Hi there. Before we get into the fun stuff, let’s take a look at what Azure virtual machines are.

An Azure virtual machine is an on-demand, scalable computer resource that is available in Azure. Virtual machines are generally used to host applications when the customer requires more control over the computing environment than what is offered by other compute resources. When you leverage a virtual machine to host your application, you get the flexibility of virtualization without the need to buy or maintain any underlying physical hardware. That said, you will have to manage the typical tasks that are associated with any other server, including configuration, patch management, and software installation.

Because they are quick and easy to set up, Azure virtual machines are often used to deploy development and test environments. Organizations will also use Azure virtual machines to host their applications in Microsoft Azure, due to their pay-as-you-go nature, which allows you to only pay for VM’s when you need them. Azure virtual machines are also often used to extend on-prem data centers to Microsoft Azure, because VM’s that are attached to a virtual network can communicate with on-prem environments over a site to site VPN.

When designing an application infrastructure that includes Azure VMs, there are important considerations to think about. You should think about virtual machine naming conventions as well as where you are VM’s will be deployed. Generally speaking, virtual machines in Azure should be deployed in locations that are closest to those who will be accessing those VM’s.

Other important considerations include VM sizing requirements and the number of VM’s that will be needed, especially since Microsoft Azure imposes CPU and virtual machine quotas that you may or may not need to have lifted.

You should also think about what operating system you’re VM’s will need to run and what the configuration of your VM’s should look like once they start.