Hello Cloud Marathoners!
Did you know that Microsoft updates the certification information and poster monthly? – Well, now you know it all 🙂
Check out the the latest poster here.
Yet another cloud learner's journey to explore, learn and share with diverse community 👍
Hello Cloud Marathoners!
Did you know that Microsoft updates the certification information and poster monthly? – Well, now you know it all 🙂
Check out the the latest poster here.
Hello Cloud Marathoners!
March 2022 has been an exciting and special month in my life. I have received an email saying that I had been awarded the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional 🚀 (MVP) award. WOW !!!
Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals, or MVPs, are technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with the community. They are always on the “bleeding edge” and have an unstoppable urge to get their hands on new, exciting technologies. They have very deep knowledge of Microsoft products and services, while also being able to bring together diverse platforms, products and solutions, to solve real world problems. MVPs make up a global community of over 4,000 technical experts and community leaders across 90 countries/regions and are driven by their passion, community spirit, and quest for knowledge. Above all and in addition to their amazing technical abilities, MVPs are always willing to help others – that’s what sets them apart.
Microsoft MVP Program
As you might know, the Microsoft MVP program rewards the “technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with the community”.
There are many categories of MVP awards, and I am proud to become a Microsoft Azure MVP this year. You can check the rest of the award categories here:
Interested in becoming an MVP ❓🤔
What does it take to become an MVP ❓🤔
Then => check an Official Microsoft page to get started on your journey 🗺 .
I am still in a pleasant shock, and simply to say that “I am proud and humbled to receive this award” is an understatement.
Now, I am looking forward to taking part in this awesome event – “Microsoft MVP Global Summit 2022” and meeting legend #MVPs 🚀 🚀🚀
I am really excited about this new journey and invite you – the Cloud Marathoners ⛅🏃♂️🏃♀️ to be an important part of this journey !!!
Hello Cloud Marathoners,
The infrastructure-as-code (IaC) is not a just a “buzzword”, it is brought by a necessity to manage your digital estate more predictably while source-controlling the changes that are introduced over time. In its turn, this approach makes it easier to keep your workload environments compliant and saves ton of time in troubleshooting, development and auditing your resources
In this post, we will look into the necessity of child resources in Azure and how Bicep language simplifies their management and declaration as a code.
There are a number of scenarios where it makes perfect sense to declare resources within the context of their parent. For example; storage blob containers could not be declared and used without a parent storage account.
In addition to Blob containers, there are many other child resource types in Azure like:
Unsurprisingly, there is more than one way to define Azure Bicep child resources. Each approach will depend on a specific use case that you or your team is looking forward to delivering.
Further we will use the example of a storage account resource to describe different options of child resource declarations. This will make it easier to describe the concepts and available options to you. However, these concepts could be easily used on other Azure services like VMs and VNets that do have child resources too.
All the options and sample codes are available on Learn-Bicep GitHub repo page.
Our first option is declaring a child Blob container resource as a separate independent resource with a reference to a parent resource. Like, it is illustrated on the example screen-shot from the Learn-Bicep repo.
For this option to work, we would need to declare an Azure Storage Blob service too. Let’s look into how it could be done while considering a second option.
Our second option is declaring a Storage Blob service resource as a separate independent resource with a reference to a parent Storage Account resource. Then it has an inner declaration for a container child resources within the Storage Blob service.
Let’s look at the example screen-shot from the Learn-Bicep repo.
This option might be an ideal approach if you have few child resources in your declaration. However, it would not be the most efficient one to use, if the number of child resources you are required to deploy is in dozens, hundreds or even thousands.
The final option will serve you well, if you have 100s of pre-defined containers that should be deployed into your Azure environment.
By leveraging the “iterative loops” in Bicep we can easily iterate over these containers while creating them in a compact and repeatable manner, like in the following screen-shot from the repo code.
A community of developers and engineers started a great initiative – to help everyone to learn Azure Bicep for #free by sharing & contributing to the AWESOME-Azure-Bicep GitHub repo.
Please, like ⭐ subscribe 🍴 & fork it 👍
As always #SharingIsCaring
In this post, you have learned about three different options to declare Bicep child resources.
All code samples and presented Bicep files are placed in “Learn-Bicep” GitHub repo 👉 https://github.com/ElYusubov/Learn-Bicep/blob/main/samples/14-deploy-child-parent-scenarios.bicep 👍
Would you be interested in a recorded short video that demonstrates these capabilities ?
Hi Cloud Marathoners!
Welcome to the new blog post (Part 4/12) from the Az-305 series to help you get ready for the AZ-305 exam.
Please, check the previous post(s) listed below, if you landed on this page for the first time 🙂
The keyword “compute” refers to the hosting model for the computing resources that your application runs on. However, “cloud computing” is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, like a data storage and computing power without direct active management by the end user.
The compute services play very important role in delivery of digital services and
defining a purposeful compute solution for your project is the first critical step 😎
The Azure “Compute” provides the infrastructure you need to run your application, whether you’re building from scratch or deploying existing ones. You could easily pick a compute capacity in the cloud and scale on demand. A variety of services allow you to containerize your applications, deploy any OS in virtual machines (VMs), and take advantage of flexible options to plan and execute your VMs migration into Azure.
You can also rely on comprehensive support for hybrid environment solutions by deploying where you want to. The Azure compute services are supported with enterprise grade integration solutions including identity solution. By using Azure cloud platform you can manage end-point protection, and Active Directory support that helps secure access to on-premises and cloud workloads and applications.
The references below are taken from official Microsoft docs and focused on designing compute solutions in Azure. You could also find it helpful to check the Microsoft docs and learning paths with [Tutorials] below 😉.
This collection of links are gathered with a focus toward the exam objectives of AZ-305 certification exam.
Shared responsibility in the cloud
Choose an Azure compute service for your application
Sizes for virtual machines in Azure
Azure Batch best practices
Azure Marketplace – Compute
Azure App Service plan overview
App Service overview
Set up staging environments in Azure App Service
What is Azure Container Instances?
What is Kubernetes?
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
CUSTOMER CASE STUDY – Azure Functions (Serverless Computing)
CUSTOMER CASE STUDY – Azure Logic Apps and Azure API Management
Security considerations for Azure Container Instances
Getting started with Docker
Run background tasks with WebJobs in Azure App Service
Azure Logic Apps
What is Azure Batch?
Linux Virtual Machine Pricing
Choose the best Azure service to automate your business processes
Integration Services
Authentication and authorization in Azure App Service and Azure Functions
[Tutorial] Create an Azure Batch account by using the Azure portal
[Tutorial] Host a web application with Azure App Service
[Tutorial] Introduction to Azure Logic Apps
[Tutorial] Introduction to Azure virtual machines
Thank you for visiting the AZ-305 Study Guide and checking the Part 4 – Design a Compute solution on Azure.
The next blog post will cover the Part 5: Design an application architecture solution.
Hello friends!
This is the continuation (Part 3/12) of blog post series to help you get ready for the latest AZ-305 exam.
Feel free to check the previous posts listed below, if you did not look into them yet 🙂
The monitoring is a skill and not a full-time job. In today’s world of cloud-based architectures that are implemented through DevOps projects, developers, SREs, and operations staff must collectively define an effective cloud monitoring and logging strategy. This strategy should focus on identifying when service-level objectives (SLOs) and service-level agreements (SLAs) are not being met, likely negatively affecting the user experience.
Cloud monitoring is a method of reviewing, observing, and managing the operational workflow in a cloud-based IT infrastructure. Manual or automated management techniques confirm the availability and performance of websites, servers, applications, and other cloud infrastructure.
Azure Monitor helps you maximize the availability and performance of your applications and services. It delivers a comprehensive solution for collecting, analyzing, and acting on telemetry from your cloud and on-premises environments. This information helps you understand how your applications are performing and proactively identify issues affecting them and the resources they depend on.
Microsoft docs
The Azure Monitor collects the following sets of data:
The references below are taken from official Microsoft docs and focused on designing logging and monitoring Azure solutions.
This collection of links are gathered with a focus toward the exam objectives of AZ-305 certification exam.
Analyze your Azure infrastructure by using Azure Monitor logs
Best practices for monitoring cloud applications
Cost Management tools in Azure
What are Azure Active Directory reports?
Overview of Log Analytics in Azure Monitor
Tutorial: Log Analytics
Monitor performance of virtual machines by using Azure Monitor VM Insights
Designing your Azure Monitor Logs deployment
Overview of Azure Monitor agents
Azure Monitor Frequently Asked Questions
Azure Monitor Workbooks
Application Insights overview
Azure Data Explorer
Thank you for visiting the AZ-305 Study Guide and checking the Part 3 – Design a solution to log and monitor Azure resources.
The next blog post will cover the Part 4: Design a compute solution.
Hi Cloud Marathoners!
This is the continuation (Part 2/12) of blog post series to help you get ready for the latest AZ-305 exam. As title says – our focus will be on understanding and designing Authentication and Authorization Solutions in Microsoft Azure.
Feel free to check the previous post (Part 1/12) if you did not look into it yet 🙂
To put it in plain English language, authentication is the process of verifying who someone is, where as authorization is the process of verifying what specific applications, files, and data a user has access to.
To relate these concepts to a real-world scenarious, you may think about your airport access and on-boarding to the plane experience. Thus, when you go through the security in an airport, you are required to show your ID to authenticate your identity. Then, you proceed and arrive at the gate, you present your boarding pass to the flight attendant, so they can authorize you to board your flight and allow access to your assigned seat.
The authentication and authorization services are part of the Microsoft’s identity platform.
The Authentication sometimes shortened to ‘AuthN’.
The Microsoft identity platform uses the OpenID Connect protocol for handling authentication. On the other hand, Authorization sometimes shortened to ‘AuthZ‘. The Microsoft identity platform uses the OAuth 2.0 protocol for handling authorization.
In Microsoft Azure your authentication and authorization is delegated to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). By using this centralized identity provider you can enable following secure workflows for your business:
The references below are taken from official Microsoft docs and focused on designing Azure Authentication and Authorization solutions. You could also find it helpful to check the Microsoft docs and learning paths with [Tutorials] below 🙂
This collection of links is gathered with a focus on the exam objectives of the AZ-305 certification exam.
Azure identity management security overview
Azure Identity Management and access control security best practices
Five steps to securing your identity infrastructure
What is Azure Active Directory?
Compare Active Directory to Azure Active Directory
Azure Active Directory B2B best practices
Overview: Cross-tenant access with Azure AD External Identities (Preview)
Identity Providers for External Identities
Authentication and Conditional Access for External Identities
What is Azure Active Directory B2C?
Technical and feature overview of Azure Active Directory B2C
What is Conditional Access?
Plan a Conditional Access deployment
[Tutorial]: Secure user sign-in events with Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication
[Tutorial]: Enable users to unlock their account or reset passwords using Azure AD self-service password reset (SSPR)
[Tutorial]: Enable Azure Active Directory self-service password reset writeback to an on-premises environment
What is Identity Protection?
What is risk?
Azure Active Directory Identity Protection – Security overview
Identity Protection policies
What are Azure AD access reviews?
What are managed identities for Azure resources?
What is identity lifecycle management?
Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework – Security
Authenticate apps to Azure services by using service principals and managed identities for Azure resources
Application and service principal objects in Azure AD
Azure Key Vault basic concepts
Best practices for using Azure Key Vault
Azure Key Vault logging
Virtual network service endpoints for Azure Key Vault
Monitoring Key Vault with Azure Event Grid
Thank you for visiting the AZ-305 Study Guide and checking the Part 2 – Designing Authentication and Authorization Solutions.
The next blog will cover the Part 3: Design a solution to log and monitor Azure resources.
Hello friends,
As you might already know, a new AZ-305 exam for Azure Architects has been officially released a few days ago!!!
I would like to take this opportunity and help all my students and followers with preparation for this important exam.
My plan is to create a blog post series that cover official and community learning materials in addition to the Microsoft Learn, self-paced learning modules.
This exam is focused on designing cloud and hybrid solutions on Microsoft #Azure, and was made with #architects in mind 😏
A list of helpful reference materials that will complement your four Microsoft Learn AZ-305: XXX learning paths on the official learning site are screenshotted below for your references 🙂
The Cloud Governance is a framework that guides how end users make use of cloud services by defining and creating policies to control costs, minimize security risks, improve efficiency and accelerate deployment. It’s imperative to have good cloud governance because it’s a foundational element to your cloud practice that provides the ability to scale and be successful.
In short, the governance in Azure is one aspect of Azure Management. This includes the tasks and processes required to maintain your business applications and the resources that support them. Azure has many services and tools that work together to provide complete management.
The references below are taken from official Microsoft docs and focused on designing Azure governance solutions.
The references below are taken from official Microsoft docs and focused on designing Governance solutions in Azure. You could also find it helpful to check the Microsoft docs and learning paths with [Tutorials] below 🙂
This collection of links is gathered with a focus on the exam objectives of the AZ-305 certification exam.
How to protect your resource hierarchy
Cloud governance guides
What are Azure management groups
Azure subscription and service limits, quotas, and constraints
What is Azure Resource Manager
Lock resources to prevent unexpected changes
Use tags to organize your Azure resources and management hierarchy
Azure Policy
What is Azure Policy?
Azure Policy built-in policy definitions
Azure Policy built-in initiative definitions
What is Azure role-based access control (Azure RBAC)?
Organize and manage multiple Azure subscriptions
Recommended policies for Azure services
What are Azure management groups?
[Tutorial] Describe core Azure architectural components
[Tutorial] Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure
Governance in the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure
Define your tagging strategy
Thank you for visiting the AZ-305 Study Guide and checking the Part 1 – Design a Governance solution.
The next one will be Part 2: Design Authentication and Authorization Solutions.
Hello friends,
Hope everyone is having a great start in 2022.
I have to postpone a couple of things at the end of 2021 due to unexpected events, and one of them was updated to my old GitHub account.
Since the beginning of 2019, there were many great additions to the GitHub community. One of the remarkable features is the ability to customize your profile.
Without any overdue, I have analyzed a couple of tips from the link above and looked into samples, and created my customized GitHub profile.
Of course, it is not perfect. I am looking to make it better over time.
Please, let me know your suggestions and feedback or share your #awesome GitHub profile with the community!
Hello Cloud Marathoners!
As you were informed in my last post, I have published a new GitHub repo to help the community and new learners with Azure Bicep resources. The new repo – AWESOME Azure Bicep 💪 is getting a high interest from all of you.
Thank you very much for accessing, starring ⭐ and forking 🍴 it!
If you learn about it now, please check it out here.
And this is not all. We have plenty of room to grow this repo with the latest contributions from you.
In less than a week, we got two great contributions from Kasun Rajapakse and Luke Murray 🙌. Thank you very much for your contributions!
Let’s step-up your game and start learning the latest 🚀 Azure #infrastructureascode language (aka, Bicep).
I sincerely invite you to become a part of this really great “learn and share” initiative of Azure Bicep.
Share your interest and knowledge with the community by opening your very first GitHub PR.
Looking for a video course on Azure Bicep ?🤔
>> Azure Bicep First Look 👉 https://lnkd.in/eWsxf3hj is here to help!
This project is growing and let’s become a part of this Azure Bicep community !
Ready to make your first PR to Awesome Azure Bicep repo?
Please check out the contribution guide or reach out if you need help in this process.
Hello Cloud Marathoners!
I have been getting many questions on how to start an Azure Bicep journey – in a special and AWESOME way 😀 – which brought an idea to create the AWESOME Azure Bicep GitHub repo for the community 🎉
Long story short, this has been on ideation for few days and is life now, as of Jan 18, 2022 ! 😍
Now, I have started gradually adding important official and community resources to help new #Azure learners and #cloudmarathoners!
Please, share ⭐ and fork 🍴 this repo and make your contributions.
I really ask you 🙌🙏 to make your contributions and help maintain and grow this repo going forward.
Thank you for all your 👨👩👧👦 continued support!