Hi there and welcome to creating and connecting to Azure VMs. Before we dive into the actual deployment and configuration of Azure virtual machines, let’s cover some of the basics regarding Azure VMs.

Azure VMs are scalable computing resources that you can spin up on demand. You typically use Azure virtual machines to host applications when you need significant control over the computing environment. While Azure virtual machines provide the benefits of virtualization, you still need to handle common tasks that are associated with running a server, including server configuration, server patching, and software installation.

Because of how easy it is to deploy and configure Azure virtual machines, organizations often rely on them for their development and test environments. Virtual machines are also useful when you wish to lift and shift your on-prem applications to Microsoft Azure. What makes them even more attractive for hosting applications in the cloud is the fact that you only pay for what you need. If you need extra virtual machines to support an increased application load, you can simply spin up new VMs. You can then decommission the VMs when they are no longer needed.

By connecting Azure virtual machines to a virtual network that is connected to an on-prem network through a site to site VPN, you can also use them to extend your on-prem data center.

If you determine that a virtual machine is the right solution for application, there are some considerations to think about before rushing off and deploying that VM. For example, you’ll need to decide where the VM should be deployed. This is important because you generally want to deploy your virtual machines in the region that is closest to the users who will be accessing that VM. Deploying a virtual machine in the eastern US region for users that reside in Europe probably makes no sense.

Sizing is also something you need to think about. When you deploy a VM, you’ll be asked to select a VM size. Generally speaking, the application we plan to deploy on the VM will dictate the correct sizing for the VM. Applications that are CPU intensive will typically require a CPU intensive virtual machine, while memory-intensive applications might perform better with a VM that contains more memory.

You will, of course, also need to decide whether you need a Windows VM or a Linux VM. These are all considerations that you must think about before deploying a virtual machine in Microsoft Azure.

So now that you have a basic understanding of virtual machines and the necessary resources to deploy them, let’s jump into the next lesson, where I’ll show you how to deploy and connect to a Windows virtual machine, using the Azure portal.