Microsoft Azure
Introduction to Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
Microsoft Azure is a versatile cloud platform with a wide range of services. It can help you build simple websites or complex software solutions. Azure offers services like storage, databases, and AI, and helps you manage governance and compliance.
What is Azure Fundamentals?
Azure Fundamentals is a beginner’s guide to Azure. It covers basic concepts and provides hands-on experience. You don’t need to be an IT expert to learn, but some general knowledge will help.
Introduction to cloud computing
Cloud computing is like renting IT resources over the internet. It’s flexible and can be scaled up or down quickly.
Describe the shared responsibility model
The shared responsibility model is a framework that divides security responsibilities between the cloud provider and the customer. The cloud provider is responsible for physical security, while the customer is responsible for data, applications, and network security.
When using a cloud provider, you’ll always be responsible for:
- The information and data stored in the cloud
- Devices that are allowed to connect to your cloud (cell phones, computers, and so on)
- The accounts and identities of the people, services, and devices within your organization
The cloud provider is always responsible for:
- The physical datacenter
- The physical network
- The physical hosts
Your service model will determine responsibility for things like:
- Operating systems
- Network controls
- Applications
- Identity and infrastructure
Define cloud models
Private cloud
A private cloud is like a personal cloud for a company. It gives you more control but is more expensive than a public cloud. You can set it up on-site or in a dedicated data center.
Public cloud
A public cloud is a cloud service that anyone can use. It’s like a public library for IT resources.
Hybrid cloud
A hybrid cloud combines public and private clouds. It’s like using both a personal cloud and a public cloud together. This can help with flexibility and security.
| Public cloud | Private cloud | Hybrid cloud |
| No capital expenditures to scale up | Organizations have complete control over resources and security | Provides the most flexibility |
| Applications can be quickly provisioned and deprovisioned | Data is not collocated with other organizations’ data | Organizations determine where to run their applications |
| Organizations pay only for what they use | Hardware must be purchased for startup and maintenance | Organizations control security, compliance, or legal requirements |
Multi-cloud
A multi-cloud scenario is when you use multiple public cloud providers. This could be because you need different features or are migrating between providers. It means managing resources and security in multiple environments.
Azure Arc
Azure Arc is a tool that helps you manage your cloud environment, no matter where it’s located or which provider you use.
Azure VMware Solution
Azure VMware Solution allows you to run VMware workloads in Azure, making it easier to migrate or modernize your existing applications.
Describe the consumption-based model
Cloud computing is a pay-as-you-go model. This means you only pay for the resources you use, unlike traditional datacenters where you pay upfront for a fixed amount of capacity. This flexibility can help you save money and avoid overspending.
Cloud pricing models are based on usage. This allows you to plan costs better, run your infrastructure more efficiently, and scale as needed. It’s like renting resources from a data center, but you only pay for what you use.
benefits of high availability and scalability in the cloud
When building or deploying a cloud application, two of the biggest considerations are uptime (or availability) and the ability to handle demand (or scale).
High availability
High availability means your IT resources are always available, even if something goes wrong. Azure offers high availability and guarantees uptime through service-level agreements (SLAs).
Scalability
Scalability means the ability to adjust resources to meet demand. This helps avoid overpaying for services and ensures your applications can handle peak traffic.
There are two types of scaling:
- Vertical scaling: Increasing or decreasing the power of existing resources.
- Horizontal scaling: Adding or removing resources.
Vertical scaling
Vertical scaling is like upgrading your computer. You can add more powerful components like a better processor or more RAM to handle heavier workloads. Or you can downgrade components if you don’t need as much power.
Horizontal scaling
Horizontal scaling is like adding more computers to your network. You can scale out by adding more virtual machines or containers when demand is high, or scale in by removing them when demand is low.
benefits of reliability and predictability in the cloud
Reliability
Reliability in cloud computing means that your systems can continue to work even if something goes wrong. This is often achieved by having resources spread across different locations.
Predictability
Predictability in the cloud means that you can reliably predict how your applications will perform and how much they will cost. Following the Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework can help you achieve this predictability.
Performance
Performance predictability means you can reliably predict how your applications will perform. This is supported by features like autoscaling, load balancing, and high availability. These features help ensure your applications can handle varying workloads and provide a consistent user experience.
Cost
Cost predictability means you can reliably predict how much your cloud services will cost. This is supported by features that allow you to track resource usage, monitor efficiency, and analyze data to forecast future costs. Tools like TCO and Pricing Calculator can also help you estimate costs.
Describe the benefits of security and governance in the cloud
Cloud computing helps with governance and compliance. It provides tools to ensure resources meet standards, automate updates, and protect against security threats.
Describe the benefits of manageability in the cloud
A major benefit of cloud computing is the manageability options. There are two types of manageability for cloud computing that you’ll learn about in this series, and both are excellent benefits.
Management of the cloud
Management of the cloud speaks to managing your cloud resources. In the cloud, you can:
- Automatically scale resource deployment based on need.
- Deploy resources based on a preconfigured template, removing the need for manual configuration.
- Monitor the health of resources and automatically replace failing resources.
- Receive automatic alerts based on configured metrics, so you’re aware of performance in real time.
Management in the cloud
Management in the cloud speaks to how you’re able to manage your cloud environment and resources. You can manage these:
- Through a web portal.
- Using a command line interface.
- Using APIs.
- Using PowerShell.
Describe Infrastructure as a Service
IaaS gives you the most control over your cloud resources. You manage everything except the hardware and network. It’s like renting a computer in the cloud.
Shared responsibility model
IaaS requires you to do most of the work. The cloud provider only takes care of the physical infrastructure.
Describe Platform as a Service
PaaS is a cloud service that provides a ready-to-use development environment. The cloud provider handles the infrastructure and software, while you focus on building your applications.
Shared responsibility model
PaaS divides responsibility between you and the cloud provider. The cloud provider manages the infrastructure and software, while you manage things like networking and security. It’s like using a company computer.
Scenarios
PaaS is good for:
- Developing cloud applications using a framework.
- Analyzing data to make better business decisions.
Describe Software as a Service
SaaS is like renting a fully-developed application. It’s easy to use and requires minimal technical knowledge.
Shared responsibility model
SaaS places most of the responsibility on the cloud provider.** You only need to worry about your data, devices, and users. The cloud provider handles everything else.
Scenarios
Some common scenarios for SaaS are:
- Email and messaging.
- Business productivity applications.
- Finance and expense tracking.