Forem: ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA

HOW TO CREATE AND CONFIGURE AZURE FIREWALL

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Wed, 14 May 2025 08:24:46 +0000

Azure Firewall is a cloud-native, managed network security service provided by Microsoft Azure. It helps protect your Azure Virtual Network resources by controlling both inbound and outbound network traffic based on configured rules.

Key Features of Azure Firewall

Stateful Traffic Inspection
Maintains the state of connections, which means it can distinguish between legitimate and malicious traffic.
Built-in High Availability and Scalability
Azure Firewall is highly available out of the box and can scale automatically based on traffic load.
Centralized Policy Management
You can manage network and application rules across multiple subscriptions and virtual networks.
Threat Intelligence-Based Filtering
Integrates with Microsoft threat intelligence to allow or deny traffic from known malicious IPs or domains.
Application FQDN Filtering Rules
You can create rules based on fully qualified domain names (FQDNs), not just IP addresses.
Network Traffic Logging and Analytics
Integration with Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, and Event Hubs for logging and diagnostics.
DNS Proxy and Filtering
Azure Firewall can act as a DNS proxy and filter DNS queries.
Support for Hybrid Connections
Works with on-premises environments using VPN or ExpressRoute.

Scenario

Your organization requires centralized network security for the application virtual network. As the application usage increases, more granular application-level filtering and advanced threat protection will be needed. Also, it is expected the application will need continuous updates from Azure DevOps pipelines.

You identify these requirements.

Azure Firewall is required for additional security in the app-vnet.
A firewall policy should be configured to help manage access to the application.
A firewall policy application rule is required. This rule will allow the application access to Azure DevOps so the application code can be updated.
A firewall policy network rule is required. This rule will allow DNS resolution.

This rule Skilling tasks

Create an Azure Firewall.
Create and configure a firewall policy
Create an application rule collection.
Create a network rule collection.

Architecture diagram

STEPS ON CREATING AZURE FIREWALL

STEP 1: Create Azure Firewall subnet in our existing virtual network.

In the search box at the top of the portal, enter Virtual networks and select Virtual networks in the search results.

Select app-vnet

STEP 2: Select subnet and click on +subnet.

Enter these settings
Subnet purpose: Azure Firewall
Name: AzureFirewallSubnet
Starting address: 10.1.63.0
Click add after entering these settings

STEP 3: Search for and select Firewall

Select + create and enter these settings:

Name: app-vnet-firewall
Resource group: your resource group
Firewall SKU: Standard
Firewall management: Use a Firewall Policy to manage this firewall
Firewall policy: Add new
Policy name: policyastra
Region: East US
Policy Tier: Standard
Choose a virtual network: Use existing
Virtual network: app-vnet
Public IP address Add new: ipastra
Click Review + create when configured, click on create and wait for deployment to be completed.

STEP 4: Search for and select Firewall Policies

Select policyastra

Under Rules, select Application rules and then Add a rule collection.

Configure the application rule and select add
Name: app-vnet-fw-rule-collection
Rule collection type: Application
Priority: 200
Rule collection action: Allow
Rule collection group: DefaultApplicationRuleCollectionGroup
Name: AllowAzurePipelines
Source type: IP address
Source: 10.1.0.0/23
Protocol: https
Destination type: FQDN
Destination: dev.azure.com, azure.microsoft.com

NOTE:

The AllowAzurePipelines rule allows the web application to access Azure Pipelines. The rule allows the web application to access the Azure DevOps service and the Azure website.

Add a Network Rule

In the Settings blade, select Network rules and then Add a network collection.

Configure the network rule and then select Add.

Property Value

Name = app-vnet-fw-nrc-dns
Rule collection type = Network
Priority = 200
Rule collection action = Allow
Rule collection group = DefaultNetworkRuleCollectionGroup
Rule = AllowDns
Source = 10.1.0.0/23
Protocol = UDP
Destination ports = 53
Destination addresses = 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1

Verify the firewall and firewall policy status

Search for and select firewall, View the app-vnet-firewall and ensure the Provisioning state is Succeeded.

In the portal ,search for and select Firewall policies. View the policyastra and ensure the Provisioning state is Succeeded.

This exercise builds on previous work by adding an Azure Firewall to control outbound traffic in your virtual network. A centralized firewall is now in place, enabling secure, policy-driven control of traffic in Azure.

HOW TO CREATE AND CONFIGURE NETWORK SECURITY GROUPS.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Wed, 07 May 2025 09:36:19 +0000

A Network Security Group (NSG) is a security feature used primarily in cloud environments—especially in Microsoft Azure—to control inbound and outbound traffic to networked resources. A Network Security Group (NSG) in Microsoft Azure is a security feature that allows you to control inbound and outbound network traffic to and from Azure resources within a virtual network. NSGs contain a list of security rules that permit or deny traffic based on various parameters such as source and destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols.

SCENARIO

Your organization requires the network traffic in the app-vnet to be tightly controlled. You identify these requirements.

The frontend subnet has web servers that can be accessed from the internet. An Application Security Group(ASG) is required for those servers. The ASG should be associated with any virtual machine interface that is part of the group. This will allow the web servers to be easily managed.

The backend subnet has database servers used by the frontend web servers. A network security group (NSG) is required to control this traffic. The NSG should be associated with any virtual machine interface that will be accessed by the web servers.

Skilling tasks

.Create a network security group.
.Create network security group rules.
.Associate a network security group to a subnet.
.Create and use application security groups in network security group rules.

Architecture diagram

For testing, a virtual machines should be installed in the frontend subnet (VM1) and the backend subnet (VM2). Here two virtual machines will be created.

STEP 1: Create VM1

In your Azure portal, search for virtual machine and click + create.

creating a virtual machine is not difficult. In case you don't know how to go about it refer to my article on how to create a virtual machine.

Review +create for validation, click on create for deployment and wait for deployment to be complete.

STEP 2: Create VM2

Just like creating VM1,follow the same procedure in creating VM2.

Review +create for validation, click on create for deployment and wait for the deployment to be complete.

Here I have successfully create and deploy the two virtual machines.

STEP 3: Search for and select Application security groups.

Select + Create and configure the application security group.

Select Review + create and then select Create for Validating and deployment.

After creating Application Security Groups (ASG), associate the application security group to the network interface of the VM1.

STEP 4: In the Azure portal, search for and select VM1

In the Networking blade, select Application security groups and then select Add application security groups. Select the app-frontend-asg and then select Add.

Create and Associate the Network Security Group

Network security groups (NSGs) * secure network traffic in a virtual network.

STEP 5: In the portal search for and select Network security group.

Select + Create and configure the network security group.

Select Review + create then select Create and wait for the deployment to be complete.

Associate the NSG with the app-vnet backend subnet.

STEP 6: Go to resource or navigate to the app-vnet-nsg resource.

In the Settings blade select Subnets. Select app-vnet (PRACTICE1) and then the Backend subnet. Select OK
NOTE: Practice1 is a resource group I created instead of using RG1.

Create Network Security Group rules

A Network Security Rules (NSG) use security rules to filter inbound and outbound network traffic.

STEP 7: Search and select Network Security Group.

Select app-vnet-nsg from the list of network security groups.

In the Settings blade, select Inbound security rules then select + Add and click on Add.

Property Value

Source = Any
Source port ranges = *
Destination = Application Security group
Destination application security group =app-frontend-asg
Service = SSH
Action = Allow
Priority = 100
Name = AllowSSH

By completing this exercise, I have successfully configured secure access between frontend and backend workloads in Azure using Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Application Security Groups (ASGs).

AZURE APPLIED SKILLS: Create and configure virtual networks.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Thu, 01 May 2025 14:09:10 +0000

In this particular article, I will be walking on the process of configuring secure access to workloads using Azure virtual networking. In this exercise, we will put in place the virtual networks and subnets.

Skilling tasks

Create a virtual network.
Create a subnet.
Configure vnet peering.

REQUIREMENTS

To do this exercise you will need:
An Azure subscription with Contributor RBAC role assigned. In this lab, when you are asked to create a resource, for any properties that are not specified, use the default value.

An Azure virtual network enables many types of Azure resources to securely communicate with each other, the internet, and on-premises networks. All Azure resources in a virtual network are deployed into subnets within the virtual network.

STEP 1:Sign into the Azure portal and search for and select Virtual Networks.

Click on + Create and complete the configuration of the app-vnet.

Subscription and Resource group: Your valid subscription and choose or create your resource group
Virtual network name: app-vnet
Region: (US) East US

Click IP addresses, then add IPV4 address space.

Ensure that the new space starts at 10.1.0.0 and the size is /16 and delete the default address space.

Click add a subnet

Call it frontend, make sure the starting address is 10.1.0.0 and the size is 24. Click add when settings are configured and save it.

Click Add subnet again in the same address space. Name it backend also a size of 24. Make sure that the starting address is 10.1.1.0. Click add

When you are done creating the frontend and the backend, here is how the final setup will look like.

Click review + create. Then create again and wait for deployment.

STEP 2: Search for and select virtual networks again. Click + create, like in the first steps.

Use these settings for the configuration:
Subscription and Resource Group: Same as previous virtual network
Virtual Network Name: hub-vnet

Click IP addresses and Click Add subnet. Select Azure Firewall as the subnet purpose. Leave the default settings, and click Add.

Remove the default space, click review + create then click create again.

STEP 3: In the virtual networks portal, click app-vnet

Configure a peer relationship between the virtual networks

Virtual network peering enables you to seamlessly connect two or more Virtual Networks in Azure.

In the Settings blade, select Peerings and click on + Add.

Use these settings:

Peering link name: app-vnet-to-hub
Subscription: same subscription used earlier
Virtual network: hub-vnet
Local virtual network peering link name: hub-to-app-vnet Leave the rest on defaults and click "Add"

Once the deployment completes, verify the Peering status is Connected (in the peering menu of app-vnet)

At this point, I have successfully created and peered two virtual networks: app-vnet and hub-vnet .

Understanding Linux Package Manager: Deploying A Lamp Stack in Linux.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:40:20 +0000

A package manager in Linux is a command-line or graphical tool that automates the process of installing, updating, configuring, and removing software packages. It simplifies software management by handling dependencies, repositories, and system consistency.

Key Functions of a Package Manager:

Installation: Downloads and installs software packages from a repository.
Upgrades: Updates software packages to the latest versions.
Removal: Removes software packages from the system.
Dependency Management: Automatically resolves and installs any required dependencies for a package.
Package Integrity: Verifies the authenticity and integrity of packages.
Repository Management: Allows users to add or remove software repositories.

Why are Package Managers Important?

Simplified Software Management:
They automate the process of installing, updating, and removing software, making it easier for users to manage their systems.
Dependency Resolution:
They automatically handle dependencies, ensuring that all required packages are installed, which prevents "dependency hell".
Security and Integrity:
They help ensure that software packages are authentic and haven't been tampered with.
Centralized Repositories:
They allow users to access a centralized repository of software packages, making it easier to find and install software.

Example Workflow (Ubuntu):

Without wasting much time, let us begin by downloading Ubuntu's package manager. To do this, you need to download Ubuntu Multipass. After downloading and installing it successful , here is how it will look once you open the Multipass;

You will need to download an Ubuntu image.After the downloaded the image, open the instance on the left hand pane of the multipass app. Click on new terminal.

Once you open the shell a welcome note will appear, to clear that welcome note you will need to run the command "clear"

To install anything in Ubuntu, you need to be on admin mode. The command for that is "Sudo Su". Now if you do not want to be on admin mode (root mode)but still want to perform an installation, lets say you want to install NGINX, "Sudo apt install nginx"

NOTE:

Provided you're not in root mode, you will need to add "Sudo" to every command. Sudo gives you that administrative privilege.

DEPLOYING A LAMP STACK

The LAMP stack is a robust, open-source software suite used to build and host dynamic websites and web applications. A LAMP stack is a popular open-source software bundle used for building and hosting web applications. The acronym "LAMP" stands for the four core components: Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP.

Here's a breakdown of each component:

Linux:
The open-source operating system that serves as the foundation for the LAMP stack, providing a stable and secure environment for running web applications.
Apache:
A widely used web server software that handles HTTP requests and delivers web content to users.
MySQL:
A relational database management system used for storing and managing data for web applications.
PHP:
A server-side scripting language used to create dynamic web content, interacting with MySQL to fetch and display data.

Step-by-Step Deployment

Step 1: System Update
To do this, run the command "sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y"

Step 2: Install Apache Web Server
To install apache2, run the command "sudo apt install apache2 -y"

Step 3: Enable and start the service
Run the command "sudo systemctl enable apache2 --now"

To know if Apache2 is installed, run the command "ip addr show."

Copy the IP address and paste on a browser.

Step 4: Install MySQL Database
Run the command "sudo apt install mysql-server -y"

Step 5: Secure MySQL
Run the command "sudo mysql_secure_installation"

Step 6: Install PHP
Run the command "sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-cli php-curl php-json -y"

Step 7: Test PHP Configuration
Run the command echo "<?php phpinfo(); ?>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/info.php

Visit: http:// your IP address/info.php to view the PHP details page.

Step 8: Remove the test file afterward
Run the command sudo rm /var/www/html/info.php

Step 9: Security Best Practices

Configure Firewall
Allow only necessary traffic:

Allow HTTP/HTTPS

Run the command sudo ufw allow 'Apache Full'

Allow SSH

Run the cammand "sudo ufw allow ssh"

Activate firewall

Run the command "sudo ufw enable"

We have successfully deployed a LAMP Stack on Linux for hosting dynamic websites and web applications. That wasn't difficult.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT LINUX COMMAND IS ALL ABOUT.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:14:24 +0000

INTRODUCTION
A Linux command is a text-based instruction entered into a terminal or command-line interface to perform a specific task on a Linux operating system. These commands allow users to interact with the system, manage files, configure settings, run programs, and more. Linux commands are typically executed in a shell (like Bash), which interprets and processes the input.
Linux commands are the backbone of interacting with a Linux operating system through the terminal. They allow users to perform tasks ranging from file management to system administration, often with more precision and flexibility than graphical interfaces.

What Are Commands in Linux?

Commands in Linux are essentially programs or utilities that perform operations when invoked. They can be built into the shell (internal commands) or exist as separate executable files (external commands). Here’s a breakdown:
Internal Commands: These are part of the shell itself (e.g., Bash) and don’t require separate executable files. Examples include:
cd: (change directory)
echo: (display text)
pwd: (print working directory)

External Commands: These are standalone programs located in directories like /bin, /usr/bin, or /usr/local/bin. Examples include:
ls: (list directory contents, though often aliased to dir in some setups)
cat: (concatenate and display file content)
grep: (search text in files)

Common Linux Commands

Here are some widely used Linux commands, categorized by purpose:

File Management

ls: Not typically a native command, but often dir or aliases simulate it; use ls in many distributions with proper setup.
cp: Copy files or directories.
mv: Move or rename files or directories.
rm: Remove or delete files or directories.
touch: Create an empty file or update a file's timestamp.
ls: List directories or files.
clear: Clear the terminal display.

Directory Navigation

cd: Change the current directory or to navigate through directories.
mkdir: Create a new directory.
rmdir: Remove an empty directory.
pwd: Show the current directory path or print working directory.
cat: Display file content on the terminal.
cmp: allows to check if two files are identical.
diff: find the difference between two files.
sort: Rearrange a file’s content in a specific order.

File Viewing and Editing

cat: Display file contents.
less: View file contents page by page.
nano, vi, or vim: Edit text files.
tail: Return specified number of lines from the bottom.
head: Return specified number of lines from the top.

System Information

uname: Display system information (e.g., uname -a for all details).
top: Monitor running processes.
df: Show disk space usage or disk file system information.
free: Display memory usage.
pwd: Show name of current working directory

Permissions and Ownership

chmod: Change file permissions.
chown: Change file ownership.
passwd: Create password
useradd and usermod: Add a new user or change existing user data.

Process Management

ps: List running processes.
kill: Terminate a process by its ID.
bg/fg: Manage background or foreground jobs.
zip: To compress one or multiple files.
unzip: To extract a compressed file or files.

Networking

ping: Test network connectivity.
wget: Download files from the web.
curl: Transfer data to/from a server.

Linux commands are powerful and flexible, forming the backbone of system administration and user interaction in a Linux environment. Also, Linux commands are usually case sensitive.

HOW TO CREATE A SHARED FILED STORAGE FOR OFFICES IN AZURE.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:08:01 +0000

INTRODUCTION

Shared file storage in Azure refers to Azure Files, a fully managed file storage service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows you to create and manage file shares in the cloud. These file shares can be accessed by multiple users, applications, or virtual machines (VMs) simultaneously over standard protocols like Server Message Block (SMB) or Network File System (NFS), depending on the configuration. It’s designed to provide a centralized, scalable, and highly available solution for storing and sharing files, similar to traditional on-premises file servers but with the benefits of cloud infrastructure.

Key Features of Azure Files:

Shared Access: Multiple clients (e.g., VMs, on-premises servers, or applications) can mount the same file share and access it concurrently, making it ideal for collaboration or distributed workloads.
Scalability: You can scale storage and performance dynamically based on your needs, with options for Standard (general-purpose) and Premium (high-performance) tiers.
Integration: Works seamlessly with Azure services like Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and Azure Blob Storage (via sync tools like Azure File Sync).
Security: Supports encryption at rest and in transit, private endpoints, and integration with Azure Active Directory for access control.
Snapshots: Provides point-in-time file share snapshots for backup and recovery.

Types of Shared Files Storage Solutions

There are three primary types of storage solutions businesses can adopt to provide shared file storage. They are cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid models.

Cloud-Based Storage
Cloud-based storage is increasingly popular due to its scalability and ease of access. With cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive, users may store files on remote servers and retrieve them from any location with an internet connection.

On-Premises Storage
On-premises storage refers to physical hardware that is kept within the organization's infrastructure, such as Storage Area Networks (SAN) or Network Attached Storage (NAS). Although it can demand a large amount of IT resources, this strategy gives total control over data.

Hybrid Storage
Hybrid storage offers the advantages of both on-premises and cloud systems. Here, data can be stored on-premises for sensitive files and in the cloud for scalability and easy access.

STEP 1: Create and configure a storage account for Azure Files.

On this article I will be creating a storage account for operation department.
In the Azure portal, search for and select Storage accounts.

select + create

For Resource group select Create new. Give your resource group a name and select OK to save your changes. Provide a storage account name and set the performance to premium. Set the premium account type to File shares. Set the Redundancy to Zone-redundant storage. Then select Review and then Create the storage account.

Wait for the resource to deploy and Select Go to resource.

Step 2: Create and configure a file share with directory.

In the Data storage section, select the File shares blade. Select + File share .

Select + File share and provide a Name. Review the other options, but take the defaults. Select Create

Add a directory to the file share for the operation department. Select + Add directory and name the new directory finance.

Select browse and then select the finance directory. Notice you can Add directory to further organize your file share.

Upload a file of your choosing.

STEP 3: Configure and test snapshots.

Select your file share in the Operations section, select the Snapshots blade. Select + Add snapshot.

Select your snapshot and verify your file directory and uploaded file are included. The comment is optional. Select OK.

Mine is there

Practice using snapshots to restore a file.

Return to your file share. Browse to your file directory. Locate your uploaded file and in the Properties pane select Delete. Select Yes to confirm the deletion.

Select the Snapshots blade and then select your snapshot.

Navigate to the file you want to restore, select the file and the select restore.

Provide a Restored file name and press Ok.

Verify your file directory has the restored file.

STEP 4: Configure restricting storage access to selected virtual networks.

Search for and select Virtual networks.

Select Create

Select your resource group and give the virtual network a name. Take the defaults for other parameters, select Review + create, and then Create.

Wait for the resource to deploy and select go to resource.

In the Settings section, select the Subnets blade.

Select the default subnet. In the Service endpoints section choose Microsoft.Storage in the Services drop-down. Do not make any other changes. Be sure to **save **your changes.

The storage account should only be accessed from the virtual network you just created.

Return to your files storage account. In the Security + networking section, select the Networking blade. Change the Public network access to Enabled from selected virtual networks and IP addresses. In the Virtual networks section, select Add existing virtual network. Select your virtual network and subnet, select Add. Be sure to Save your changes.

Select the storage browser and navigate to your file share. Verify the message "not authorized to perform this operation."

CONCLUSION
It's important to evaluate your organization's needs, set up proper infrastructure, and apply best practices for security and administration regardless of whether you choose a cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid storage solution.

DONT FORGET TO LIKE SHARE AND COMMENT!

HOW TO CREATE A RESOURCE GROUP IN AZURE.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:30:31 +0000

INTRODUCTION
In Microsoft Azure, a Resource Group is a logical container that holds related resources for an Azure solution. It is a fundamental concept in Azure Resource Manager (ARM), which is the deployment and management service in Azure. Resource groups help you organize, manage, and monitor your Azure resources efficiently.

Key Features of a Resource Group:
Logical Grouping: Resources like virtual machines, databases, storage accounts, or networking components that are part of the same application or project can be grouped together.
Management:You can deploy, update, or delete all resources in a resource group as a single unit. This simplifies tasks like provisioning or cleanup.
Location: Every resource group is tied to a specific Azure region (e.g., East US, West Europe), though the resources within it can reside in different regions.
Access Control: You can apply Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) at the resource group level to define who can manage or access the resources.
Tagging: You can add metadata tags to resource groups for better organization, cost tracking, or automation.
Billing: Resource groups help track costs for a set of resources, making it easier to manage budgets.
This article explains how to setup a Resource Group on Azure. Ride with me as I take you all on the various steps on how to create a resource group on Azure.

STEP 1 : Log into Azure Portal and sign into your account.

In the search bar at the top, type Resource Groups. Select Resource Groups from the search results.

STEP 2: Create Resource Group

Click on the + create button.

STEP 3: Select your Azure subscription. After which you enter a resource group name. Select an Azure location.

STEP 4: Click on Review + Create.

To open the newly created resource group, select it from the list Or select Notification (the bell icon) from the top, and then select Go to resource group to open the newly created resource group.

CONCLUSION
You have successfully set up a Resource groups (RG) in Microsoft Azure.

HOW TO CREATE LOAD BALANCER IN AZURE.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:45:54 +0000

In Azure, "load balancing" refers to a service that distributes incoming network traffic across a group of backend servers (like virtual machines) to ensure no single server becomes overloaded, thereby improving application performance and availability by distributing workloads across multiple resources. The term load balancing refers to the distribution of workloads across multiple computing resources. Load balancing aims to optimize resource use, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid overloading any single resource.
Azure Load Balancer can either be public load balancer or internal load balancer.
Public Load Balancer: Used for internet-facing applications.
Internal Load Balancer: Used for internal applications, not exposed to the internet.

Uses of Azure Load Balancer:

High Availability: Ensures high availability by distributing traffic across multiple resources.
Scalability: Enables scalability by adding or removing resources as needed.
Improved Responsiveness: Improves responsiveness by directing traffic to the closest available resource.
Fault Tolerance: Provides fault tolerance by automatically removing unhealthy resources from rotation.
Security: Enhances security by hiding backend resources from public access.
Load Balancing for Web Applications: Load balances web applications, ensuring efficient traffic distribution.

Best Practices for Using Azure Load Balancer:

Use Health Probes: Regularly monitor the health of backend resources.
Configure Session Persistence: Ensure user sessions are directed to the same backend resource.
Use Multiple Backend Pools: Separate applications or services into different backend pools.
Monitor Performance: Regularly monitor load balancer performance and adjust configurations as needed.

Stay with me as I take you on the various steps on how to create a load balancer in Azure.

STEP 1: On Your Azure portal, search for Load Balancer.

STEP 2: On load balancer page click +create.

STEP 3: Input your resource or create one if none is available and give your instance name.
Leave other parameters as default and click next for Frontend IP configuration.

STEP 4: Frontend IP Configuration.
On the frontend page click add frontend, enter Frontend name, choose your Vnet and subnet and click save.

STEP 5: Click Next: Backend Pools.
Backend pool refers to a group of virtual machines or instances within a virtual machine scale set that are designated to receive and process incoming traffic from a load balance.
Click Add a Backend Pool.

Provide a Name, Select Virtual Machines and add the VMs to the pool.
Click Add, then Save and Next: Inbound Rules.

STEP 6: Configure Load Balancing Rules.
Click Add a load balancing rule.
Set:

Name: arigurule
Frontend IP: Select the one created earlier -arigu_IP_config
Protocol: TCP.
Port: (e.g., 70 for web traffic).
Backend Port: Same as Frontend Port.
Backend Pool: Select the one created earlier - arigubackendpool
Health Probe: Create a probe
Session Persistence: None (or as required).
Click save and click on review + create

STEP 7: Click on create.
Wait for validation to be pass before clicking on create.

STEP 8: Wait for deployment to complete, then click on go to resource.

Finally here goes our load balancer titled myloadbalancer.

In summary azure load balancer distribute workloads effectively across multiple virtual machines and services reduces downtime risks and improves application responsiveness, even during peak traffic. By following these steps, you can successfully and easily set up a Load Balancer and ensure a resilient infrastructure in Azure.

HOW TO USE AN AZURE CUSTOM TEMPLATE TO DEPLOY A VIRTUAL MACHINE.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 21:54:53 +0000

Deploying a custom template in Azure refers to the process of using an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template to provision and configure resources in your Azure environment programmatically. An ARM template is a JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) file that defines the infrastructure and configuration you want to deploy, such as virtual machines, storage accounts, networks, or other Azure services.
Deploying a custom template in Azure means using a JSON file to define and automate the creation of resources like storage accounts or virtual machines. Practically, it’s like handing Azure a detailed instruction manual and letting it build your setup. You start with a template, deploy it via the portal (or tools like Azure CLI/PowerShell), and end up with live resources—all repeatable and customizable.
"Deploying" means taking this template and instructing Azure to create or update the resources as specified in the file. The term "custom" indicates that the template is tailored to your specific needs, either by writing it from scratch or modifying an existing one (e.g., from Azure Quickstart Templates).
There are different ways or options of creating a virtual machine. While Azure portal is most widely used, other options include Azure PowerShell, Azure Mobile app, Command Line Interface(CLI), Azure REST API, Azure Cloud Shell and Azure Resource Manager Templates. An example of Azure Resource Manager Templates is Quickstart Template.
This article will show how to use an azure custom template to deploy a virtual machine.
Let's get started.

STEP 1
On Azure search bar, search and click deploy Custom Template then click on it on the dropdown menu.

STEP 2
Click on create a window virtual machine under Common templates.

STEP 3
Create a resource group, enter username and create password. Leave other parameters at default.

STEP 4
Scroll down and Click on review and create.

STEP 5
After validation has been passed, click on "Create" and wait for it to be fully deployed.

STEP 6
Click on go to resource group.

*STEP 7 *
Go to the Resource group where you have everything that is needed for a virtual machine to be created and click on the virtual machine.

Finally, you will see the VM status indicating RUNNING.

## THE END

How to Create an Azure Compute Gallery and capture the image of the Virtual Machine.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 18:07:46 +0000

Azure Compute Gallery is a service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows users to manage, share, and deploy custom virtual machine (VM) images, applications, and other compute resources across an organization or with external users. Azure Compute Gallery simplifies the management of compute resources by providing a scalable, organized way to handle custom images and applications in the Azure cloud ecosystem.

Key Features of Azure Compute Gallery:

Image Management: You can create, version, and store custom VM images (e.g., generalized or specialized images) tailored to your organization’s needs.
Sharing: Images and resources can be shared within your organization, across subscriptions, or even with external users via Azure role-based access control (RBAC) or public access options.
Versioning: Supports versioning of images, allowing you to update and manage multiple iterations of an image while maintaining backward compatibility.
Replication: You can replicate images across multiple Azure regions for low-latency access and high availability.
Integration: Works seamlessly with other Azure services like Azure Virtual Machines, Azure DevOps, and Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates for automated deployments.
Application Support: Beyond VM images, it can store and manage application packages for use with VM scale sets or other compute resources.

Azure Compute Gallery can be use for the following purpose;

Standardized Deployments: _Ensure all teams use the same pre-configured VM images for development, testing, or production.
_Disaster Recovery: Replicate images across regions to support recovery strategies.
DevOps Pipelines: Integrate custom images into CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment or Continuous Delivery) workflows for consistent environments.
Partner Sharing: Share images with external partners or customers securely.

NECCESSARY STEPS TO BE TAKEN

STEP 1: Create an Azure Compute Gallery
Search Compute gallery in the Azure portal and select Azure compute galleries.

STEP 2: Click on + create button.

STEP 3: create a new resource or select from anyone you previously created, give gallery a name and select a region. You can also add a Description (optional), Click Review and create.

After validation has been passed, click on the create button.

Click on Go to resource.

STEP 4: Capture the image of a VM and store in a Compute Gallery.
Go back to the VM created. Click on the Capture button and select Image from the drop-down.

Make sure the VM and the compute gallery are in the same resource group.

STEP 5: Select the Compute gallery created. When saving an image it can either be Generalized or Specialized

Generalized: VMs created from this image require hostname, admin user, and other VM related setup to be completed on first boot. What it means is that it requires username and password.

Specialized: VMs created from this image are completely configured and do not require parameters such as hostname and admin username and password.

STEP 6: In the Target VM image definition section, Create new and give the VM image a Name. click on Ok.

STEP 7: Give the VM image a Version number. Click on Review and create.

click on create button.
NOTE: Before an image will be created it will automatically stop a running virtual machine.

Wait till deployment is complete and click Go to resource.

We can use a captured image to create two things which are; virtual machine and virtual machine scale set.

THE END.

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HOW TO ADD DATA DISK TO A VIRTUAL MACHINE.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:44:32 +0000

A data disk is a managed disk that's attached to a virtual machine to store application data or other data that you need to keep. The term is often used in the context of computing and IT infrastructure, such as in virtual machines, servers, or cloud computing environments.
Here is a breakdown of what it typically means:

Physical Context: A data disk could refer to a hard drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), or other storage medium dedicated to holding files, databases, documents, or other user-generated data.
Virtual/Cloud Context: In platforms like Microsoft Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud, a "data disk" is a virtual storage volume attached to a virtual machine (VM). It’s separate from the disk that holds the operating system (often called the OS disk) and is used for storing application data, logs, or other persistent information.

STEPS TO CREATING A DATA DISK ON VM

STEP 1: Create a virtual machine, click on the + create button and select Azure Virtual Machine.

STEP 2: Give your resource group and virtual machine a name.

STEP 3: Select image, here I selected window server 2022 datacenter: Azure Edition Hotpatch-X64 Gen2.

STEP 4: Administration account and Inbound port rules.

For administration account, make use of the username and password that will be accepted/ meets requirement and you can easily remember while for inbound port make use of RDP(3389)and HTTP(80).

All done at this point, Click on Review + create. Once this has been validated and every other settings is ok, validation would be passed. Click on create and wait for your deployment to be completed. click on the button "Go to Resource"

STEP 5: Add a Data Disk

Go to settings and click disk. Select + create and attach a new disk. Give your disk a name in the Disk name section. Select the best option under Storage type, give the disk a Size(GiB) and select Apply to save.

STEP 6: Initialize the disk so as to make it usable.

Connect to your virtual machine and click on select. Wait for it to show configured before you download the RDP file. Once you've downloaded follow the prompt, input your username and password.

STEP 7: Search for Disk Management

Now that we have been able to gain remote access to the Windows Desktop, search and select on Disk Management.

STEP 8: Right click on the disk 2 below.

From the drop-down click on "new simple volume", remember that the disk size was 12 GB. Also the disk is not yet healthy for use.

To continue click next on the new simple volume wizard.

Click on Ok in the Initialize disk pop_up.

Give the Volume label a name. I renamed the volume label to "my data disk". click on next button. (sorry I couldn't get picture on this).

To close the New Simple Volume Wizard, click finish.

Notice the disk says Healthy now.
You can see that our new data disk has been initialized.

As shown below, our new data disk is available and ready for use.

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HOW TO CREATE A STORAGE ACCOUNT, UPLOAD A FILE AND CONTENT REPLICATION.

ANDREW ARIGU AYUBA — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:58:52 +0000

A storage account in Microsoft Azure is a fundamental resource that provides a unique namespace to store and access data in the Azure cloud. It can be set to public or private and supports various blob types. It acts as a container for various types of data services offered by Azure Blob Storage, File Storage, Queue Storage, and Table Storage. Each storage account is associated with a subscription and has a globally unique name, which forms part of the endpoint URLs used to access the stored data.

STEPS TO CREATING STORAGE ACCOUNT.

STEP 1: Log into your azure account, search and click on storage account in the search bar.

STEP 2: Click on + create to create a storage account.

STEP 3: Choose resource group if one is available or create new one, enter the storage account name and leave other parameters as default depending on what is requested.

Select Review + create and then Create the storage account.

STEP 4: Click create and wait for the storage account to deploy, and then select Go to resource.

From here we have created a storage account, let us Create a storage container, upload a file, and restrict access to the file.

STEP 5: In the storage account, in the Data storage section, select the Containers blade.

STEP 6: Select + Container, Name the container any name of your choice. Ensure the Public access level is private (no anonymous access)and select Create.

STEP 7: To upload a file, click on the container created. Select Upload, Browse to files and select a file. Upload the file.

STEP 8: Select the uploaded file and on the overview tab, copy the URL.

Paste the URL into a new browser tab and verify the file doesn’t display and you receive an error.

Configure and test a shared access signature (SAS).

Select your uploaded blob file and move to the Generate SAS tab.

Verify the Start and expiry date/time is for the next 24 hours and Select Generate SAS token and URL. Ensure the partner has only Read permissions.

On the Overview tab, Copy the Blob SAS URL to a new browser tab. Verify you can access the file.

STEP 9: In the storage account, navigate to data management section and select the Lifecycle management.

STEP 10: Select + Add rule, set the rule name, set the Rule scope to Apply rule to all blobs in the storage account and Select Next.

STEP 11: Ensure last modified is selected, set more than (days ago) to 30 in the Then drop-down, select Move to cool storage and click add.

Now we need to create a content replication. Content replication is a core feature of Azure Storage Accounts that ensures your data is copied and maintained in different physical locations to protect against hardware failures, outages, or disasters. It’s a built-in mechanism to enhance redundancy and reliability.

STEP 12: In the Data management section, select the Object replication blade. Select Create replication rules

STEP 13: Set the Destination storage account to the new storage account. Set the Source container to the first storage account and the Destination container to the new container in the new storage account and click Create.
After clicking the create button, it will load for a while and what you uploaded on your source account will drop on your new destination account.
In summary, you have just created a storage container, uploaded a file and restricted access to the file. BRAVO!!!