1. Managing Azure Resources
In this video, we’ll dive deeper into tools and features available in Azure to manage resources.
2. Azure Resource Manager (ARM)
Azure Resource Manager, often abbreviated as ARM, is the service for deploying and managing Azure resources.
You can think of Azure Resource Manager (ARM) as the pilot of an aircraft. Just as a pilot navigates an aircraft through complex airspace, ARM directs and manages different Azure resources to ensure they navigate smoothly in your cloud environment, avoiding obstacles and reaching their destination efficiently.
3. Azure Resource Manager (ARM)
It serves as the centralized management layer in Azure. It enables template-driven deployments that enable you to ensure consistency and repeatability for your Azure resources. Furthermore, with ARM, we can efficiently categorize and organize resources using tags, which are customizable labels for categorizing Azure resources.
4. Management tools
Although Azure Resource Manager is our central management tool, there are other services we can make use of, including Azure Monitor, Automation, Policy, Advisor, and Blueprints.
5. Azure Monitor
First, we’ll look at Azure Monitor, which provides full-stack monitoring on all application layers, from infrastructure to end-user. It offers real-time insights into resource performance, such as virtual machines, containers, databases, networks, etc.
Additionally, it has advanced analytics and intelligence insights for resource performance, security, and cost. It contains an integrated alert system to help spot any potential issues or anomalies in real-time.
6. Azure Automation
Azure automation is a powerful tool for streamlining workflows and minimizing repetitive tasks often done by personnel. Because it’s based on PowerShell, it can integrate easily with cloud and on-premise systems.
Within Azure automation, you can create a runbook to automate routine tasks and streamline operations typically handled by IT and support teams.
It’s not just limited to process automation; it can also be used for configuration management, updating management shared capabilities, and hybrid environments.
7. Azure Advisor
Azure Advisor acts as your personalized cloud consultant.
It provides best practice recommendations personalized to your needs, which help you optimize your Azure resources. It helps improve performance, heighten security, and enhance reliability.
8. Azure Policy
We previously covered Azure Policy and Blueprints, but we’ll cover these in more detail.
Azure Policy upholds organizational standards and ensures compliance in the current landscape. Banks, for example, may need to follow certain regulatory and policy compliance, meaning the data has to be within the same region. For example, a US bank would need to deploy resources in one of the US regions available on Azure.
9. Azure Policy
It integrates with the company's pre-defined deployment criteria and aligns with corporate guidelines. Automating policy enforcement can reduce errors and reinforce adherence to guidelines.
Depending on your sector or region, Azure offers a robust compliance framework and auditing tools to highlight outdated systems, empowering IT teams to update resources and maintain alignment with these standards.
10. Azure Blueprints
Azure Blueprints provide a consistent framework for deploying Azure resources, ensuring uniformity across multiple setups. An example would be Azure’s security and compliance GDPR blueprint, which helps you build and launch cloud applications that meet GDPR requirements.
Think of them as architectural templates. Just as a blueprint for a building ensures every room meets specific criteria, Azure Blueprints ensures every deployment adheres to the organization's best practices and requirements.
11. Azure Blueprints
By defining repeatable sets of resources, you can avoid the inconsistencies and mistakes that might arise when setting up resources manually each time.
These blueprints also help streamline your organizational standards, ensuring that every deployment is aligned with your organization's specific rules and requirements.
They ensure consistent environment setups across your environments, including development, staging, and production teams.
12. Key Takeaways
Properly managing resources in the cloud is about more than just optimizing costs. It ensures security, performance, and compliance. The importance of maintaining a well-managed environment cannot be overstated. Organizations can ensure seamless operations, mitigate risks, and maximize their cloud investments with effective management.
Azure isn't just a cloud host; as we have seen, it offers robust tools like Azure Resource Manager, Azure Monitor, and Azure Automation. These provide insights, enable automation, and ensure consistent best practices.
Azure understands every business is unique. Its diverse services and configurations let companies customize their cloud environment, from enforcing Azure Policy to shaping resources with Azure Blueprints.
13. Let's practice!
Next up, let's see what you've learned.