AZ-900 Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam

Describe Azure Compute Services

Virtual Machines

Virtual Machines (VMs) in Azure are like having your own computers in the cloud. They provide a way to run applications and operating systems without needing physical hardware. You can choose from various operating systems, like Windows or Linux, and customize the hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, and storage, to fit your needs. This flexibility makes VMs a great option for many different types of workloads.

When you create a VM, you have full control over the operating system and the software installed on it. This means you can install and configure applications exactly as you need them. VMs are ideal for situations where you need a specific environment or have applications that require a particular operating system. They are also useful for testing and development, allowing you to quickly spin up and tear down environments as needed.

Azure VMs offer a wide range of sizes and configurations, allowing you to scale your resources up or down as your needs change. This scalability is a key benefit of using cloud-based VMs. You can also manage your VMs through the Azure portal, command-line interface, or other management tools. This makes it easy to monitor performance, apply updates, and make changes to your virtual machines.

Azure Container Instances

Azure Container Instances (ACI) offer a way to run containers without managing the underlying infrastructure. Containers are a way to package applications and their dependencies into a single unit, making them easy to deploy and run consistently across different environments. With ACI, you can quickly deploy containers without having to worry about setting up and managing virtual machines or other infrastructure.

ACI is a serverless compute service, meaning that you don't have to manage the servers that run your containers. This simplifies the deployment process and allows you to focus on your applications. You can use ACI to run individual containers or groups of containers, making it suitable for a variety of workloads. It's a great option for running microservices, batch jobs, or other containerized applications.

One of the key benefits of ACI is its speed and simplicity. You can deploy containers in seconds, making it ideal for situations where you need to quickly scale up or down. ACI also integrates with other Azure services, allowing you to build more complex applications. It's a cost-effective solution for running containers, as you only pay for the resources you use.

Azure App Service

Azure App Service is a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offering that allows you to build and deploy web applications, mobile backends, and APIs without managing the underlying infrastructure. It supports a variety of programming languages and frameworks, including .NET, Java, Python, Node.js, and PHP. This makes it easy to deploy applications built with different technologies.

With App Service, you can focus on developing your applications without worrying about the servers, operating systems, or other infrastructure components. Azure handles the patching, scaling, and maintenance of the underlying infrastructure. This allows you to deploy and manage your applications more efficiently. App Service also provides features like auto-scaling, load balancing, and deployment slots, which help ensure your applications are highly available and performant.

App Service offers a variety of deployment options, including Git, FTP, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. This makes it easy to deploy your applications from your development environment. It also integrates with other Azure services, such as Azure SQL Database and Azure Storage, allowing you to build more complex applications. App Service is a great option for organizations that want to quickly deploy and manage web applications and APIs.

Azure Functions

Azure Functions is a serverless compute service that allows you to run code without managing servers. It's an event-driven service, meaning that your code is executed in response to specific events, such as HTTP requests, messages in a queue, or changes in data. This makes it a great option for building microservices, processing data, or automating tasks.

With Azure Functions, you only pay for the compute time your code uses, making it a cost-effective solution for many types of workloads. You can write functions in a variety of programming languages, including C#, Java, Python, and JavaScript. This flexibility allows you to use the language that best suits your needs. Azure Functions also integrates with other Azure services, allowing you to build more complex applications.

Azure Functions is ideal for scenarios where you need to process data in real-time, automate tasks, or build APIs. It's also a great option for building event-driven applications. You can deploy functions quickly and easily, and Azure handles the scaling and management of the underlying infrastructure. This allows you to focus on writing your code and building your applications.

Describe Azure Networking Services

Virtual Networks

Azure Virtual Networks (VNets) are the fundamental building blocks for your private network in Azure. They allow you to create isolated networks where you can deploy your Azure resources, such as virtual machines, databases, and web applications. VNets provide a way to control network traffic and ensure that your resources are securely connected.

Within a VNet, you can create subnets, which are smaller divisions of the network. Subnets allow you to organize your resources and apply different security rules to different parts of your network. For example, you might have one subnet for your web servers and another for your database servers. This allows you to control access to your resources and improve security.

VNets also allow you to connect your Azure resources to your on-premises network using VPNs or ExpressRoute. This allows you to create hybrid cloud environments where your on-premises resources can communicate with your Azure resources. VNets are a critical component of any Azure deployment, providing the foundation for secure and reliable network connectivity.

Load Balancer

Azure Load Balancer is a service that distributes incoming network traffic across multiple virtual machines or other resources. This helps ensure that your applications are highly available and can handle a large number of requests. Load Balancers can distribute traffic based on different criteria, such as IP address, port, or protocol.

There are two types of Load Balancers in Azure: internal and external. An internal load balancer distributes traffic within your virtual network, while an external load balancer distributes traffic from the internet to your resources. Load Balancers are essential for ensuring that your applications are resilient and can handle traffic spikes.

Load Balancers also provide health probes, which monitor the health of your resources. If a resource becomes unhealthy, the load balancer will stop sending traffic to it until it recovers. This helps ensure that your applications are always available. Load Balancers are a critical component of any highly available application in Azure.

VPN Gateway

Azure VPN Gateway allows you to create secure connections between your on-premises network and your Azure virtual networks. This allows you to extend your on-premises network to the cloud, creating a hybrid cloud environment. VPN Gateways use encrypted tunnels to ensure that your data is transmitted securely.

There are two types of VPN Gateways: site-to-site and point-to-site. A site-to-site VPN connects your entire on-premises network to your Azure virtual network, while a point-to-site VPN allows individual users to connect to your Azure network from their devices. VPN Gateways are essential for organizations that want to connect their on-premises resources to Azure.

VPN Gateways also support different VPN protocols, such as IPsec and IKEv2. This allows you to choose the protocol that best suits your needs. VPN Gateways are a critical component of any hybrid cloud environment, providing secure and reliable connectivity between your on-premises and cloud resources.

Azure DNS

Azure DNS is a service that allows you to host your domain names in Azure. It provides a reliable and scalable way to manage your DNS records. DNS is the system that translates domain names, like www.example.com, into IP addresses that computers use to communicate with each other.

With Azure DNS, you can manage your DNS records through the Azure portal, command-line interface, or other management tools. This makes it easy to create, update, and delete DNS records. Azure DNS also provides high availability and redundancy, ensuring that your DNS records are always available.

Azure DNS supports different types of DNS records, such as A records, CNAME records, and MX records. This allows you to configure your DNS records to meet your specific needs. Azure DNS is a critical component of any application that uses domain names, providing a reliable and scalable way to manage your DNS records.

Conclusion

This section covered essential Azure compute and networking services. We explored Virtual Machines for customizable computing, Azure Container Instances for serverless container execution, Azure App Service for web application hosting, and Azure Functions for event-driven code. On the networking side, we discussed Virtual Networks for private cloud networks, Load Balancers for traffic distribution, VPN Gateways for secure hybrid connections, and Azure DNS for domain name management. Understanding these services is crucial for building and deploying applications in Azure.