I am a strong believer that doing is the best way to learn something. I therefore highly encourage you to try out all the technologies and principles I cover in this book. Because Azure is a public cloud solution, you don't need any local resources except for a machine to connect to Azure and use PowerShell. Ideally, you will also have a small on-premises lab environment to test the networking to Azure and hybrid scenarios, but you don't need a huge lab environment. For most of the items, you can use a single Windows Server machine with 8 GB of memory to enable a few virtual machines to run concurrently. In this book, sometimes I provide step-by-step instructions to guide you through a process, sometimes I provide a link to an external source that already has a good step-by-step guide, and sometimes I provide a link to my videos to ensure maximum understanding.
This book was one of the most challenging I've written. Azure is updated so frequently that it was necessary to update the book while writing as capabilities changed. The Microsoft product group teams helped greatly, giving me early access to information and even environments to enable the book to be as current as possible. To keep the content relevant, I will be updating the digital version regularly, and I have created an application, Mastering Azure IaaS, available in the Windows Store, that provides easy access to the external links, videos, and code samples I use in this book (which I will also update with new information). You can download the application from www.savillte.ch/mstrazureapp and from the Windows Store (see the following figure). You must download this application and use it as a companion to the book. As you read each chapter, look at the application for videos and other information that will help your understanding. I do not specifically call these references out in the text of the book.
Who Should Read This Book
This book is intended for anyone who wants to learn Azure Infrastructure Services. If you have a basic knowledge, that will help but it's not a requirement. I start off with a foundational understanding of each technology and then build on that to cover more advanced topics and configurations. If you are an architect, a consultant, an administrator, or really anyone who just wants a better knowledge of Azure Infrastructure, this book is for you.
I make certain assumptions regarding the reader here:
• You have a basic Windows Server knowledge and can install Windows Server.
• You have a basic knowledge of PowerShell.
• You have access to the Internet and can sign up for a trial Azure subscription.
At times, I go into advanced topics that might seem over your head – don't worry. Focus on the elements that you do understand, implement and test them, and solidify your understanding. Then when you feel comfortable, come back to the more advanced topics. They will seem far simpler once you have a solid grasp of the foundational principles.
There are various Azure exams; the most relevant to this book is 70-533, Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions. More information on that exam is available here:
https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam-70-533.aspx
Will this book help you pass the exam? Yes, it will help. I took 70-533 cold without knowing what was in the exam and without any study and passed. Since most of my Azure brain is in this book, it will help. I advise you to look at the areas covered in the exam and use this book as one resource, but also use other resources that Microsoft references on the exam site. There were questions on the exam related to Azure Web Sites and Azure SQL Database, which I only cover at a very high level in this book. These included knowing the differences in the various SKUs of those services, so be sure that you know those details.
Another exam, 70-534, Architecting Microsoft Azure Solutions, is related to architecting Azure solutions. Infrastructure is only a small part of those solutions, and knowledge of development technologies is also required. This book does not contain enough information to pass 70-534, but it will help with the infrastructure-related elements.
What's Inside
Here is a glance at what's in each chapter.
Chapter 1: The Cloud and Microsoft Azure 101 provides an introduction to all types of cloud service and then dives into specifics about Microsoft's Azure-based offerings. After an overview of how Azure is acquired and used, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) is introduced with a focus on the difference between a best effort and a reliable service and why best effort may be better.
Chapter 2: When to Use IaaS: Cost and Options answers the first question posed by most organizations that have plenty of on-premises infrastructure: why would I use public cloud solutions? Key IaaS scenarios are explored to help you identify ways in which public cloud and IaaS solve problems that can't be easily replicated on-premises and how public cloud pricing can be compared to on-premises. The easiest way to understand the simplicity of IaaS is by creating a new VM and seeing the core options available. The sizes of virtual machines are explained and the cost and feature implications explored, including licensing of Windows and other applications such as SQL Server.
Chapter 3: Customizing VM Storage looks beyond creating a VM and explores customizing virtual machines with a focus on storage. Here you will learn about adding storage and the types of cache configuration, combining storage within virtual machines to make large volumes, how storage works and is replicated inside Azure and between datacenters, and more.
Chapter 4: Enabling External Connectivity explores offering services running from within Azure out to Internet-based consumers. Key concepts, such as endpoints for offering services and load-balanced services for greater service availability, are presented. Core Dynamic IP and Virtual IP concepts are introduced. You will see how they are used in Azure and under what circumstances they may change. The focus is on the difference between stopped and deprovisioned and the cost implications of those states. Local DNS will be explored, along with limitations for communication and name resolution between various cloud services in a subscription.
Chapter 5: Using Virtual Networks builds on the basic communication between VMs in a cloud service. Virtual networks provide a construct to enable customizable IP space configurations that are used by multiple cloud services, thus enabling cloud service-to-cloud service communication and on-premises communication. This chapter dives into architecting, configuring, and managing virtual networks and includes features such as reserving IP addresses for specific virtual machines via PowerShell. Availability sets and affinity groups are explained to help make multi-instance services as highly available as possible. Affinity groups form the foundation for virtual networks.
Chapter 6: Enabling On-Premises Connectivity builds on virtual networks and enables secure IP connectivity between services in Azure and those on-premises. This chapter starts by using site-to-site VPN gateway functionality, including basic configuration using software and hardware on-premises gateways, and then explores the point-to-site VPN options. The new ExpressRoute connectivity option is presented for organizations that do not want communication over the Internet and have connectivity and performance requirements that are not possible with the basic site-to-site VPN offering.
Chapter 7: Extending AD to Azure and Azure AD describes your next step once you've enabled IP connectivity between Azure and your on-premises infrastructure: joining VMs in Azure to the corporate Active Directory (AD). This can be done by accessing domain controllers on-premises once the appropriate DNS changes are configured in Azure virtual networks. Ultimately, you may want domain controllers