Azure core services Flashcards
Region
A geographical area on the planet containing at least one but usually multiple datacentres which are in close proximity and networked together with a low-latency network. You usually choose this when deploying your resource
A geographical area on the planet containing at least one but usually multiple datacentres which are in close proximity and networked together with a low-latency network
Region
Region pairs
Each region is paired with another region within the same geography at least 300 miles away. Physical isolation reduces the likelihood of disasters/outages affecting both regions at once. Used to provide reliable services and data redundancy. Recovery of one region is prioritised out of every pair and updates are rolled out to paired regions sequentially to minimise downtime
Geographies
A discrete market typically containing two or more regions that preserves data residency and compliance boundaries. Fault tolerant to withstand complete region failure. Each region belongs to a single one
A discrete market typically containing two or more regions that preserves data residency and compliance boundaries. Fault tolerant to withstand complete region failure. Each region belongs to a single one
Geographies
Availability sets
Used to protect against failures within a datacenter. Ensures your app remains online if a high-impact maintenance event is rehired or if a hardware failure occurs. Consists of update domains and fault domains
Used to protect against failures within a datacenter. Ensures your app remains online if a high-impact maintenance event is rehired or if a hardware failure occurs. Consists of update domains and fault domains
Availability sets
Availability zones
Used to protect against entire datacenter failures. Physically separated locations within an Azure region that use availability sets to provide additional fault tolerance. Each consists of one or more datacenter equipped with independent power, cooling and networking. Typically connected through very fast private fibre-optic networks. There are a minimum of 3 in all enabled regions in Azure
Used to protect against entire datacenter failures. Physically separated locations within an Azure region that use availability sets to provide additional fault tolerance. Each consists of one or more datacenter equipped with independent power, cooling and networking. Typically connected through very fast private fibre-optic networks. There are a minimum of 3 in all enabled regions in Azure
Availability zones
Zonal services
You pin the service to a specific zone, eg. VMs, IP addresses
You pin the service to a specific zone, eg. VMs, IP addresses
Zonal services
Zone-redundant services
The platform replicates automatically across zones, eg. storage, SQL databases
The platform replicates automatically across zones, eg. storage, SQL databases
Zone-redundant services
Resource groups
A unit of management for your resources in Azure. Allows you to manage the app collectively rather than individual components. Each resource must be placed in one and only one when provisioned. When you delete it, all resources inside it are deleted. Can contain resources that reside in different regions. Resources can be added, removed and moved between them. Manage metering and billing, policies, monitoring and alerts, quotas, access control
A unit of management for your resources in Azure. Allows you to manage the app collectively rather than individual components. Each resource must be placed in one and only one when provisioned
Resource groups
Types of grouping for resource groups
Logical, lifecycle, authorisation, billing
Azure Resource Manager
Management layer in which resource groups and all the resources within them are created, configured, managed and deleted. Allows you to automate the deployment and configuration of resources using different automation and scripting tools. Portal, PowerShell, CLI, REST clients
Management layer in which resource groups and all the resources within them are created, configured, managed and deleted. Allows you to automate the deployment and configuration of resources using different automation and scripting tools
Azure Resource Manager
Azure compute
On-demand computing service for running cloud-based applications. Consists of: VMs, App Services, Functions, Containers, Network Service
On-demand computing service for running cloud-based applications. Consists of: VMs, App Services, Functions, Containers, Network Service
Azure compute
Virtual machines
Software emulation of a physical computer. Includes a virtual processor, memory, storage and networking resources. IaaS. Ideal when you want total control over an operating system and environment
Software emulation of a physical computer. Includes a virtual processor, memory, storage and networking resources. IaaS. Ideal when you want total control over an operating system and environment
Virtual machines
Virtual machine scale sets
Azure compute resource that you can use to deploy and manage a set of identical VMs. Designed to support true autoscale. No pre-provisioning required. Makes it easier to build large-scale services targeting big compute, big data and containerised workloads
Azure compute resource that you can use to deploy and manage a set of identical VMs. Designed to support true autoscale. No pre-provisioning required. Makes it easier to build large-scale services targeting big compute, big data and containerised workloads
Virtual machine scale sets
Azure App Services
You can quickly build, deploy and scale enterprise-grade web, mobile and aPI apps running on any platform. PaaS. Meet rigorous performance, scalability, security and compliance requirements while using a fully managed platform to perform infrastructure maintenance. Work with .NET, .NET Core, Node.js, Java, Python or php, in containers or running on Windows or Linux
You can quickly build, deploy and scale enterprise-grade web, mobile and aPI apps running on any platform. PaaS. Meet rigorous performance, scalability, security and compliance requirements while using a fully managed platform to perform infrastructure maintenance. Work with .NET, .NET Core, Node.js, Java, Python or php, in containers or running on Windows or Linux
Azure App Services
Azure Functions
Serverless computing platform. Ideal when you’re concerned only about the code running your service and not the underlying platform or infrastructure. Commonly used for performing work in response to an event, timer or message from another Azure service, and when that work can be completed quickly, within seconds or less. Variety of languages
Serverless computing platform. Ideal when you’re concerned only about the code running your service and not the underlying platform or infrastructure. Commonly used for performing work in response to an event, timer or message from another Azure service, and when that work can be completed quickly, within seconds or less. Variety of languages
Azure Functions
Containers
A virtualisation environment which provides a consistent, isolation execution environment for apps and doesn’t require a guest operating system. A standardised runtime environment is used to execute the app. They reference the OS of the host environment that runs them
A virtualisation environment which provides a consistent, isolation execution environment for apps and doesn’t require a guest operating system. A standardised runtime environment is used to execute the app. They reference the OS of the host environment that runs them
Containers
Azure Container Instances
Offers the fastest and simplest way to run a container in Azure without having to manage any VMs or adopt any additional services. PaaS offering that allows you to upload your containers, which it will run for you
Offers the fastest and simplest way to run a container in Azure without having to manage any VMs or adopt any additional services. PaaS offering that allows you to upload your containers, which it will run for you
Azure Container Instances
Azure Kubernetes Service
Complete orchestration service for containers with distributed architectures and large volumes of containers. Allows you to automate and manage a large number of containers and how they interact
Complete orchestration service for containers with distributed architectures and large volumes of containers. Allows you to automate and manage a large number of containers and how they interact
Azure Kubernetes Service
Microservice architecture
Containers can be used to create these solutions. Break solutions into smaller independent pieces. Allows you to separate portions of your app into logical sections that can be maintained, scaled or updated automatically
Containers can be used to create these solutions. Break solutions into smaller independent pieces. Allows you to separate portions of your app into logical sections that can be maintained, scaled or updated automatically
Microservice architecture
Are VMs or containers more lightweight?
Containers
What are VMs better for than containers?
Having complete control
What are containers better for than VMs?
Portability, performance and management capabilities
What do VMs and containers virtualise?
VMs virtualise the hardware, while containers virtualise the operating system
Are VMs or containers quicker?
Containers
Azure network services
Connect cloud and on-premises infrastructure to provide your customers and users the best possible experience
Azure Virtual Network
Enables many types of Azure resources to securely communicate with each other, the internet and on-premises networks. Scoped to a single region, but multiple networks from different regions can be connected using virtual network peering. Can provide isolation, segmentation, communication with on-premises and cloud resources, routing and filtering of network traffic
Enables many types of Azure resources to securely communicate with each other, the internet and on-premises networks. Scoped to a single region, but multiple networks from different regions can be connected using virtual network peering. Can provide isolation, segmentation, communication with on-premises and cloud resources, routing and filtering of network traffic
Azure Virtual Network
Azure Load Balancer
Provides scale for your apps and creates high availability for your services. Supports inbound and outbound scenarios, provides low latency and high throughput and scales up to millions of flows. Evenly distributes load (incoming network traffic) across a group of backend resources or servers
Provides scale for your apps and creates high availability for your services. Supports inbound and outbound scenarios, provides low latency and high throughput and scales up to millions of flows. Evenly distributes load (incoming network traffic) across a group of backend resources or servers
Azure Load Balancer
Virtual Private Network (VPN) gateway
A special type of virtual network gateway used to send encrypted traffic between an Azure virtual network and an on-premises location over the public internet
A special type of virtual network gateway used to send encrypted traffic between an Azure virtual network and an on-premises location over the public internet
Virtual Private Network (VPN) gateway
Azure Application Gateway
Web traffic load balancer. Connection through which users connect to your application. Routes traffic based on IP address and port. Help protect a web app with a firewall, redirection, session affinity and more
Web traffic load balancer. Connection through which users connect to your application. Routes traffic based on IP address and port. Help protect a web app with a firewall, redirection, session affinity and more
Azure Application Gateway
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Distributed network of servers that can efficiently deliver web content to users. You can cache content at specifically placed physical nodes across the world to provide better performance to end users. Usage scenarios: web apps containing multimedia, product launch event
Distributed network of servers that can efficiently deliver web content to users. You can cache content at specifically placed physical nodes across the world to provide better performance to end users. Usage scenarios: web apps containing multimedia, product launch event
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Structure / relational data
Data that adheres to schema, so all the data has the same fields or properties. Can be stored in a database with rows and columns. Relies on keys to indicate relationships between tables. Easy to query and analyse
Data that adheres to schema, so all the data has the same fields or properties. Can be stored in a database with rows and columns. Relies on keys to indicate relationships between tables. Easy to query and analyse
Structure / relational data
Semi-structured / non-relational / NoSQL data
Less organised than structured data and not stored in a relational format. Contains tags that make the organisation and hierarchy fo the data apparent. Fields don’t fit nearly into tables, rows and columns. Eg. books, blogs, HTML documents
Less organised than structured data and not stored in a relational format. Contains tags that make the organisation and hierarchy fo the data apparent. Fields don’t fit nearly into tables, rows and columns. Eg. books, blogs, HTML documents
Semi-structured / non-relational / NoSQL data
Unstructured data
Has no designated structure and can hold any type of data. Becoming more prominent as businesses try to tap into new data sources. Eg. PDF, JPG image, JSON file, video content
Has no designated structure and can hold any type of data. Becoming more prominent as businesses try to tap into new data sources. Eg. PDF, JPG image, JSON file, video content
Unstructured data
Disk storage
Storage for VMs, apps and other services to access and use. Allows data to be persistently stored and accessed from an attached virtual hard disk. Useful for lift and shift apps or storing data not required to be accessed from outside the VM
Storage for VMs, apps and other services to access and use. Allows data to be persistently stored and accessed from an attached virtual hard disk. Useful for lift and shift apps or storing data not required to be accessed from outside the VM
Disk storage
Containers (blobs) storage
Micorosoft’s object storage solution for the cloud. Optimised for storing massive amounts of unstructured data. Ideal for streaming audio/video, storing data for backup and restore, duster recovery and archiving, storing data for analysis
Micorosoft’s object storage solution for the cloud. Optimised for storing massive amounts of unstructured data. Ideal for streaming audio/video, storing data for backup and restore, duster recovery and archiving, storing data for analysis
Containers (blobs) storage
Files storage
Highly available network file shares accessed using the standard Server Management Block (SMB) protocol. Can be accessed from anywhere in the world using a URL with a shared access signature (SAS) token. Useful for on-premises apps, configuration files, diagnostic logs, metrics and crash dumps
Highly available network file shares accessed using the standard Server Management Block (SMB) protocol. Can be accessed from anywhere in the world using a URL with a shared access signature (SAS) token. Useful for on-premises apps, configuration files, diagnostic logs, metrics and crash dumps
Files storage
Queues storage
Used to store and retrieve messages, generally lists of messages to be processed asynchronously. Can contain millions of messages
Used to store and retrieve messages, generally lists of messages to be processed asynchronously. Can contain millions of messages
Queues storage
Tables storage
Stores large amounts of structured date (ideal for non-relational). NoSQL datastore which accepts authenticated calls from inside and outside the Azure cloud. Used for quickly querying data using a clustered index
Stores large amounts of structured date (ideal for non-relational). NoSQL datastore which accepts authenticated calls from inside and outside the Azure cloud. Used for quickly querying data using a clustered index
Tables storage
Azure Database Services
Fully managed PaaS database services. Enterprise-grade performance with built-in high availability. Built-in security, automatic tuning for improved performance, turnkey global distribution
Azure Cosmos DB
Globally distributed database service that enables you to elastically and independently scale throughput and storage across a number of regions. Supports schema less data that lets you build highly responsive and Always On apps to support constantly changing data. Generally classified as a NoSQL database
Globally distributed database service that enables you to elastically and independently scale throughput and storage across a number of regions. Supports schema less data that lets you build highly responsive and Always On apps to support constantly changing data. Generally classified as a NoSQL database
Azure Cosmos DB
Azure SQL Database
Relational database as a service (DaaS) based on the latest stable version of Microsoft SQL Server database engine. High performance, reliable, fully-managed and secure database you can use to build data-driven apps and websites in the programming language of your choice without needing to manage the infrastructure
Relational database as a service (DaaS) based on the latest stable version of Microsoft SQL Server database engine. High performance, reliable, fully-managed and secure database you can use to build data-driven apps and websites in the programming language of your choice without needing to manage the infrastructure
Azure SQL Database
Azure Database Migration
Fully managed service designed to enable seamless migrations from database sources to Azure data platforms with minimal downtime
Fully managed service designed to enable seamless migrations from database sources to Azure data platforms with minimal downtime
Azure Database Migration
Azure Database for MySQL
Relational database service powered by the MySQL community edition. Fully managed database as a service offering that can handle mission-critical workloads with predictable performance and dynamic scalability. Develop applications with Azure Database for MySQL leveraging the open-source tools and platform of your choice
Azure Database for PostgreSQL
Relational database service based on the open-source Postgres database engine. Fully managed database-as-a-service offering that can handle mission-critical workloads with predictable performance, security, high availability, and dynamic scalability. It’s available in two deployment options, as a single server and as a Hyperscale (Citus) cluster. The Hyperscale (Citus) option horizontally scales queries across multiple machines using sharding, and serves applications that require greater scale and performance
Azure Marketplace
Service on Azure that connects end users with Microsoft partners, independent software vendors (ISVs) and start-ups that are offering their solutions and services which are optimised to run on Azure. Try, purchase and provision applications
Service on Azure that connects end users with Microsoft partners, independent software vendors (ISVs) and start-ups that are offering their solutions and services which are optimised to run on Azure. Try, purchase and provision applications
Azure Marketplace
Internet of Things (IoT)
The ability for devices to garner and then relay information for data analytics
Azure IoT Central
Fully managed global IoT SaaS solution that makes it easy to connect, monitor and mange your IoT assets at scale with no cloud expertise required
Azure IoT Hub
Managed service (PaaS) hosted in the cloud that acts as a central message hub for bi-directional communication between your IoT app and the devices it manages. Can be used to build IoT solutions with reliable and secure communications between millions of IoT devices and a cloud-hosted solution backend. Supports multiple messaging platforms to control your devices from the cloud. Monitoring helps you maintain the health of your solution
Fully managed global IoT SaaS solution that makes it easy to connect, monitor and mange your IoT assets at scale with no cloud expertise required
Azure IoT Central
Managed service (PaaS) hosted in the cloud that acts as a central message hub for bi-directional communication between your IoT app and the devices it manages. Can be used to build IoT solutions with reliable and secure communications between millions of IoT devices and a cloud-hosted solution backend. Supports multiple messaging platforms to control your devices from the cloud. Monitoring helps you maintain the health of your solution
Azure IoT Hub
Azure Synapse Analytics
Formerly Azure SQL Data Warehouse. Limitless analytics service that brings together enterprise data warehousing and big data analytics
Formerly Azure SQL Data Warehouse. Limitless analytics service that brings together enterprise data warehousing and big data analytics
Azure Synapse Analytics
Azure HD Insight
Fully managed open source analytics service for enterprises. Cloud service that makes it easier, faster and more cost effective to process massive amounts fo data. Supports a broad range of scenarios such as extraction, transformation and loading (ETL); data warehousing; ML; and IoT
Azure Data Lake Analytics
On-demand analytics job service that simplifies big data. Instead of deploying, configuring ad tuning hardware, you write queries to transform your data and extract valuable insights. Can handle jobs of any scale by setting the dial for how much power you need. Only pay for your job when it’s running
Fully managed open source analytics service for enterprises. Cloud service that makes it easier, faster and more cost effective to process massive amounts fo data. Supports a broad range of scenarios such as extraction, transformation and loading (ETL); data warehousing; ML; and IoT
Azure HD Insight
On-demand analytics job service that simplifies big data. Instead of deploying, configuring ad tuning hardware, you write queries to transform your data and extract valuable insights. Can handle jobs of any scale by setting the dial for how much power you need. Only pay for your job when it’s running
Azure Data Lake Analytics
Big data and analytics solutions
Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake Analytics, Azure HD Insight
Artificial intelligence solutions
Azure Cognitive Services, Azure Machine Learning Service
Azure Cognitive Services
Collection of domain-specific pre-trained AI models that can be customised with your data. Categorised broadly into vision, speech, language and search
Collection of domain-specific pre-trained AI models that can be customised with your data. Categorised broadly into vision, speech, language and search
Azure Cognitive Services
Azure Machine Learning Service
Cloud-based environment you can use to develop, train, test, deploy, mange and track ML models. Fully supports open-source technologies. Includes features that automate model generation and tuning. You can start training on your local machine and scale out to the cloud. You can easily deploy the right model in a container. Useful if you want to work in a Python environment, want more control over your ML algorithms or want to use open-source ML libraries
Cloud-based environment you can use to develop, train, test, deploy, mange and track ML models. Fully supports open-source technologies. Includes features that automate model generation and tuning. You can start training on your local machine and scale out to the cloud. You can easily deploy the right model in a container. Useful if you want to work in a Python environment, want more control over your ML algorithms or want to use open-source ML libraries
Azure Machine Learning Service
Serverless computing
Cloud-hosted execution environment that runs your code but abstracts the underlying hosting environment. You create an instance of the service and add your code. No infrastructure configuration or maintenance is required. You configure your server less apps to respond to events. Scaling and performance are handled automatically and you’re only billed for the exact resources you use (don’t need to reserve resources)
Azure Functions
Serverless computing service. Ideal when you’re only concerned with the code running your service and not the underlying platform or infrastructure. Commonly used for performing work in response to an event and when that work can be completed quickly, within seconds or less. Scale automatically. Stateless, so they behave as if they’re restarted every time they respond to an event
Serverless computing service. Ideal when you’re only concerned with the code running your service and not the underlying platform or infrastructure. Commonly used for performing work in response to an event and when that work can be completed quickly, within seconds or less. Scale automatically. Stateless, so they behave as if they’re restarted every time they respond to an event
Azure Functions
Serverless computing services
Azure Functions, Azure Logic Apps, Azure Event Grid
Azure Logic Apps
Serverless computing cloud service that helps you automate and orchestrate tasks, business processes and workflows when you need to integrate apps, data, systems and services across enterprise or organisations. Simplifies how you design and build scalable solutions. Designed in a web-based designer and can execute logic triggered by Azure services without writing any code. Over 200 connectors to build enterprise integration solutions
Serverless computing cloud service that helps you automate and orchestrate tasks, business processes and workflows when you need to integrate apps, data, systems and services across enterprise or organisations. Simplifies how you design and build scalable solutions. Designed in a web-based designer and can execute logic triggered by Azure services without writing any code. Over 200 connectors to build enterprise integration solutions
Azure Logic Apps
Azure Event Grid
Serverless computing service. Allows you to easily build apps with event-based architecture. Fully managed, intelligent event routing service that uses a publish-subscribe model for uniform event consumption. Built-in support for events coming from Azure services. Can be used to support your own non-Azure-based events in near real time using custom topics. Can use filters to route specific events to different endpoints and ensure your events are reliably delivered
Serverless computing service. Allows you to easily build apps with event-based architecture. Fully managed, intelligent event routing service that uses a publish-subscribe model for uniform event consumption. Built-in support for events coming from Azure services. Can be used to support your own non-Azure-based events in near real time using custom topics. Can use filters to route specific events to different endpoints and ensure your events are reliably delivered
Azure Event Grid
DevOps
Brings together people, processes and technology, automating software delivery to provide continuous value to your users.
DevOps services
Azure DevOps Services, Azure Lab Services
Azure DevOps Services
Allows you to create, build and release pipelines. You can integrate repositories and application tests, perform application monitoring and work with build articfacts. You can work with and backlog items for tracking, automate infrastructure deployment and integrate third party tools and services. Provides development collaboration tools including high-performance pipelines, free private Git repositories, configurable Kanban boards and extensive automated and cloud-based testing
Allows you to create, build and release pipelines. You can integrate repositories and application tests, perform application monitoring and work with build articfacts. You can work with and backlog items for tracking, automate infrastructure deployment and integrate third party tools and services. Provides development collaboration tools including high-performance pipelines, free private Git repositories, configurable Kanban boards and extensive automated and cloud-based testing
Azure DevOps Services
Azure Lab Services
Formerly DevOps test. Service that helps developers and testers quickly create environments in Azure, while minimising waste and controlling costs. Users can test their latest app versions by quickly provisioning Windows and Linus environments using reusable templates and artefacts. You can easily integrate your deployment pipeline with DevTest labs to provision on-demand environments
Formerly DevOps test. Service that helps developers and testers quickly create environments in Azure, while minimising waste and controlling costs. Users can test their latest app versions by quickly provisioning Windows and Linus environments using reusable templates and artefacts. You can easily integrate your deployment pipeline with DevTest labs to provision on-demand environments
Azure Lab Services
Azure App Service
Quickly and easily build web and mobile apps for any platform or device. Build and host web apps, mobile back ends and RESTful APIs in the programming language of your choice without managing infrastructure. Offers auto scaling and high availability, supports other Windows and Linux and enables automated deployments form GitHub, Azure DevOps or any Git repository. Connections to SaaS platforms and on-premises data. Fully managed PaaS
Quickly and easily build web and mobile apps for any platform or device. Build and host web apps, mobile back ends and RESTful APIs in the programming language of your choice without managing infrastructure. Offers auto scaling and high availability, supports other Windows and Linux and enables automated deployments form GitHub, Azure DevOps or any Git repository. Connections to SaaS platforms and on-premises data. Fully managed PaaS
Azure App Service
Azure management tools
Portal, PowerShell, Command Line Interface (CLI), Cloudshell, mobile app, REST API
Azure Portal
Public website you can access with any web browser. Sign in to create, mange and monitor any available Azure series. Help and guides with wizards and tooltips. Does not provide a way to automate repetitive tasks
Public website you can access with any web browser. Sign in to create, mange and monitor any available Azure series. Help and guides with wizards and tooltips. Does not provide a way to automate repetitive tasks
Azure Portal
Azure PowerShell
Module you add to Windows PowerShell or PowerShell Core that enables you to connect to your Azure subscription and manage resources
Module you add to Windows PowerShell or PowerShell Core that enables you to connect to your Azure subscription and manage resources
Azure PowerShell
Azure Command Line Interface (CLI)
Cross-Platform command-line program that connects to Azure and executes administrative commands on Azuer resurfaces. Can be run on Windows, Linux or MacOS
Cross-Platform command-line program that connects to Azure and executes administrative commands on Azuer resurfaces. Can be run on Windows, Linux or MacOS
Azure Command Line Interface (CLI)
Azure Cloud Shell
Browser-based scripting environment in your portal. Flexibility of choosing the shell experience that best suits the way you work. Use Bash or PowerShell
Browser-based scripting environment in your portal. Flexibility of choosing the shell experience that best suits the way you work. Use Bash or PowerShell
Azure Cloud Shell
Azure mobile app
Access, manage and monitor all your Azure accounts and resources from your iOS or Android phone or tablet. Quickly diagnose and fix issues. Start, stop and reset VMs or web apps. Manage permissions with RBAC
Azure REST API
Service endpoints that supports sets of HTTP operations (methods) which provide, create, retrieve, update or delete access to the service’s resources. Defines a set of functions which developers can perform requests and receive responses via HTTP protocol
Service endpoints that supports sets of HTTP operations (methods) which provide, create, retrieve, update or delete access to the service’s resources. Defines a set of functions which developers can perform requests and receive responses via HTTP protocol
Azure REST API
Azure Advisor
Free service built into Azure that provides recommendations on high availability, security, performance and cost, accessed through the Azure portal. Analyses your deployed services and looks for ways to improve your environment across those 4 areas
Free service built into Azure that provides recommendations on high availability, security, performance and cost, accessed through the Azure portal. Analyses your deployed services and looks for ways to improve your environment across those 4 areas
Azure Advisor
