simply, Azure Containers, Container Instances, and Azure Functions give developers different ways to host their applications without worrying too much about managing infrastructure. This lets them concentrate on creating their apps.

To allow incoming traffic on port 80 (HTTP) for network security, use this command with a priority of 100. Check the configuration by typing "az network nsg rule list" in the command line. This technique helps to manage network access to many virtual machines using a single set of rules. When you finish a project, check if you still need the resources you made. If you don't, turning them off can save you money. The sandbox will clean up your resources when you're done with this module. It's recommended to delete resources one by one or delete the whole set of resources by deleting the resource group when you're done with the project.


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Azure VPNs are networks that connect two or more private networks securely over an untrusted network by using an encrypted tunnel within another network. VPN gateways are set up in a separate part of the virtual network and allow connections between different sites, devices, and networks. Policy-based VPNs determine which packets should be encrypted through each tunnel based on their IP address. Using route-based VPNs is the best way to connect on-premises devices and they can handle changes in network structure, like adding new subnets, better than other methods.

There are a few ways to make sure your VPN gateway is as resilient as possible. You can set up two VPN gateways in an active/standby configuration. Each gateway will have its own public IP address, and you'll create separate tunnels from your on-premises device to each IP address. ExpressRoute is a service that connects Azure and on-premises networks, allowing direct access to Microsoft cloud services. It provides faster speeds, more reliability, consistent latencies, and higher security than regular Internet connections.


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Azure DNS is a service that helps you manage your website's domain name by using Microsoft Azure technology. It uses Microsoft Azure to offer reliability, good performance, security, and easy customization of virtual networks and alias records. Azure DNS is a part of the Azure portal and works with the same login, support, and billing as other Azure services. You can use the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell cmdlets, and the cross-platform Azure CLI to manage your domains and records.

Link to that learning Module: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/describe-azure-compute-networking-services/