Forem: Ayodeji Alofun

Creating and connecting to a Linux Virtual Machine Scale Set

Ayodeji Alofun — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 23:15:13 +0000

Below is a step by step guide with screenshots on how to create and connect to a Linux Virtual Machine Scale Set.

Log into Azure Portal.
Proceed to the Azure Portal and use your Azure account to log in.
To create Virtual Machines Scale Set (VMSS), make sure you have the required rights and a current subscription
Type vmss in the search bar as shown below.

Click on either of the create word as shown below.

Select active subscription from the drop down.

Create a new resource group and or select already created one from the dropdown. For the purpose of this tutorial, we are creating a new resource group.

Create a virtual machine scale set name and select other fields as shown below.

Select Autoscaling and click on configure to set the parameters.

click on pencil like object as shown below to edit the default setting.

Ensure the following fields are set as shown below, and save.

Scoll down and select the following fields as shown below for scale in policy.

Ensure you select the following fields for image, architecture and size.

Ensure you completed the highlighted fields as shown below and click on next to continue.

Click on next until you get to networking page and click on pencil like icon as shown below to edit.

Ensure to complete the highlighted fields as shown below and click ok to continue.

To set the load balancing, check the Azure load balancer as shown below and click on create button to configure a new one.

Give the load balancer a name and maintain other default parameters, then create as shown below.

Now that the load balancer has been configured and selected as shown below, click on Review + create to continue.

After validation has been passed, click on create to continue.

Download the private key and ensure you note where the file is downloaded in your system.

Wait for few minutes and allow the deployment to initialize, submit and complete. Click on Go to resource as shown below to continue.

Instances configured can be connected to at thesame time by load balancing instead of connecting to the instances individually as shown below.

Click on view inbound NAT rules to continue.

To connect, search for the command prompt, right click to run as administrator and type ssh space -i space(input file path location by right clicking on the downloaded file, click properties, security and copy the objectname path) space username(Azureuser)@public IP address space -p space 50000 and click enter to continue. Type yes whenever confirmation is required as shown below.

To update, run at the command prompt by typing sudo (space) apt-get (space)-y (space) update to continue.

To install, run at the command prompt by typing sudo (space) apt-get (space)-y (space) install (space) nginx to continue.

Paste your IP address on the browser to open the nginx welcome page.

Creating and Connecting to a Linux VM using a Public Key.

Ayodeji Alofun — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 19:14:51 +0000

Below is a step by step guide with screenshots on how to create and connect to a Linux Virtual Machine using a public key

Step 1: Log into Azure Portal.
Proceed to the Azure Portal and use your Azure account to log in.
To create virtual machines (VMs), make sure you have the required rights and a current subscription.
Step 2: Type virtual machine in the search bar or click on virtual machine in the Azure services.
Step 3: Click on create as shown below and select Azure Virtual Machine.
Step 4: Select active subscription from the drop down.
Step 5: Create a new resource group and click ok or select already created one from the dropdown. For the purpose of this tutorial, we are creating a new resource group.
Step 6: Create a virtual machine name.
Step 7: Select your desired region from the drop down.

Step 8: Select your availability option zone from the drop down. However, for the purpose of this tutorial we choose below as shown in the image.
Step 9: Select your security type.
Step 10: Select Ubuntu Servers 22.04 LTS from the image drop down or from see all images.

Step 11: Select x64 as VM architecture.

Step 12: Maintain the default setting which uncheck run with Azure Spot discount.

Step 13: Select your preferred size.

Step 14: Maintain the default setting which uncheck enable hibernation.

Step 15: Select SSH public key for Authentication type.

Step 16: Set your username as azureuser.

Step 17: Select Generate new key pair from the drop down as SSH public key source.

Step 18: Check RSA SSH Format as your SSH Key Type.

Step 19: Input your key pair name as shown below.

Step 20: Check Allow selected ports box in the public inbound ports as shown below.

Step 21: Open the drop down at Select inbound ports and check HTTP (80) and SSH (22) as shown below.

Step 22: Click on Review + create as shown below to continue.

Step 23: A page will appear to inform you of validation progress, when validation is passed as shown below, click on create to proceed.

Step 24: A dialogue box will appear where you will need to download the private key, ensure you note where this file is downloaded in your system.

Step 25: Wait for few minutes and allow the deployment to initialize, submit and complete. Click on Go to resource as shown below to continue. Copy the public IP address and proceed to the next step.

Step 26: To connect, search for the command prompt, right click to run as administrator and type ssh space -i space(input file path location by right clicking on the downloaded file, click properties, security and copy the objectname path) space username(Azureuser)@public IP address and click enter to continue.

Step 27: To update, run at the command prompt by typing sudo (space) apt-get (space)-y (space) update to continue.

Step 28: To install, run at the command prompt by typing sudo (space) apt-get (space)-y (space) install (space) nginx to continue.

Step 29: Paste your IP address on the browser which will open the nginx welcome page.

The Core Architectural Components of Azure

Ayodeji Alofun — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:41:36 +0000

Azure's Fundamental Architectural Elements

Through a global network of data centres, Microsoft Azure has quickly emerged as a top cloud computing platform, providing a broad range of services to assist companies in developing, managing, and deploying applications. To fully utilise Azure, it is imperative to comprehend its fundamental architecture elements. We will examine these essential elements, their roles, and how they support Azure's overall architecture in this blog.

1. Availability Zones and Azure Regions

Regions of Azure

Azure is separated into different geographical areas, each of which has several data centres. By deploying apps closer to their users, these zones enable organisations to lower latency and boost performance. Selecting the appropriate area is essential for guaranteeing service availability and adhering to data residency regulations.

Zones of Availability

Azure offers Availability Zones, which are geographically distinct areas inside a region intended to guarantee high availability and disaster recovery. Businesses can improve reliability and uptime by shielding their applications from localised failures by allocating resources across Availability Zones.

2. Groups of Resources

One of Azure's core organisational layers is resource groups. They offer a means of organising and managing associated resources, including databases, storage accounts, and virtual machines. Administrators can better monitor consumption, implement access controls, and control expenses by grouping resources. By using templates, resource groups also make it easier to deploy and manage resources.

3. ARM, or Azure Resource Manager

The deployment and administration tool for Azure is called Azure Resource Manager. It gives customers the ability to add, edit, and remove resources from their Azure account. ARM facilitates automation and infrastructure as code (IaC) methods by enabling resource management via a standardised API. Repeatable deployments are made possible by ARM templates, which let customers to declaratively define the infrastructure and parameters they require.

4. Computer Services

Azure provides a vast array of computing services that let users execute apps in different settings:

Virtual Machines (VMs): From basic web hosting to intricate data processing jobs, users can build scalable virtual machines for a range of workloads.
App Services: A completely managed platform for creating and deploying mobile backends, RESTful APIs, and web apps.
Azure Functions: Customers can run event-driven code without worrying about infrastructure management thanks to serverless computing.
Kubernetes Service (AKS): Containerised application deployment, management, and scaling are made easier with Kubernetes Service (AKS), a managed container orchestration service.

5. Storage Solutions

Azure offers a variety of storage choices, each intended for a distinct set of applications:

Blob Storage: Used to store unstructured data, including backups, videos, and pictures.
File Storage: An SMB-protocol-accessible, fully managed file sharing.
Table Storage: Large volumes of structured data can be stored in a NoSQL key-value store.
Queue Storage: To facilitate communication between various application components, message queues are managed.

6. Networking

A number of elements make up Azure's networking architecture, which guarantees safe and effective connectivity:

Virtual Networks (VNets): Segmented networks in Azure that provide safe communication between resources.
Azure Load Balancer: Incoming network traffic is divided across several resources by the Azure load balancer, which guarantees excellent availability and dependability.
Azure VPN Gateway: Secure connections between Azure and on-premises networks are made possible by the Azure VPN Gateway.
Azure ExpressRoute: Performance and security are improved by the private connection that Azure ExpressRoute offers between on-premises infrastructure and Azure.

7. Management of Identity and Access

Azure places a high premium on security, and identity management is essential to preserving resource control:

Azure Active Directory: This is sometimes known as Azure AD, it's a complete identity and access management solution that offers user and application authorisation and authentication.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): In order to guarantee that users have only the access they require, administrators can allocate rights to users according to their responsibilities using a feature called role-based access control, or RBAC.

8. Tools for Monitoring and Management

Azure provides powerful capabilities for efficient resource monitoring and management:

Azure Monitor: Proactive management is made possible by Azure Monitor, which offers a thorough overview of the health and performance of applications.
Azure Security Centre: This is a comprehensive security management system that aids in resource protection and threat detection.
Azure Policy: A solution that assists in enforcing organisational norms and evaluating compliance on a large scale is Azure Policy.

Conclusion

To properly utilise Azure's potential, one must comprehend its fundamental architectural elements. Azure offers a strong foundation for creating and implementing cloud applications, ranging from networking and identity management to computation and storage solutions. A thorough understanding of these elements will enable teams to create scalable, secure, and resilient cloud architectures that satisfy their particular business requirements as more and more organisations move to the cloud.

Businesses can maximise their cloud strategy and seize all of the potential that cloud computing presents by keeping up with Azure's changing services and capabilities. Understanding these fundamental elements is essential for success in the cloud, regardless of whether you're just beginning your Azure journey or trying to improve your current architecture.