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Create and Configure VM

Azure virtual machines (VMs) provide on-demand, high-scale, secure, and virtualized computing resources. You can deploy VMs using various methods depending on your automation and management needs.

Deployment Methods

Method Learning Curve Speed Repeatability Best For
Azure Portal Low Slow Manual Testing, one-off configs
Azure CLI Medium Fast Scriptable Automation, rapid creation
IaC (Bicep/ARM) High Variable High Enterprise, CI/CD

Essential Parameters

  • Resource Group: Logical container for VM resources.
  • Region: Geographic location for data residency.
  • Image: OS base (Ubuntu, Windows Server).
  • Size: CPU, RAM, and disk throughput specs.
  • OS Disk Option: Persistent managed OS disk or Ephemeral OS Disk based on workload profile.

Note

VM sizes affect pricing and available features like Premium Storage or Accelerated Networking.

Note

For stateless workloads, consider Ephemeral OS Disk for lower latency and faster reimaging.

Deployment Workflow

graph TD
    A[Start Deployment] --> B{Select Method}
    B -->|Portal| C[Interactive Wizard]
    B -->|CLI| D[az vm create]
    B -->|Bicep| E[az deployment group create]
    C --> F[Resource Group & Region]
    D --> F
    E --> F
    F --> G[Size & Image]
    G --> H[Auth & Networking]
    H --> I[Extensions/Cloud-init]
    I --> J[Validate & Create]
    J --> K[VM Running]

See Also

Sources