In this Monday blog post, I will start a new multi-blog post series about Microsoft Azure Resource Manager (ARM).
About ARM
Before we take a deep dive into the technical stuff, let start with an overview of Azure Resource Manager (ARM).
ARM is Microsoft Azure implementation of Infrastructure as a code which is very similar AWS CloudFormation where deployments and management of infrastructure are done using code.
How Does it Work
Now that we know what is ARM, the next question how does it work? Well, the driving force behind ARM are ARM templates. ARM templates are JSON based declarative syntax that deploys resources. Below is an example of an ARM template syntax.
},
"publicIpName": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "myPublicIP",
"metadata": {
"description": "Name for the Public IP used to access the Virtual Machine."
}
Benefits of using ARM
The last question that you are probably asking yourself is why should I use ARM and what are the benefits of using it. Below are the main advantages of using ARM.
- The Infrastructure is managed using a code and not using scripts or the management console
- You can use source control systems (git) to keep records of your deployments and configuration
- Manage resources in groups rather than individual resources
- Save money in running cost since all resources are deployed in groups that allow better tracking
In the next blog post we will learn how about all the moving parts of ARM.