Get Started with Intro to Azure Cloud Computing

Azure is a cloud computing platform that offers a wide range of services for computing, storage, networking, and more. With Azure, you can build, deploy, and manage applications and services through Microsoft's global network of data centers.

To get started with Azure, you'll need to create an account. This can be done through the Azure website, and it's free to sign up. You can start with a free trial subscription to explore the platform's features and services.

Azure offers a flexible pricing model that allows you to pay only for what you use. This means you can scale your resources up or down as needed, without being locked into a fixed contract. With Azure, you can choose from a variety of pricing tiers to suit your budget and needs.

Cloud computing is the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to manage data rather than storing it on a local server.

Cloud computing provides multiple benefits, including the ability to pay only for what you consume, launch applications anywhere in the world, and have the cloud provider manage physical security.

The three types of cloud services are Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Azure has three deployment models: Public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud.

Here are the key characteristics of Public Clouds:

Cloud computing is the practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to manage data rather than storing it on a local server or an 'on-premise' system.

This approach provides multiple benefits, including only paying for what you consume, launching applications anywhere in the world, and having the cloud provider manage physical security.

There are three different types of cloud services: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

These services can be deployed in three different models: Public cloud (cloud-native), private cloud (on-premise), and hybrid cloud (using both on-premise and cloud).

To understand cloud computing, it's essential to grasp key terminology, such as availability, scalability, elasticity, fault tolerance, and high durability.

Here's a breakdown of these terms:

Cloud computing offers numerous benefits, including the ability to pay only for what you consume, launch applications anywhere in the world, and have the cloud provider manage physical security. This model is particularly cost-effective, as you only pay for the resources you use.

One of the most significant advantages of cloud computing is its scalability. You can increase or decrease resources on demand, ensuring efficient resource utilization. This is achieved through horizontal scaling, which is considered more practical than vertical scaling.

Cloud services also provide high availability, which means a service remains active without any single point of failure. This is done by running the workload across multiple datacenters, with a load balancer evenly distributing traffic to multiple datacenters and rerouting traffic to a backup datacenter when one datacenter goes down.

Fault tolerance is another critical aspect of cloud computing. A service should be able to ensure there is no single point of failure, which is achieved by planning fail-overs and having a redundant system. Azure Traffic Manager is a DNS-based traffic balancer that manages fail-overs.

Cloud computing also offers elasticity, the ability to automatically increase or decrease capacity based on computing demand. This is usually done using horizontal scaling, which can be achieved using VM Scale Sets in Azure.

Public clouds, in particular, offer accessibility, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and robust security measures. These characteristics make public clouds an attractive option for many organizations.

Here are the key benefits of using cloud services:

Azure Architecture is built on a robust framework that ensures high availability and durability. Azure's datacenters are organized into Availability Zones (AZs), which are physically separate from each other.

Each AZ is a self-contained unit, ensuring that a failure in one AZ won't affect the others. Regions are groups of multiple AZs, and geographies are groups of two or more regions.

Azure pairs regions to ensure zero outages, a feature known as Geo Redundant Storage (GRS). This means that only one region is updated at a time, providing an added layer of durability and reliability.

Azure's architecture is designed to provide high availability and durability. Azure has a hierarchical structure that consists of Availability Zones, Regions, and Geography.

Availability Zones (AZs) are the basic building blocks of Azure's architecture. They are physically separate datacenters that are designed to provide high availability and redundancy.

Regions are groups of multiple Availability Zones. This allows Azure to distribute workload and data across multiple locations.

A region is paired with another region to provide Geo Redundant Storage (GRS), which ensures zero outages by updating only one region at a time.

Here's a quick rundown of Azure's architecture hierarchy:

Cloud infrastructure is the backbone of any cloud-based system, and Azure offers a robust and scalable infrastructure as a service (IaaS) model.

Azure supports a wide range of operating systems due to its Hyper-hypervisor, making it a versatile choice for users.

To build and deploy applications, users have to do it manually in IaaS, but Azure provides the necessary resources and support.

Infrastructure as a service includes virtual machines, storage, and networking, which can be scaled up or down as needed.

There are two types of scaling: Vertical scaling (increasing the size of the server) and Horizontal scaling (adding more servers of the same size). Horizontal scaling is considered more practical.

Azure uses VM Scale Sets to scale out (increase capacity) or scale in (decrease capacity) based on computing demand.

Scaling is a key aspect of cloud infrastructure, and Azure provides the tools and resources to make it happen.

The ability to automatically increase or decrease capacity based on computing demand is known as elasticity, which is usually done using Horizontal scaling.

Azure Traffic Manager is a DNS-based traffic balancer that manages fail-overs, ensuring there is no single point of failure in the system.

A durable system should have regular backups and the ability to restore backups fast, so work is not disrupted in case of a disaster.

The resilience of a system must strike a balance between the Recovery Point Objective (an acceptable amount of data loss) and the Recovery Time Objective (an acceptable duration of downtime).

Data Management is a crucial aspect of Azure, and it's great that Microsoft has a robust system in place.

Azure Entra ID is a key component of this system, providing identity-based access management and Single Sign On (SSO) capabilities that allow users to access multiple applications after authenticating just once.

This feature supports a variety of applications, including Office 365, Salesforce, and ERPs like SAP, making it easy to manage access across different platforms.

Azure's Zero Trust Model is based on the principle of "Trust no one, verify everything", which is reflected in its multi-layered security system.

Azure Data Factory is a platform that enables you to easily and rapidly create, deploy, and manage data-driven applications, providing a comprehensive solution for data warehousing, data integration, and data analysis.

With Azure Data Factory, you can integrate different data sources and create powerful analytics and business insights, making it a valuable tool for any organization.

External Identities can be created to allow people outside your organization to access your apps, which is especially useful for B2B scenarios where you need to share apps with external users.

Security and Compliance is a top priority for Azure users. Azure Security Center is a comprehensive security management platform that provides visibility and control over Azure resources, including Virtual Machines, Cloud Services, and Blob Storage.

Azure Security Center tackles security challenges such as dynamic workloads, evolving threats, and lack of security expertise. With its centralized dashboard, it provides alerts and recommendations to help organizations detect and prevent cybersecurity threats.

Azure Security Center also helps customers secure their workloads and minimize vulnerabilities by promoting adherence to security best practices. This includes securing network connectivity, which is crucial for a secure Azure environment. To do this, users can implement Security Groups, User-defined Routes, Azure Firewall, and Azure DDoS Protection.

Azure Security Center is just one of the many security tools and features provided by Azure. Other key features include Azure Key Vault, which helps protect sensitive data, and Azure Security, which encompasses a comprehensive range of physical, infrastructure, and operational controls designed to protect Azure cloud services.

Securing network connectivity is crucial in Azure, and there are several tools and features that can help you achieve this goal. Microsoft Azure Virtual Network (MAN) allows you to create and manage your private network, giving you flexibility to connect any number of devices, applications, or servers without affecting the public internet.

To get started, you can explore the basics of Microsoft Azure Virtual Network in Lesson 3 of our blog post, where we discuss the ins and outs of this exciting virtual network option.

Azure Security Groups, also known as NSG and ASG, play a vital role in securing network connectivity. By using these groups, you can control inbound and outbound traffic to and from your virtual network, ensuring that only authorized traffic is allowed.

To learn more about Azure Security Groups, check out Episode 21 of our video series, where we delve into the details of these powerful security tools.

Another essential tool for securing network connectivity is Azure Firewall. This service provides a robust and scalable security solution that can help protect your virtual network from cyber threats.

For a comprehensive overview of Azure Firewall, be sure to watch Episode 23 of our video series, where we explore its features and benefits in more detail.

In addition to Azure Firewall, Azure DDoS Protection is also an important tool for securing network connectivity. This service provides real-time protection against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, helping to ensure that your virtual network remains available and secure.

To learn more about Azure DDoS Protection, check out Episode 24 of our video series, where we discuss its features and benefits.

By using these tools and features, you can help secure your network connectivity in Azure and ensure that your virtual network remains secure and available.

Azure Security Center is a comprehensive security management platform that provides visibility and control over various Azure resources, including Virtual Machines, Cloud Services, and Blob Storage. It's like having a single dashboard to manage all your security needs.

The Azure Security Center offers several key benefits, including protection for hybrid workloads, enhanced security posture, and threat detection and mitigation. This means you can secure workloads deployed both within Azure and in non-Azure environments, such as on-premises systems.

Azure Security Center tackles several security challenges, including dynamic workloads, evolving threats, and lack of security expertise. It simplifies the implementation of security standards and best practices, helps customers secure their workloads, and minimizes vulnerabilities.

Here's a breakdown of the responsibilities shared between Azure and its customers in the shared security responsibility model:

This shared responsibility model ensures that Azure secures the physical infrastructure, while customers retain more responsibilities in IaaS compared to PaaS or SaaS.

Azure offers several pricing models, including a free tier, pay-as-you-go, enterprise agreements, and CSP subscriptions. You can also buy Reserved Instances for a discounted price.

Pricing depends on multiple factors, including Resource Type, Resource Usage, Region, Performance Tiers, and Service Level Agreements (SLAs). For example, Virtual Machines are billed based on compute, storage, and networking, while Azure Blob Storage is billed based on the amount of data stored, access frequency, and data transfer.

To minimize operating costs, Azure admins can use Right-Sizing, Scaling, Reserved Instances, Spot Instances, Resource Cleanup, Azure Hybrid Benefit, and tracking and monitoring. Here are some specific ways to save:

Azure offers built-in tools to track spend, including Azure Cost Management and Billing. This suite of tools can help monitor, allocate, and optimize your Azure spend.

Azure offers several pricing models, including free tier, pay-as-you-go, enterprise agreements, and CSP subscriptions. You can also buy Reserved Instances for a discounted price.

To minimize operating costs, Azure admins should understand how to right-size their resources, avoiding over-provisioning. This can be done by using auto-scaling to dynamically adjust resources based on demand.

Azure offers a suite of tools to track spend, including Azure Cost Management and Billing. This toolset includes features for setting budgets, viewing cost analysis, forecasting spend, and setting up alerts.

One way to reduce costs is by using Reserved Instances for predictable workloads, which can save up to 72% compared to pay-as-you-go pricing. Spot Instances can also be used for workloads that can tolerate interruptions, such as batch processing jobs or dev/test environments.

Azure admins can use tags to identify which resources or resource groups are using up the most capacity. This helps track and monitor spend, making it easier to optimize costs.

Here are some methods for planning and managing costs:

By understanding these methods and using Azure's built-in tools, admins can effectively plan and manage costs, ensuring their organization gets the most out of its Azure investment.

Hybrid Benefit is a great way to save on Azure costs, especially for businesses already using Windows Server and SQL Server. With Azure Hybrid Benefit, you can use your existing on-premises Windows Server and SQL Server licenses with Software Assurance to reduce the cost of running these services on Azure.

This benefit is ideal for businesses that are already invested in these technologies and want to take advantage of the cloud without breaking the bank. By leveraging your existing licenses, you can save money on Azure costs.

Here are some key details about Azure Hybrid Benefit:

By taking advantage of Azure Hybrid Benefit, you can make the most of your existing investments and get the most out of your Azure costs.

Azure provides a full range of disaster recovery (DR) and backup services to help protect your vital data and apps from interruptions.

With Azure, you can quickly restore your data and applications in the event of a disaster by replicating them to a secondary cloud site.

Azure backup services also protect your data from ransomware attacks, unintentional deletion, and corruption.

Azure has data centers located around the world, offering availability and accessibility. As of January 2020, Microsoft Azure services are available in 55 regions, spread across 140 countries.

Azure users must ensure that workload and data storage locations comply with all prevailing compliance requirements or other legislation.

Azure offers two key DR and backup services: Azure Site Recovery and Azure Backup.

Azure Site Recovery allows you to replicate your on-premises virtual machines (VMs) to Azure, making it easy to failover to Azure in the event of a disaster.

Azure Backup provides a single place to monitor backup jobs, manage backup policies, and recover data.

Here are the key features of Azure Site Recovery and Azure Backup:

Azure offers a wide range of products and services to suit various needs. Azure's platform as a service (PaaS) includes services like Azure app service, Azure functions, and logic apps, which provide autoscaling and load balancing, along with a pre-configured environment for applications.

Azure's core products can be categorized into several groups, including Azure Compute Services, Azure Networking Services, Azure Storage Services, and Database Services. Some of the key products in these categories include Virtual Machine, VM Scale Set, App Service, Functions, Container Instances, Kubernetes Service, Virtual Network, Load Balancer, VPN Gateway, Application Gateway, CDN, Blob, Disk, File and Archive, Cosmos DB, SQL Database, SQL DB for MySQL and PostgreSQL, and Database Migration Service.

Azure's compute services are designed to help you build and deploy applications. Some of the key compute services include Virtual Machine, VM Scale Set, App Service, Functions, Container Instances, and Kubernetes Service. These services allow you to create and manage virtual machines, deploy and scale applications, and build serverless applications.

Azure's networking services are designed to help you build and manage networks. Some of the key networking services include Virtual Network, Load Balancer, VPN Gateway, Application Gateway, and CDN. These services allow you to create and manage virtual networks, load balance traffic, and build secure and scalable networks.

Azure's storage services are designed to help you store and manage data. Some of the key storage services include Blob, Disk, File and Archive. These services allow you to store and manage unstructured data, structured data, and files.

Azure's database services are designed to help you build and deploy databases. Some of the key database services include Cosmos DB, SQL Database, SQL DB for MySQL and PostgreSQL, and Database Migration Service. These services allow you to create and manage NoSQL databases, relational databases, and migrate databases to the cloud.

Azure's solutions include a range of services designed to help you solve specific problems. Some of the key solutions include Azure IoT Services, Azure Big Data and Analytics Services, Azure Artificial Intelligence (AI) Services, Azure Serverless Computing Services, and Azure DevOps Solutions. These services allow you to build and deploy IoT solutions, big data and analytics solutions, AI solutions, serverless applications, and DevOps solutions.

Here's a summary of Azure's core products and services:

Azure also offers a range of solutions, including Azure IoT Services, Azure Big Data and Analytics Services, Azure Artificial Intelligence (AI) Services, Azure Serverless Computing Services, and Azure DevOps Solutions.