Tag: DevOps

Azure Resource Locks – The One Feature You’re Probably Not Using (But Should Be)

Accidental deletion or modification of critical resources in Azure is more common than most teams would like to admit. And unlike on-prem environments, where layers of approvals or access barriers might slow someone down, Azure’s agility can sometimes be its own worst enemy — especially when production workloads are one click away from disappearing.

Enter: Azure Resource Locks — your environment’s seatbelt.

What Are Azure Resource Locks?

Azure Resource Locks are a built-in feature that allow you to restrict operations on resources, resource groups, or subscriptions. These locks act as a last line of defense — even if someone has Contributor or Owner permissions, a lock will block unwanted actions like deletion or configuration changes.

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Unlocking Nested Virtualization in Azure: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Nested virtualization in Azure is a powerful feature that enables running a Hyper-V hypervisor within an Azure virtual machine (VM). This capability is invaluable for developers, machine learning engineers, and data scientists who require flexible and scalable environments for testing, development, or containerized applications. This post provides a step-by-step guide to setting up nested virtualization, ensuring you can leverage its full potential.

Prerequisites and Supported VM Sizes

Before diving into the setup, ensure you choose an Azure VM that supports nested virtualization. Compatible VM sizes include:

  • Dv3, Dsv3
  • Dv4, Dsv4
  • Ddv4, Ddsv4
  • Ev3, Esv3
  • Ev4, Esv4
  • F2s_v2 to F72s_v2
  • FX4 to FX48
  • M series

For most use cases, the Dv3 and Ev3 series are excellent choices. Make sure the VM size meets the system requirements for your intended workloads, such as Docker Desktop.

Step 1: Deploying an Azure VM

  1. Create the VM:
    • Log in to the Azure Portal.
    • Select a Windows Server image and choose a compatible VM size.
  2. Configure Networking:
    • Set up the required inbound and outbound port rules.
  3. Deploy:
    • Review your configuration and deploy the VM.

Continue reading “Unlocking Nested Virtualization in Azure: A Step-by-Step Guide”

Azure Introduces Terraform Export Feature in Private Preview: A New Era for DevOps and IaC

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Microsoft Azure has taken a significant step forward for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) enthusiasts with the latest private preview feature in the Azure Portal – the ability to export Terraform configurations directly. Previously, exporting configurations was limited to ARM templates, but now you can generate Terraform and Bicep configurations right from the portal. This enhancement makes Azure even more accessible and streamlined for DevOps workflows.

Currently in Private Preview

The new export feature is currently in private preview, so it’s not yet available to all users. However, Microsoft is preparing to announce the public preview very soon, making this tool accessible to a wider audience. In the meantime, if you want to stay updated on the latest news and announcements about this feature, you can sign up to receive updates directly from Microsoft using this form.

Why is This a Game-Changer?

For years, Azure users could only export configurations as ARM templates, which are powerful but have a steeper learning curve compared to Terraform. With Terraform’s growing popularity due to its flexibility and cross-platform capabilities, Microsoft’s decision to introduce direct Terraform exports marks a shift towards more inclusive DevOps practices.

This new capability not only simplifies the process of moving to Terraform but also bridges the gap for teams transitioning from ARM templates to more modern IaC approaches. Automating and streamlining this process accelerates workflows, reduces human error, and empowers teams to better manage their cloud infrastructure.

Continue reading “Azure Introduces Terraform Export Feature in Private Preview: A New Era for DevOps and IaC”

Integrate Other Clouds with Azure Using the Multicloud Connector

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Introduction

As businesses adopt multi-cloud strategies to leverage the unique strengths of various cloud providers, managing these environments can become complex. Microsoft’s Azure Arc Multicloud Connector provides a streamlined solution to integrate and manage resources across different cloud platforms, specifically focusing on AWS. This blog post will explore the capabilities of the Azure Arc Multicloud Connector and guide you through a step-by-step lab to connect AWS resources to Azure.

Key Features of the Multicloud Connector

1. Unified Inventory: The Multicloud Connector automatically collects metadata from external cloud resources, providing a comprehensive view within the Azure portal. This helps in maintaining a consistent inventory across cloud environments.
2. Arc Onboarding: It facilitates the onboarding of AWS EC2 instances to Azure Arc, allowing advanced management features like policy enforcement, monitoring, and configuration management.
3. Consistent Governance: Apply Azure policies and role-based access controls (RBAC) to resources in external clouds, ensuring uniform security and compliance standards across all environments.
4. Enhanced Management: Utilize Azure Arc capabilities for onboarded resources, including vulnerability scanning and deployment automation.

Implementation Steps

Prerequisites

– An Azure subscription with Contributor access.
– An AWS account with AmazonEC2FullAccess permissions.
– Azure Arc and required resource providers registered (Microsoft.HybridCompute, Microsoft.HybridConnectivity, Microsoft.AwsConnector).

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