Describe features and tools in Azure for governance and compliance

Question 1

What is the role of Azure Resource Manager (ARM) in managing Azure resources?

Answer 1

Azure Resource Manager (ARM) is the deployment and management service for Azure; it acts as a central management layer that receives requests to create, update, or delete resources, and it then sends the requests to the appropriate Azure services.

Question 2

Describe the concept of ‘infrastructure as code’ and provide two examples of how it is implemented in Azure.

Answer 2

‘Infrastructure as code’ means managing infrastructure through code instead of manual configuration, and it is exemplified by using tools like Azure CLI or ARM templates for repeatable deployments and management of resources.

Question 3

What are the main benefits of using ARM templates?

Answer 3

ARM templates offer declarative syntax, repeatable deployments, resource orchestration, modularity, and extensibility, enabling consistent and efficient management of Azure infrastructure.

Question 4

How does Bicep differ from ARM templates, and what are its advantages?

Answer 4

Bicep is a more concise and easier-to-read language than JSON-based ARM templates, yet it has similar functionality, while providing more straightforward syntax and support for all resource types and API versions with repeatability and modularity.

Question 5

What is the Azure Portal, and what are its key features?

Answer 5

The Azure portal is a web-based unified console that offers a graphical user interface for managing Azure subscriptions, allowing users to build, manage, and monitor resources, and it also allows for custom dashboards.

Question 6

Describe Azure Cloud Shell and explain why it is useful for managing Azure resources.

Answer 6

Azure Cloud Shell is a browser-based shell tool providing access to Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell, and it enables users to manage Azure resources without needing local installations or configurations and it supports a range of useful features.

Question 7

Explain the differences between Azure PowerShell and Azure CLI, and in what situations you might prefer one over the other.

Answer 7

Azure PowerShell uses command-lets (cmdlets) and PowerShell syntax, while Azure CLI uses Bash commands, with preference typically based on user familiarity with each language since both offer very similar functionality.

Question 8

What is the primary purpose of Azure Arc?

Answer 8

Azure Arc extends Azure management and compliance capabilities to hybrid and multicloud environments, and it allows you to manage non-Azure resources as if they are part of Azure.

Question 9

How does Azure Arc extend Azure management capabilities to non-Azure resources?

Answer 9

Azure Arc projects existing on-premises and other cloud resources into Azure Resource Manager, allowing them to be managed with familiar Azure services and governance tools.

Question 10

Name three types of non-Azure resources that can be managed using Azure Arc.

Answer 10

Azure Arc can manage servers, Kubernetes clusters, Azure data services, SQL Server, and virtual machines (in preview) hosted outside of Azure.