Tags: Microsoft

Updates to my Terraform Azure base Lab Environments

Earlier this year I blogged about some Lab Environments I’d created using Terraform, and shared in my GitHub repo: “Recently I have been working more and more with Terraform – and seeing the benefits to what I can do in a short space of time within Azure, using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) methodologies. I’m now using Terraform for all my […]

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UK Windows Virtual Desktop User Group – Azure NetApp Files Cross Region Replication

This week I presented at the UK Windows Virtual Desktop User Group May Meeting. I went through Azure NetApp Files Cross Region Replication, which is currently in Preview. Thanks to Neil and Kirk for organising the meetup! Demo Lab Environment For anyone wishing to deploy the Cross Region Replication Lab that I used in my presentation, these files are available […]

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Azure DevOps – Azure NetApp Files (Part 2, Terraform)

For the next post in this series around using Azure DevOps and WVD, I wanted continue focusing on Azure NetApp Files. Continuing on from Part 1 in this series, I will be covering the setup of Azure NetApp Files (ANF) within an Azure DevOps Pipeline, but this time using Terraform to deploy ANF. In Part 1, Azure CLI was used […]

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Azure DevOps – Azure NetApp Files (Part 1, Azure CLI)

For the next post in this series around using Azure DevOps and WVD, I wanted to focus on Azure NetApp Files. Azure NetApp Files (ANF) is often used for hosting both application and profile data, and in particular is used when rapid access and high IO throughput are required. This is often the case with User Profiles in a VDI […]

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Azure DevOps – using Packer to create images

Recently I’ve been using Packer to create images for use with Citrix Cloud and Windows Virtual Desktop, and building this into a DevOps Pipeline, to automate creation of images based on a JSON template. Within Azure DevOps this is a really simple process – and great for creating VM images within your Pipelines, or for Lab/Testing environments too. I use […]

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Azure DevOps – Automating Domain Controller promotion

For a while I have been deploying infrastructure using Azure DevOps, and in particular deploying demo environments which need to be spun up and torn down again, but also to demonstrate the power of Infrastructure as Code. One issue I’ve faced with a pure ARM/Bicep or Terraform deployment is the promotion of a Domain Controller… it is straightforward to deploy […]

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Exploring Azure Bicep

Recently I have been exploring Azure Bicep and the benefits it provides. Azure Bicep is a Domain Specific Language that allows the rapid creation of ARM Templates, in an easier manner. I’ve previously found ARM templates challenging, especially with the complexity that can arrive with deployment at scale. Bicep aims to improve this, providing a simpler way of authoring templates, […]

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Introducing my Terraform Azure base Lab Environments

Recently I have been working more and more with Terraform – and seeing the benefits to what I can do in a short space of time within Azure, using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) methodologies. I’m now using Terraform for all my Azure lab needs – it’s so fast and easy to deploy just what I need, and tweak from there […]

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Automating Azure Key Vault and Secrets using Terraform

One area that always need focus is around security and managing credentials. Using Terraform, and the method in this blog post, you can help build Azure Key Vault and create a secure secret to use when creating VMs, automatically. To keep things secure, my method uses a combination of randomised password values, and Azure Key Vault. This post explains how […]

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Automating NSG rules with an external IP in Terraform

For some time, I have been using Terraform to create environments – and it’s something I rely on heavily for my own Azure lab environment. My lab is an ever changing picture – and thus I regularly create and destroy resources and environments, to test new things. I usually just run Terraform locally and have it spin up specific lab […]

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Enterprise Scale considerations for Windows Virtual Desktop

In my previous post I talked about Landing Zones and why they are an essential part of the Cloud Adoption Framework. Following on from that post, I wanted to elaborate on some of the considerations around Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) in particular. WVD brings with it several unique elements that benefit from additional consideration and planning – particularly when designing […]

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Why you need an Azure Landing Zone

A defined and structured Landing Zone is key component of the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework. But what exactly is a Landing Zone, and why is using one important? I’ll try and provide an overview and give some specific examples of the Design Areas, as well an overview of options around enterprise scale in this post. What is a Landing Zone? A […]

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