What is a Virtual Machine (VM)?
A Virtual Machine (VM) is a software-based simulation of a physical computer, designed to run operating systems and applications just like a physical machine. Basically, a Virtual machine lets you create several independent "computers" on a single physical machine or across cloud infrastructure, like Microsoft's Azure platform.
Virtual machine (VM) deployment speed is a necessary skill for developers and IT professionals in today's cloud-driven world. Microsoft Azure is a strong platform that makes it easy to create and deploy virtual machines, regardless of your needs—developing environments, testing new apps, or managing enterprise workloads.
In this step-by-step guide, I will walk you through the process of creating a virtual machine in Azure, from selecting the appropriate VM size to configuring networking and storage options. By the end, you'll have a fully operational Virtual machine ready to support your cloud projects. Regardless of your level of experience with Azure, this tutorial will help you get up and running fast.
Let’s dive in and create your first virtual machine in Azure!
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a windows 11 Virtual Machine in Azure
1: Create a Free Trial Account
- Create a free trial account in Azure. This provides a subscription and $200 Azure credits.
2: Login to Azure Account
- Go to portal.azure.com and log in with your credentials (username and password).
3: Search for Virtual Machines
- In the Search resources, services, and docs field, type virtual machines. You can also find it by clicking on the hamburger icon and scrolling through the options or by clicking on the Create a resource button and typing virtual machine.
4: Select Virtual Machine
- From the list of search results, click on the Virtual Machine option. The best option is usually highlighted.
5: Start the Creation Process
- Click the Create button to start the virtual machine creation process. Choose Create a virtual machine hosted by Azure.
6: Enter Project Details
- Select the appropriate subscription and create a resource group by clicking the Create resource group button and giving it a name.
7: Enter Virtual Machine Details
- Provide information about your virtual machine, such as the name, operating system (choose Windows 11 Pro, version 22H2 - x64 Gen2), size, and other configuration settings. Leave other options as default.
8: Create an Administrator Account
- Choose Password for the authentication type. Use “Azureuser” for the username and “password123*” for the password.
9: Select Inbound Port Rules
- Select RDP and HTTP for a Windows 11 VM. RDP allows IP addresses to connect to the VM while HTTP allows the IP address to be accessible on browsers.
10: Check Licensing
- By default, this is unchecked. Click the box to check it.
11: Disable Boot Diagnostics
- Click “Next” until you reach the “Boot diagnostics” in the Monitoring tab, and click on “Disable”.
12: Review and Create
- Click on the Review + Create button. If the validation passes, the deployment will proceed. If not, note any recommendations, fix them, and try again. Deployment might take 3-5 minutes.
13: Check the Status
- If the VM is running, the task has succeeded.
14: Access the Virtual Machine
- Once the virtual machine is deployed, click on the Connect button in the virtual machine blade in the Azure portal.
15: Download RDP File
- Click Native RDP, select, and wait for the configured sign to be displayed on the right-hand side. Download the RDP file.
16: Connect to the VM
- Open the RDP file from your local computer and click on Connect. Enter the admin details created during the VM setup.
17: Follow the Prompt
- Follow the prompt and click Continue. Use the username and password created for the admin section.
18: Wait for Configuration
- Wait for the remote PC to be configured.
19: Start Using the VM
- Once the connection is successful, start using your virtual machine!
We have successfully connected to our Windows 11 virtual machine. I no longer need to physically own my computer to access it from anywhere in the world.
Look into topics like resource management, backup plans, and networking configurations if you go deeper into virtual machines. All of these aspects improve your knowledge and efficiency.
Thank you for reading my blog.😊😊
If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out in the comment or hit me up on Twitter. You can also follow me on GitHub. My DM's are open and love discussions on cloud topics!😁
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