Forem: Berenice Enikanoselu

Provisioning storage for a Company's public website

Berenice Enikanoselu — Mon, 25 May 2026 16:18:37 +0000

The company website supplies product images, videos, marketing literature, and customer success stories. The content is mission-critical and requires low latency load times.

Azure Blob Storage is optimized for storing massive amounts of unstructured data. Unstructured data is data that doesn’t adhere to a particular data model or definition, such as text or binary data. We will use Azure blob to keep product images, videos, marketing literature, and customer success stories so that Customers located worldwide and their rapidly expanding demand can easily be cattered to.

We will need to activte Blob soft delete inorder to protects every individual blob, snapshot, or version from accidental deletes or overwrites by maintaining the deleted data in the system for a specified period of time.
Blob versioning will bw used to maintain previous versions of a blob. When blob versioning is enabled, you can restore an earlier version of a blob to recover your data if it’s modified or deleted.
Any client can read data in the created container because we will configure the container for anonymous access. Let's Dive right in!

A.Create a storage account with high availability.

Create a storage account to support the public website.

1. In the portal, search for and select Storage accounts.
Select + Create.
For resource group select new. Give your resource group a name and select OK.
Set the Storage account name to publicwebsite, we set ours to publicwebsitesact because publicwebsite is taken.
Make sure the storage account name is unique by adding an identifier.

Take the defaults for other settings.
Select Review and then Create.
Wait for the storage account to deploy, and then select Go to resource.

2.This storage requires high availability if there’s a regional outage. Additionally, enable read access to the secondary region, Learn more about storage account redundancy.

In the storage account, in the Data management section, select the Redundancy blade.
Ensure Read-access Geo-redundant storage is selected.
Review the primary and secondary location information.

3. Information on the public website should be accessible without requiring customers to login.

In the storage account, in the Settings section, select the Configuration blade.
Ensure the Allow blob anonymous access setting is Enabled.
Be sure to Save your changes.

B. Create a blob storage container with anonymous read access

1. The public website has various images and documents. Create a blob storage container for the content.
In your storage account, in the Data storage section, select the Containers blade.

Select + Container.
Ensure the Name of the container is public.
Select Create.

2.Customers should be able to view the images without being authenticated. Configure anonymous read access for the public container blobs. Learn more about configuring anonymous public access.
Select your public container.
On the Overview blade, select Change access level.

Ensure the Public access level is Blob (anonymous read access for blobs only).
Select OK.

C.Practice uploading files and testing access.

1.For testing, upload a file to the public container.
The type of file doesn’t matter. A small image or text file is a good choice.
Ensure you are viewing your container.
Select Upload.
Browse to files and select a file. Browse to a file of your choice.
Select Upload.

Close the upload window, Refresh the page and ensure your file was uploaded.
2. Determine the URL for your uploaded file. Open a browser and test the URL.
Select your uploaded file.
On the Overview tab, copy the URL.
Paste the URL into a new browser tab.
If you have uploaded an image file it will display in the browser. Other file types should be downloaded.

D.Configure soft delete

1. It’s important that the website documents can be restored if they’re deleted.

Configure blob soft delete for 21 days. Learn more about soft delete for blobs.

Go to the Overview blade of the storage account.
On the Properties page, locate the Blob service section.
Select the Blob soft delete setting.
Ensure the Enable soft delete for blobs is checked.
Change the Keep deleted blobs for (in days) setting to 21.
Notice you can also Enable soft delete for containers.
Don’t forget to Save your changes.

2.If something gets deleted, you need to practice using soft delete to restore the files.
Navigate to your container where you uploaded a file.
Select the file you uploaded and then select Delete.
Select OK to confirm deleting the file.
On the container Overview page, toggle the slider Show deleted blobs. This toggle is to the right of the search box.
Select your deleted file, and use the ellipses on the far right, to Undelete the file.
Refresh the container and confirm the file has been restored.

E.Configure blob versioning

It’s important to keep track of the different website product document versions. Learn more about blob versioning.
Go to the Overview blade of the storage account.
In the Properties section, locate the Blob service section.
Select the Versioning setting.

Ensure the Enable versioning for blobs checkbox is checked.
Notice your options to keep all versions or delete versions after.
Don’t forget to Save your changes.
As you have time experiment with restoring previous blob versions.
Upload another version of your container file. This overwrites your existing file.
Your previous file version is listed on Show deleted blobs page.

The many sides of Azure Storage :Provide storage for the IT department testing and training

Berenice Enikanoselu — Mon, 25 May 2026 12:41:59 +0000

An Azure storage account is a container that holds all your Azure Storage data objects, including blobs, files, queues, and tables.
Azure Storage offers several types of storage accounts, Standard and Premium. Each type supports different features and has its own pricing model.
Azure Storage always stores multiple copies of your data to protect it from planned and unplanned events.
Redundancy models can replicate data in the primary and secondary regions. We will see all these in few minutes following these guided steps.

A. Create a resource group and a storage account.

1. Create and deploy a resource group to hold all your project resources. Learn more about resource groups-- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/azure-resource-manager/management/manage-resource-groups-portal

There are at least three ways to do it as indicated by the boxes.

In the Azure portal, follow the arrow, search for and select Resource groups.
Select + Create.
Give your resource group a name. For example, storemyfilesrg.
Select a region. Use this region throughout the project.

Select Review and create to validate the resource group.
Select Create to deploy the resource group.
Select Refresh to view your new Resource group.

2.Create and deploy a storage account to support testing and training. Learn more about the types of storage accounts--https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/storage-account-overview#types-of-storage-accounts

In the Azure portal, search for and select Storage accounts.

Select + Create.
On the Basics tab, select your Resource group.
Provide a Storage account name. The storage account name must be unique in Azure.

Set the Performance to Standard.
Select Review, and then Create.
Wait for the storage account to deploy and then Go to resource.

B.Configure simple settings in the storage account.

The data in this storage account doesn’t require high availability or durability. A lowest cost storage solution is desired. Learn more about storage account redundancy ---https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/storage-redundancy#locally-redundant-storage.

In your storage account, in the Data management section, select the Redundancy blade.
Select Locally-redundant storage (LRS) in the Redundancy drop-down.
Be sure to Save your changes.
Refresh the page and notice the content only exists in the primary location.

2.The storage account should only accept requests from secure connections. Learn more about requiring secure transfer from secure connections-- https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/storage/common/storage-require-secure-transfer
In the Settings section, select the Configuration blade.
Ensure Secure transfer required is Enabled.

3.Developers would like the storage account to use at least TLS version 1.2. Learn more about transport layer security (TLS)-- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/transport-layer-security-configure-minimum-version?tabs=portal.
In the Settings section, select the Configuration blade.
Ensure the Minimal TLS version is set to Version 1.2.

4.Until the storage is needed again, disable requests to the storage account. Learn more about disabling shared keys-- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/shared-key-authorization-prevent?tabs=portal#disable-shared-key-authorization.
In the Settings section, select the Configuration blade.
Ensure Allow storage account key access is Disabled.
Be sure to Save your changes.
Ensure the storage account allows public access from all networks.
In the Security + networking section, select the Networking blade.

5.Ensure Public network access is set to Enabled from all networks.
Be sure to Save your changes.

Creating a Secure storage for Azure Files and Azure Blob-Storage

Berenice Enikanoselu — Sun, 24 May 2026 23:43:17 +0000

The job description is given that a company wants to ensure their files or Apps be stored and only accessed using keys and managed identities. The developers should use role-based access control and for testing, protected immutable storage is needed. We would now provide a guide to the successful deployment of the resources needed in this job in a four(4) level grouped activities.

A. Create the storage account and managed identity

1. Provide a storage account for the web app.
In the portal, search for and select Storage accounts.
Select + Create.

Below the Resource group bar select Create new.
Give your resource group a name and select OK to save your changes.
Provide a Storage account name. Ensure the name is unique and meets the naming requirements.

Move to the_ Encryption tab_.
Check the box for Enable infrastructure encryption.
Notice the warning, This option cannot be changed after this storage account is created.
Select Review + Create.
Wait for the resource to deploy.

2. Provide a managed identity for the web app to use. Learn more about managed identities.

Search for and select Managed identities.
Select Create.
Select your resource group.
Give your managed identity a name.
Select Review and create, and then Create.

3.Assign the correct permissions to the managed identity.
The identity only needs to read and list containers and blobs. Learn more about [how to assign Azure roles --(https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/role-based-access-control/role-assignments-portal)

Search for and select your storage account.
Select the Access Control (IAM) blade.

Select Add role assignment (center of the page).
On the Job functions roles page, search for and select the Storage Blob Data Reader role.

On the Members page, select Managed identity.

Select Select members, in the Managed identity drop-down select User-assigned managed identity.
Select the managed identity you created in the previous step.
Click Select and then Review + assign the role.
Select Review + assign a second time to add the role assignment.
Your storage account can now be accessed by a managed identity with the Storage Data Blob Reader permissions.

B. Secure access to the storage account with a key vault and key.

1. To create the key vault and key needed for this part of the job, your user account must have Key Vault Administrator permissions.
Go the Extra mile, You can Learn more about how to provide access to Key Vault keys, certificates, and secrets with an Azure role-based access control --https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/key-vault/general/rbac-guide?tabs=azure-cli
In the portal, search for and select Resource groups.
Select your resource group, and then the Access Control (IAM) blade.
Select Add role assignment (center of the page).
On the Job functions roles page, search for and select the Key Vault Administrator role.
On the_ Members_ page, select User, group, or service principal.
Select Select members.

Search for and select your user account. Your user account is shown in the top right of the portal.
Click Select and then Review + assign.
Select Review + assign a second time to add the role assignment.

2.Create a key vault to store the access keys.

In the portal, search for and select Key vaults.
Select Create.
Select your resource group.
Provide the name for the key vault. Ensure you use a unique name.
Ensure on the Access configuration tab that Azure role-based access control is selected.

Select Review + create.
Wait for the validation checks to complete and then select Create.
After the deployment, select Go to resource.
On the Overview blade ensure both Soft-delete and Purge protection are enabled.

As seen Purge Protection is Disabled, Click on Disable to enable it

3. Create a customer-managed key in the key vault.

In your key vault, in the Objects section, select the Keys blade.

Select Generate/Import and Name the key.
Take the defaults for the rest of the parameters, and Create the key.

C. Configure the storage account to use the customer managed key in the key vault

1. Before you can complete the next steps, you must assign the Key Vault Crypto Service Encryption User role to the managed identity.
Learn more about how to use a system-assigned managed identity to authorize access-- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/customer-managed-keys-configure-existing-account?tabs=azure-portal#use-a-system-assigned-managed-identity-to-authorize-access

In the portal, search for and select Resource groups.
Select your resource group, and then the Access Control (IAM) blade.
Select Add role assignment (center of the page).
On the Job functions roles page, search for and select the Key Vault Crypto Service Encryption User role.
On the Members page, select Managed identity.
Select Select members, in the Managed identity drop-down select User-assigned managed identity.
Select your managed identity.
Click Select and then Review + assign.
Select Review + assign a second time to add the role assignment.

2. Configure the storage account to use the customer managed key in your key vault.
Always go the extra mile, Learn more about customer managed keys on an existing storage account--https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/customer-managed-keys-configure-existing-account?tabs=azure-portal#use-a-system-assigned-managed-identity-to-authorize-access.
Return to your the storage account.
In the Security + networking section, select the Encryption blade.

Select Customer-managed keys.
Select a key vault and key. Select your key vault and key.

Select to confirm your choices.
Ensure the Identity type is User-assigned.
Select an identity.
Select your managed identity then select Add.
Save your changes.
You may receive an error that your identity does not have the correct permissions, wait a minute and try again.

D. Configure an time-based retention policy and an encryption scope.

The developers require a storage container where files can’t be modified, even by the administrator. Another extra mile, learn more about blob immutable storage--https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/blobs/immutable-storage-overview.

1. Navigate to your storage account.
In the Data storage section, select the Containers blade.
Create a container and name it mine is called hold. Take the defaults. Be sure to Create the container.
Upload a file to the container.

In the Settings section, select the Access policy blade.
In the Immutable blob storage section, select + Add policy.
For the Policy type, select time-based retention.
Set the Retention period to 5 days.
Be sure to Save your changes.
Try to delete the file in the container.
Verify you are notified failed to delete blobs due to policy.

2.We require an encryption scope that enables infrastructure encryption. One more extra mile, learn more about infrastructure encryption --https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/storage/common/infrastructure-encryption-enable?tabs=portal.

Navigate back to your storage account.
In the Security + networking blade, select Encryption.
In the Encryption scopes tab, select Add.

Give your encryption scope a name.
The Encryption type is Microsoft-managed key.
Set Infrastructure encryption to Enable.
Select Create to create the encryption scope.
Return to your storage account and create a new container.
Notice on the New container page, there is the Name and Public access level.
Notice in the Advanced section you can select the Encryption scope you created and apply it to all blobs in the container.

Creating and Deploying your first Linux VM made simple

Berenice Enikanoselu — Tue, 19 May 2026 21:20:13 +0000

Hi,I'm making this post to show you how easily you can create and deploy your first VM. Constant practice will make you a NINJA. Come right in with me and let's see together, even a dummy will get it the very first time!

To create a Virtual Machine follow these steps:

1 Login to your Azure Portal you can click this link https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/get-started/azure-portal
2 sign in with your preferred login details
3 Type VM or virtual machine in the search bar, select virtual machines from the drop down you find
4 click Create in the window that opens, pick the first option: Virtual Machine,which is the simplest to create for now. Others will be treated in subsequent exercises

5 A new window will open showing your current subscription, you can change it if you have multiple subscriptions. Choose an existing resource group by clicking the arrow or create a new one if none is existing(or If you prefer a new one to the existing ones)

6 Name your virtual marchine(name must be between 3- 24 characters, you can use alpbabeths or numbers or both), choose your preferred location, choose availability option (We chose NO INFRASTRUCTURE REDUNDANCY REQUIRED because we are running on free subscription) Choose Standard security type(this is to minimise cost too), choose any of the Ubuntu servers as Image. You can view all the images as indicated by the arrow

7 Choose the size. Click to see more sizes.
Under Administrator Account choose Password

8 Fill in the login details for username, Password and confirmation. Be sure to save your password in a secure place where you can easily reference it.
9 Select SSH(22) and HTTP(80) under Select Inbound Port

10 Scroll up and click Monitoring, disable Boot diagnostic

11 click create and review. (Fix any review that is suggested, then click create and review again). Click create. Your Virtual machine will start deploying!
After it is fully deployed you can improve the efficiency of the machine by follow these steps:
12 Click the Primary NIC Public IP Address.

Drag the circle as indicated by the arrow to increase the idle time out from 4 to 30 and click APPLY

Use the browser back arrow to return to the virtual machine page and click connect twice to make the VM active.

Click Check Access to give a green mark port 22 is accesible...... Copy the SSH address as indicated by arrow

Open your VS code terminal. If you do not have the VScode terminal download it from google and do the following using the command interface

paste the copied SSH address in the command window and strike enter key on your keyboard. Input yes, strike enter key, input your password(Note that the Password will not show so you have to be sure of what you are inputting), strike enter key
run the following command one after the other i. sudo su

ii. apt update

iii. apt install ngnix

iv. apt instal vim

Yippeee!!! You are now a NINJA! more commands will be treated in subsequent posts!!

Creating and Deploying your first Linux VM made simple

Berenice Enikanoselu — Tue, 19 May 2026 18:45:36 +0000

Hi,I'm making this post to show you how easy you can create and deploy your first VM. Constant practice will make you a NINJA. Come right in with me and let's see together, even a dummy will get it the very first time!

To create a Virtual Machine follow these steps:

Login to your Azure Portal you can click this link https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/get-started/azure-portal
sign in with your preferred login details
Type VM or virtual machine in the search bar, select virtual machines from the drop down you find

4 click Create in the window that opens, pick the first option: Virtual Machine which is the simplest to create for now. Others will be treated in subsequent exercises

5 A new window will open showing your current subscription, you can change it if you have multiple subscriptions. Choose aan existing resource group by clicking the arrow or create a new one if none is existing(or you prefer a new one to the existing ones)

6 Name your virtual marchine(name must be between 3- 24 characters with alpbabeths/numbers), choose your preferred location, choose availability option (We chose NO INFRASTRUCTURE REDUNDANCY REQUIRED because we are running on free subscription) Choose Standard security type(this is to minimise cost too), choose any of the Ubuntu servers as Image. You can view all the images as indicated by the arrow

7 Choose the size. Click to see more sizes.
Under Administrator Account choose Password

8 Fill in the login details for username, Password and confirmation. Be sure to save your password in a secure place where you can easily reference it.
9 Select SSH(22) and HTTP(80) under Select Inbound Port

10 Scroll up and click Monitoring, disable Boot diagnostic

11 click create and review. (Fix any review that is suggested, then click create and review again). Click create. Your Virtual machine will start deploying!
After it is fully deployed you can improve the efficiency of the machine by follow these steps:
11 click the Primary NIC Public IP Address.

Drag the circle as indicated by the arrow to increase the idle time out from 4 to 30 and click APPLY **

Use the browser back arrow to return to the virtual machine page and click connect twice to make the VM active.

Click **Check Access to give a green mark port 22 is accesible...... coppy the SSH address as indicated by arrow
![ ](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/rivrqcd8uqu0iefh3t9x.png
Open your VS code terminal. If you do not have the VScode terminal download it from google and run the following commands

paste the copied SSH address in the command line and strike enter key on your keyboard. Input yes, strike enter key, inputyour password(Note that the Password will not show so you have to be sure of what you are inputting), strike enter key
run the following command subsequently i. sudo su ii. apt update iii. apt install ngnix iv. apt instal vim

You are now a NINJA! more commands will be treated in subsequent posts!!

Creating a Resource Group using Azure Portal

Berenice Enikanoselu — Tue, 12 May 2026 15:42:20 +0000

A resource group is like a folder or a store where you keep related things, in this case where you keep resources. This post will show you how to create a Resource Group.

STEP 1: SIGN IN TO AZURE PORTAL

Choose an account from the list of accounts and sign in using the preferred method.

In the search bar, type resource group
click resource group in the drop down
click +create

Fill in your preferred name for the resource group in the bar . Ensure that the name has between 3- 24 characters e.g Myfirstprojectrg, where rg stands for resource group

Choose a location. Location means where your data centre will be located.

click Review+create
click create

refresh to show your new resource group.

Try following these steps to create your own resource group.