AZ-104 Certification Notes

Chapter 7 - Introduction

ARM Templates

What is Infrastructure as Code? (IaC)

• The process of managing and provisioning computer data centers (e.g., Azure) through machine-readable definition files (e.g. JSON files) rather than physical hardware configuration or interactive configuration tools
• You write a script that will setup cloud services for you IaCs can either be:
• Declarative
  • You defined exactly what you want, and you get exactly that
• Imperative
  • You define what you generally want, and the service will guess what you want

ARM templates are JSON files that define azure resources you want to provision and azure services you want to configure.

• With ARM templates you can:
  • ARM templates are declarative. (you get exactly what you define)
  • Stand up, tear down, or share entire architectures in minutes
  • Reduce configuration mistakes
  • Know exactly what you have defined for a stack to establish an architecture baseline for compliance

With ARM templates you can:

• ARM templates are declarative. (you get what you define)
• Stand up, tear down, or share entire architectures in minutes
• Reduce configuration mistakes
• Establish an architecture baseline for compliance
• Modularity
  • Break up your architecture in multiple files and reuse them
• Extensibility
  • Add PowerShell and Bash scripts to your templates
• Testing
  • You can use the ARM templates tool kit (arm-ttk)
• Preview Changes
  • Before you create infrastructure via template, see what it will create
• Built-In Validation
  • Will only deploy your template if it passes
• Tracked Deployments
  • Keep track of changes to architecture over time
• Policy as Code
  • Apply Azure policies to ensure you remain compliant
• Microsoft Blueprints
  • Establishes relationship between resource and the template
• CI/CD integration
• Exportable Code
  • Exporting the current state of a resource groups and resources
• Authoring Tools
  • Visual Studio Code has advanced features for authoring ARM templates

Practice Quiz

• ARM templates are _________ that you want to provision and azure services you want to configure.

  • CSV files that define azure resources
  • XML files that configure azure resources
  • JSON files that are undefined
  • JSON files that define azure resources

• Which ARM Template feature can break up your architecture in multiple files and reuse them?

  • Testing
  • Extensibility
  • Modularity
  • Exportable Code

• Which of the following can ARM Templates NOT do?

  • Stand up, tear down or share entire architectures in minutes
  • Special Service Reduction
  • Know exactly what you have defined for a stack to establish an architecture baseline for compliance
  • Reduce configuration mistakes

• IaCs can be either: (Choose 2)

  • Declarative
  • Unique
  • Manageable
  • Imperative

• What is IaC?

  • Infrastructure As Code (IaC) is the process of managing and provisioning computer data centers through machine-readable definition files rather than physical hardware configuration.

• Which ARM Template feature can add PowerShell and Bash scripts to your templates?

  • Extensibility