Lab 3

Creating a Virtual Machine with Windows OS in Azure

Introduction:
Creating a Windows Virtual Machine in Azure allows you to deploy a fully functional
Windows-based computer in the cloud. Azure's Virtual Machines offer a scalable and flexible
computing solution, where you can run Windows applications, host websites, develop and
test software, and perform various computing tasks without the need to invest in physical
hardware.
Some of the major advantages and uses of Windows Virtual Machine in azure are as follows:

 Scalability: Azure Virtual Machines can be easily scaled up or down based on your
needs, allowing you to adjust computing resources as your requirements change,
ensuring cost-effectiveness.
 Flexibility: You have the freedom to choose from a wide range of Windows images
and configurations, tailoring the VM to your specific application requirements.
 Cost-Efficiency: Virtual Machines in Azure offer a pay-as-you-go pricing model,
allowing you to pay only for the resources you use, reducing capital expenses and
maintenance costs.
 Global Reach: With Azure's global network of data centers, you can deploy Windows
Virtual Machines closer to your users, reducing latency and improving performance.
 Security: Azure Virtual Machines come with built-in security features and options to
integrate with Azure Security Center, ensuring a secure computing environment.

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP):

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft that

enables users to remotely access and control a computer or virtual machine over a network. It
allows users to connect to a remote computer and interact with it as if they were sitting in
front of it, regardless of the physical distance between the local and remote machines. RDP is
commonly used for remote administration, technical support, and accessing resources from a
remote location. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) plays a vital role in the context of your
Azure Virtual Machine task. When creating a Windows Virtual Machine in Azure, RDP
allows us to remotely access and manage the virtual machine from the local computer.
Through RDP, we can establish a secure and encrypted connection to the virtual machine,
providing us with full graphical user interface (GUI) access.

Internet Information Service (IIS):

Internet Information Services (IIS) is a web server software developed by Microsoft for
hosting and serving websites, web applications, and web services. It is an integral part of the
Windows Server operating system and is widely used to deploy and manage web-based
solutions. IIS provides a robust and secure platform for running various types of web
applications, from static HTML websites to complex ASP.NET applications. Internet
Information Services (IIS) plays a crucial role in your Azure Virtual Machine task,
particularly when setting up a web server environment for hosting web applications or
websites on the VM.

Steps to set up new virtual machine with windows operating system are:

Step 1: Sign in to the Azure Portal

 Go to https://portal.azure.com/ and sign in with your Azure account.

Step 2: Create a Virtual Machine

 Click on “Create a resource” and then on “Virtual Machine”.

 Fill out the required details for the virtual machine, such as Name, Region, Image,
Size, Username, and Password.
 Select "RDP" and “HTTP” as the public inbound port.

 Click “Review+Create” and then “Create” to create the VM.

Step 3: Wait for Virtual Machine Deployment

 Azure will start deploying the virtual machine and also notify when the deployment is
complete.
Step 4: Connect to Virtual Machine via RDP

 Once the VM is deployed, go to the virtual machine’s overview page.

 Click on the “Connect” button at the top of the page.
 Download the RDP file and open it.

 Enter the username and password you provided during the virtual machine creation to
connect to the virtual machine.
Step 5: Install IIS Service

 After connecting to the virtual machine via RDP, open the Server Manager.

 Click on “Add roles and features.”

 In the “Add Roles and Features Wizard”, click “Next” until the “Server Roles” section
is reached.
  Check the box next to “Web Server(IIS)” to select it.

 Click “Next” and then “Install” to install the IIS service.

Step 6: Browse the Web Server via IP Address

 Find the public IP address of your VM from the VM's Overview page in the Azure
portal.
 Copy the public IP address.
 Open a web browser on the local machine and paste the VM's public IP address into
the address bar.
 We can see the default IIS page, confirming that the web server is accessible via the
IP address.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the process of creating a Windows Virtual Machine in Azure,
connecting to it using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), and setting up a web server
with Internet Information Services (IIS) offers several key advantages. It provides
flexibility in customizing the VM to suit specific application needs, scalability for
cost-effective resource utilization, global accessibility for a wider audience, and web
hosting capabilities to publish websites and web applications on the internet. These
advantages make Azure Virtual Machines an efficient and powerful solution for
deploying and managing Windows-based applications in the cloud.