Azure Sandbox Playground

What Is Microsoft Azure

Imagine you need to build a Kubernetes cluster in the real world. You need to buy a few servers, configure them, run network cables to each one. Then you need to install and configure Kubernetes-related software on each one. It's a complicated process.

Cloud computing lets you do this stuff much faster. For example, let's say you want that Kubernetes cluster. But you want to do this in the cloud, instead of buying your own hardware. With a few clicks on a web page, you select the AKS, Azure Kubernetes Service. Then you pick how many nodes you want in that cluster, how many resources each node should have, and bam! You have a fully functional Kubernetes cluster. No need to even configure a server.

Here are some other examples of Azure services:

• In case you need a server where you want to install an operating system, you can use a virtual machine. Then you can configure it as you would a real server. You pick how many CPU cores you want, how much memory, how much disk space, and so on. You basically build a virtual computer in the cloud. But if you don't want to manage a server on your own, then you have other alternatives. For example, you can:

• Store and use databases without needing to configure a server yourself

• Run code in the cloud, again with no need to configure a server

• Run containers (for example, Docker containers). Yet again, no need to configure servers.

• Get storage space where you can backup data or simply store files.

• And so on. The list of Azure services available in the cloud is huge.

KodeKloud Azure Playground

It's nice that you can choose from hundreds of things. If you want to build any type of service, the cloud has you covered. It gives you access to almost anything you might require. But this immense selection of services can also intimidate. Especially at first sight. It's hard to figure out what those things do and how you should use them. And it takes a bit of experimenting to understand them. That's why we created playgrounds at KodeKloud.

The Azure Playground lets you test out a few of these cloud-hosted services. So you can see for yourself what's what. With a simple click, you can immediately begin testing the Azure platform. No need to create an Azure account, provide credit/debit card details, and so on. One click and you get dropped into the Azure web interface. So you get to play with Azure services, risk free. There's no risk of forgetting to close a service and wake up with a $200 bill.

Quick Start Guide

To avoid any issues, please read the guide below. The text highlighted with bold is important.

The regions supported in our Azure playground are:

• West US
• East US
• Central US
• South Central US

Here are the services available at this time in our playground:

Virtual Machines

Virtual machines are basically servers that you run in the cloud. You can choose what operating system you want, and then configure the resources each server should have.

When you launch these, make sure to choose:

• A disk that is a standard SSD or an HDD (locally-redundant storage).
• The maximum disk size we currently support in the playground is 128GB.

Virtual Machine Scale Sets

The VM Scale Set is a collection of virtual servers. As they are used more intensely, more will auto-launch, to keep up with demand. If there's less pressure on them, the extra ones will automatically disappear as they are not needed anymore.

• Scaleset Maximum Count: 3.
• The name of the scaleset must be app-scaleset.
• Scaling Policy Type should be Manual.

Azure SQL

This gives you full access to an SQL database. And it does not require you to manage a server where the database would be hosted.

Our Azure playground currently supports databases that use:

• A maximum of 2 vCPU cores.
• 50GB of data.
• In the Backup storage redundancy section select Locally-redundant backup storage.

AKS - Azure Kubernetes Service

You can create a Kubernetes cluster on Azure with these properties:

• Node Pool SKU type supported: Standard_D4s_v3
• 2 nodes pool size.
• Container insights and alerting should be disabled.

App Services (formerly called Web Apps)

Deploy web applications without worrying about servers. If you choose a Code web app, under Pricing plan click on Explore pricing plans.

Next, click on Dev / Test and choose the F1 or B1 instance types.

Azure Service Bus

• Supports Basic Pricing Tier.
• Only upto FIVE namespaces are supported at a time.

Azure Event Hubs:

• Allows Basic and Standard Pricing tiers only.
• The maximum number of namespaces supported is five.
• Cannot use Clusters.
• Capture feature not supported.
• AutoInflate option is disabled.

Azure Key Vault:

• Standard Tier Only: All Key Vaults must use the 'Standard' tier.
• Soft Delete Retention: Set to exactly 7 days.
• Purge Protection: Must be disabled.
• Managed HSMs: Not allowed.

Other Azure Services

The other services you can access in the playground are:

• Storage Accounts (Under Redundancy select Locally-Redundant Storage - LRS)
• CosmosDB (under Capacity mode select Serverless; in Backup Policy step, for Backup storage redundancy select Locally-redundant backup storage)
• Logic Apps
• CloudShell
• Container Registry (Select SKUs - Basic or Standard)