Compute Options
| Service | Type | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) | IaaS | Full OS control, lift-and-shift migrations, custom environments |
| VM Scale Sets | IaaS | Auto-scale groups of identical VMs based on demand or schedule |
| Availability Sets | IaaS | Distribute VMs across fault domains & update domains to avoid single-point failures within a datacenter |
| Azure Virtual Desktop | IaaS | Cloud-hosted Windows desktops accessible from any device (VDI) |
| Azure App Service | PaaS | Host web apps, APIs, and mobile backends without managing infrastructure |
| Azure Functions | PaaS/Serverless | Event-driven, short-lived functions. Pay per execution. No server management. |
| Azure Container Instances (ACI) | PaaS | Run containers without managing VMs or orchestrators. Fastest way to run a container on Azure. |
| Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) | PaaS | Managed Kubernetes for orchestrating containerized apps at scale |
Networking Services
| Service | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Azure Virtual Network (VNet) | Fundamental networking building block. Provides an isolated, private network in Azure. Segment with subnets. Control traffic with network security groups (NSGs). |
| VNet Peering | Connects two VNets so resources can communicate privately without going over the public internet — even across regions. |
| Azure VPN Gateway | Sends encrypted traffic between Azure VNet and on-premises networks over the public internet. Use for site-to-site or point-to-site VPN. |
| Azure ExpressRoute | Private, dedicated connection between on-premises and Azure (not over the public internet). Higher reliability, speed, and lower latency than VPN. |
| Azure DNS | Host your DNS domains in Azure. Provides name resolution using Azure infrastructure. Supports private DNS zones for internal resources. |
| Public Endpoints | Resources accessible over the internet via a public IP. |
| Private Endpoints | Resources accessible only within a private VNet via a private IP. Enhances security by keeping traffic off the public internet. |
VPN vs ExpressRoute: VPN Gateway = encrypted tunnel over the public internet (lower cost, easier setup). ExpressRoute = private dedicated circuit (more reliable, faster, more expensive). Use ExpressRoute for mission-critical, high-bandwidth workloads.
Storage Account Types & Services
| Storage Type | Purpose | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Blob Storage | Object storage for unstructured data | Images, videos, backups, log files, data for analytics |
| Azure Files | Fully managed file shares in the cloud (SMB/NFS) | Lift-and-shift of on-premises file servers, shared app configs |
| Queue Storage | Message queuing between app components | Decouple application components, async processing |
| Table Storage | NoSQL key/attribute store | Flexible datasets, user data, IoT telemetry |
| Azure Disks | Block storage for VMs (managed disks) | OS disks, data disks for Virtual Machines |
Storage Access Tiers (Blob)
| Tier | Access Frequency | Storage Cost | Access Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | Frequently accessed | Higher | Lower |
| Cool | Infrequently accessed (≥30 days) | Lower | Higher |
| Cold | Rarely accessed (≥90 days) | Lower | Higher |
| Archive | Rarely accessed, flexible latency (≥180 days) | Lowest | Highest (rehydration needed) |
Redundancy Options
| Option | Copies | Protection |
|---|---|---|
| LRS (Locally Redundant) | 3 copies in 1 datacenter | Hardware failures within a datacenter |
| ZRS (Zone Redundant) | 3 copies across 3 AZs in 1 region | Datacenter/zone failures |
| GRS (Geo Redundant) | 3 copies locally + 3 copies in paired region | Regional disasters |
| GZRS (Geo Zone Redundant) | ZRS primary + GRS secondary | Zone + regional disasters (highest durability) |
Data Movement Options
- AzCopy — Command-line tool to copy blobs or files to/from a storage account. Good for scripted/automated transfers.
- Azure Storage Explorer — GUI application to manage storage accounts. Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Azure File Sync — Syncs on-premises Windows Server file shares with Azure Files. Cache frequently accessed files locally.
- Azure Migrate — Centralized hub for assessing and migrating on-premises servers, databases, and apps to Azure.
- Azure Data Box — Physical device for offline bulk data transfer. Order a device, copy data to it, ship it to Microsoft. Ideal for large datasets (TBs–PBs) where network transfer isn't practical.