Azure Resource Manager for DevOps and mere mortals

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imageWith Azure Resource Manager Microsoft introduced a new and more efficient way to better support DevOps workflows and the operations and development teams at large in managing Azure resources.
  

What is Azure Resource Manager anyway?

While still in preview, Azure Resource Manager has already got some very good traction within the developer and the operations communities alike. It enables the creation of reusable deployment templates that declaratively describe the resources that make up your application (for example a website and a SQL database). In essence it provides an environment to handle infrastructure as well as configuration information as code.

Overall Azure Resource Manager simplifies the process of creating complex environments forimage development, testing, and production in a repeatable manner. Perfect for DevOps and beyond. Instead of creating and managing individual resources, you begin by imagining a complex service, such as a blog, a photo gallery, a SharePoint portal, or a wiki. Using a template – a resource model of the service – to create a resource group with the resources that you need to support the service. It also provides a unified way to deploy, manage, and monitor the resources that make up the service from the Microsoft Azure portal.

Interesting tidbit: Azure Resource Manager is a driving force behind the new Azure Management Portal experience.

Where can I learn more?

I am glad you asked. On Microsoft Virtual Academy, our DevOps experts are hosting a free online event on Oct 9th at 9:00am PDT. DevOps evangelist in residence, David Tesar, co-hosts a live Jump Start event with Kevin Lam, a Principal Program Manager on the Azure Application Platform team.

Over four action packed hours, attendees will learn the fundamentals of Resource Groups, explore the tools used to create, manage, and deploy these groups, and discover the benefits of the ALM integration of Azure Resource Manager. The day concludes with a module on RBAC or Role Based access Control: With RBAC Azure Active Directory users and groups can be granted access to the Azure resources they need to do their jobs, while not granting more access than they need.

Register here: Azure Resource Manager DevOps Jump Start
 

Resources

If you can’t wait until the Jump Start, which I would consider a must for everyone interested in DevOps and beyond, here’s a few resources to get you going with Azure Resource Manager:

Have fun.

Volker