Getting Started with Azure PowerShell and Azure Services

To get started with Azure PowerShell, you'll first need to install the Azure PowerShell module. This module is available for download from the PowerShell Gallery, and can be installed using the command `Install-Module -Name AzureRM`.

Azure PowerShell provides a powerful way to manage Azure resources, including virtual machines, storage accounts, and networks. With Azure PowerShell, you can create, update, and delete resources, as well as monitor and troubleshoot your Azure environment.

To connect to your Azure account, you'll need to use the `Connect-AzureRmAccount` cmdlet. This cmdlet will prompt you to enter your Azure credentials, and will then authenticate your connection to Azure.

Once you're connected to your Azure account, you can start using Azure PowerShell to manage your resources. For example, you can use the `New-AzureRmResourceGroup` cmdlet to create a new resource group, or the `Get-AzureRmVM` cmdlet to retrieve information about your virtual machines.

Azure PowerShell is a powerful tool that allows you to manage and automate Azure resources from the command line.

To get started with Azure PowerShell, you'll need to install the Azure PowerShell module on your computer. This can be done by running the command `Install-Module -Name AzureRM` in PowerShell.

The Azure PowerShell module can be installed on Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems.

You can verify the installation by running the command `Get-Module -Name AzureRM`. If the installation is successful, you should see the AzureRM module listed.

Make sure to import the AzureRM module in your PowerShell session by running the command `Import-Module -Name AzureRM`.

To get started with Azure PowerShell, you can use our guided tutorials, which cover a range of topics including creating virtual machines, storage accounts, and Azure SQL databases.

These tutorials are a great way to get hands-on experience with Azure PowerShell, and they can be found on our website.

You can create a new virtual machine using the New-AzureRmVm cmdlet, which can save hours of data entry in Azure Portal forms.

Here are some key cmdlets to know:

These cmdlets are just a few examples of what you can do with Azure PowerShell, and there are many more to explore.

To get hands-on experience with Azure PowerShell, I recommend checking out the guided tutorials available. These tutorials will walk you through creating virtual machines with Azure PowerShell.

One of the tutorials covers creating a storage account, which is a crucial step in setting up your Azure environment. You'll learn how to transfer objects to and from Azure Blob storage.

The tutorials also cover creating and retrieving secrets from Azure Key Vault, which is essential for securing sensitive data. This process involves using the Azure PowerShell cmdlets.

To view the help content for a cmdlet, use the Get-Help cmdlet. This will give you a better understanding of how to use the cmdlets effectively.

Here are some of the tutorials you can expect to find:

The Az PowerShell module is the recommended module for managing Azure resources with PowerShell on all platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. It includes thousands of commands that control almost every aspect of Azure.

You can use the Az PowerShell module in several ways, including Azure Cloud Shell, local installation, or a Docker container. Azure Cloud Shell is a browser-based shell that allows you to run Azure PowerShell commands without installing anything on your local machine.

The Az module is a replacement and updated version of AzureRM and AzureRM.NetCore, and it runs on PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell core. It's also the latest version in the Azure cloud and ships in Cloud shell.

One of the benefits of using the Az module is that it shortens the commands in PowerShell, making it easier to work with Azure resources. Here are some ways you can use the Az module:

You can also use the AzPreview PowerShell module, which includes all generally available (GA) modules from the Az PowerShell module and all preview modules for managing Azure resources. However, it's not recommended for use in production environments since preview modules don't adhere to breaking change policies.

You can connect to your Microsoft 365 environment from Azure Cloud Shell using PnP PowerShell. Not every available option within PnP PowerShell will work due to the Azure Cloud Shell not being able to show a visual login screen.

To authenticate, you'll need to choose how you will authenticate, as not all options will work. Azure PowerShell supports several authentication methods, and for detailed information about authenticating to Azure from the Az PowerShell module, see Sign into Azure from Azure PowerShell.

To sign in to Azure, use the Connect-AzAccount cmdlet. This is not necessary if you're using Cloud Shell, as you're already authenticated for your environment, subscription, and tenant.

Beginning in early 2025, Azure PowerShell sign-ins using Microsoft Entra ID user identities for authentication will require multi-factor authentication (MFA). For more information, see Planning for mandatory multi-factor authentication for Azure and other admin portals.

Azure PowerShell defaults to Web Account Manager (WAM) for authentication on Windows systems, while other platforms use browser-based login. For more details, see Web Account Manager (WAM).

If you're using Cloud Shell, you can use the Device Login option to authenticate your Azure Cloud Shell connection attempt. This involves entering the following command in Azure Cloud Shell: Connect-PnPOnline https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com -DeviceLogin.

Here are the steps to use Device Login:

Note that when connecting using the -DeviceLogin option, PnP PowerShell cannot automatically switch to the yourtenant-admin.sharepoint.com context, meaning any cmdlets you try to run that require being connected to the admin portal, will need you to use Connect-PnPOnline https://yourtenant-admin.sharepoint.com -DeviceLogin yourself first to authenticate specifically to the admin site before you can use them.

To log into Azure, use the Connect-AzAccount cmdlet. You can also specify a specific cloud environment using the Environment parameter: AzureChinaCloud, AzureCloud, AzureUSGovernment.