AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam

Deploy and manage Azure compute resources

Automate deployment of resources by using Azure Resource Manager templates or Bicep files

Automating the deployment of resources in Azure can be achieved by using Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates or Bicep files. ARM templates are JSON files that define the infrastructure and configuration for your Azure solution. These templates enable repeatable, consistent deployments and can be reused across multiple environments.

ARM templates provide declarative syntax which is used to describe the desired state of your infrastructure. The template specifies the resources needed in Azure, their properties, and any dependencies between them. By deploying an ARM template, Azure Resource Manager ensures that the resources are created and configured as described in the template.

Alternatively, Bicep files offer a simplified syntax compared to ARM templates and are designed to be more readable and easier to use. Bicep is a domain-specific language that compiles down to ARM templates, making it a very powerful tool for managing deployments. With Bicep, users can write infrastructure code using a more intuitive syntax, improving productivity and reducing errors.

Overall, using ARM templates or Bicep files for automation allows for efficient management of resources, ensuring consistency and reducing manual effort. This approach is invaluable for developers and IT administrators who need to deploy complex environments quickly and reliably.

Create and configure virtual machines

Creating and configuring virtual machines (VMs) in Azure is a fundamental task for many workloads. VMs are a scalable resource provided by Microsoft that allows users to run applications and services as if they were on physical hardware.

To begin, users start by choosing an image, which includes the operating system and any pre-installed software needed. They then select the appropriate VM size based on the performance requirements, including CPU, memory, and storage capabilities. This ensures that the VM has the resources needed for its workload.

Once created, configuring the VM involves setting up networking options like virtual network (VNet), subnets, and network security groups (NSGs) to control traffic flow. Additionally, administrators may need to set up disk storage options such as OS disks, data disks, and temporary disks to store application data.

Regularly monitoring VMs for performance and security is crucial. Tools like Azure Monitor and Azure Security Center provide insights into VM health, performance metrics, and security recommendations, enabling proactive management.

Setting up VMs properly ensures optimal performance, security, and scalability of applications in the cloud. This knowledge is essential for managing infrastructure effectively in Azure environments.

Provision and manage containers in the Azure portal

Provisioning and managing containers in Azure can be accomplished using the Azure portal. Containers are lightweight, portable units of software that include everything needed to run an application, such as code, runtime libraries, dependencies, and configuration files.

Azure provides several container services like Azure Container Instances (ACI) and Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). ACI allows users to run containers without managing underlying servers or orchestrators. This service is ideal for simple, single-container applications that need to start quickly.

For more complex scenarios, AKS provides a managed Kubernetes environment where users can deploy, scale, and manage containerized applications using Kubernetes orchestration. Kubernetes helps automate the deployment, scaling, and operation of application containers across clusters of hosts.

To provision containers, users typically start by uploading container images to Azure Container Registry (ACR) or using public registries like Docker Hub. They can then deploy these images within the chosen container service using the Azure portal's intuitive interface.

Managing containers involves tasks like configuring networking options, setting up scaling policies, monitoring performance, and tuning resources allocation to ensure applications run smoothly. Leveraging Azure’s container services provides a powerful way to efficiently manage application workloads in the cloud.

Create and configure Azure App Service

Azure App Service is a fully managed platform for building, deploying, and scaling web apps. It supports multiple languages and frameworks such as .NET, Java, Node.js, Python, PHP, and Ruby.

Creating an App Service begins with setting up an App Service plan, which determines the region, instance size, scaling options, and pricing tier for your app. Once the plan is established, you can create your web app within this plan.

Configuration options include setting up the deployment environment using continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines with tools like GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps. You can also enable custom domains and SSL certificates for secure access to your app.

App Service also offers features such as Auto Scale, which automatically adjusts instance counts based on demand; Traffic Manager, to distribute incoming traffic; and Application Insights, which provides monitoring and diagnostic capabilities.

By leveraging Azure App Service, developers can focus on writing code rather than managing infrastructure. This managed service offers robust capabilities to ensure web apps are scalable, secure, and performant.

Conclusion

In summary, deploying and managing Azure compute resources involves several critical tasks such as automating deployments with ARM templates or Bicep files, creating and configuring virtual machines for various workloads, provisioning containers efficiently using services like ACI and AKS, and creating robust web applications using Azure App Service. Understanding these areas enables efficient resource management in Azure environments while ensuring scalability, performance, and security of applications in the cloud.