Deploy a Windows Virtual Machine on Azure & Initialize Data Disk For Use

Managing Windows Virtual Machines (VMs) on Azure opens up a world of possibilities for businesses and developers alike. As an IT professional just beginning the journey into cloud computing, understanding how to effectively handle Virtual Machines is crucial. This guide covers everything you need to know to make the most of Azure’s robust virtualization capabilities, from deployment to monitoring and scaling. Let’s dive in!

Sign in to the Azure portal (portal.azure.com) with your username and password. You will be able to view the console once you are logged in.

Double-click on “Virtual Machine“ in the console. You can also use the search box.

Step 2: “Basic” page, Configuring and filling out the requirements for the new VM(IaaS).

In the basic page, the Subscription tab will be automatically set to “Azure Subscription 1“.

Create a resource group, Click on “create new“ to create and set a name for your Resource group. Fill in a preferred name for your Virtual machine.

After that, select the Region you want to place your VM in. Setting Availability option to “No infrastructure redundancy required“ for the purpose of this article.

Next, select Security type as, “Trusted launch virtual machine“

As for the Image, pick the operating system you want your virtual machine to run in, e.g windows 10 pro version. Scroll down to input the username and password you want to use to log onto your VM. Also select public inbound ports as RDP(3389). Check the “Licensing“ box. Click on “Next: Disks“ to go the Disks page.

Step 3: “Disk” page, Setting up and Configuring Data Disks for the new VM.

In the “Disk“ page, select the O.S disk size as image default. O.S disk type as “premium SSD (locally redundant storage)“. Check the box “delete with VM“. Key management is Platform managed key. You can also create a new disk, click on “create new disk“ and pick the requirements of the new disk you want to create.

Step 4: “Network” Page, Confirming Virtual Network, and setting up the public IP.

Your virtual network(VNET) would be automatically generated based on the VM name, as well as the Public IP. In a case whereby the public IP is not generated, click on “create new“ to create a public IP. The Network Security Group (NSG) is set to basic. Check the “Allow Selected Port“ and select RDP. Load Balancer is set to none. Click on “Next” to navigate to the “Management” page

Step 5- Management, Monitoring, Advanced, Tags (Optional).

Seeing through the next four pages to create the Windows virtual machine on Azure. Management, monitoring, Advanced, and Tags, Click on “Next“

Step 6- Review and Create

Click on “Review + Create” to review and deploy your Virtual machine. Then click on “create“. Waiting time of few minutes while deployment is in progress.

Step 7- Connecting to the Windows Virtual Machine.

At this stage, your Virtual Machine is fully deployed and ready to be used. To connect to it, Click on “Go to resource“ to view the properties and click on connect.

Make sure to download your RDP file in the next page, save in downloads/ desktop/ a secured location. Connect and input your password.

Your Windows Virtual Machine is ready for use!!!

Step 8- How to delete a Virtual Machine in Azure.

To delete a Virtual Machine in Azure, it is important to delete from the Resource Group. That way, you can be sure that your Virtual Machine is completely deleted without excluding any element. To delete, Go to “Resource group“ in your overview section. You can likewise search for “Resource group“ from the search bar, You’ll be able to see the resource group created when creating your VM. Select the resource group, and then click on “Delete Resource Group“.

Deploying a Windows Virtual Machine in Azure may seem complex, but with clear steps and a bit of practice, it becomes second nature. This guide is your starting point to mastering Virtual Machines deployment, unlocking endless possibilities for testing, development, and scaling workloads in the cloud.

If you found this article helpful, don’t forget to give it a like or share it with others who might benefit. If you need further clarification, feel free to reach out to me directly, I’d be happy to help!

Stay tuned as I dive deeper into the world of Azure, exploring how to deploy Linux VMs using SSH keys and passwords, and unraveling more cloud-related topics. Are you a cloud enthusiast or a professional, the journey to cloud proficiency is already ongoing! Let’s build, learn, and innovate together!