Learning Objectives:

Implement and manage Azure compute resources (VMs, App Services, and Azure Functions).

Manage Azure Storage accounts and implement storage solutions.

Configure and manage Azure virtual networks, subnets, and network security groups.

Implement and manage Azure identity and access management solutions.

Manage Azure subscriptions, resources, and governance.

Implement Azure monitoring and backups to ensure resource availability and business continuity.

Manage security and compliance in the Azure environment.

Course Outline:

Introduction to Azure Administration

Topics Covered:

Introduction to Microsoft Azure and Cloud Computing 

Overview of Azure Services and Solutions

Introduction to the Azure Portal and Azure Resource Manager

Azure Subscriptions and Azure Resource Groups

Basic Azure Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Laboratory Activity 1:

Lab Objective: Create a Microsoft Azure account and navigate the Azure Portal

Steps: 

1. Create a free Microsoft Azure account.
2.  Log in to the Azure Portal and explore the dashboard, resource groups, and available services.
3. Create a Resource Group named “LabRG”.
4. Create and manage a simple Azure Virtual Machine (VM).

Example:

•   Create a Windows Server 2019 virtual machine with a public IP and connect to it via Remote Desktop.

Implementing and Managing Azure Compute Resources

Topics Covered:

Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) 

Deploying and configuring VMs

 Configuring VM Availability Sets

Implementing Virtual Machine Scale Sets

Azure App Services and Azure Functions 

Introduction to Azure App Services

Deploying and managing Azure Functions

Laboratory Activity 2:

Lab Objective: Deploy and configure a Virtual Machine and an App Service.

Steps: 

1. Create a Virtual Machine in Azure and configure networking and storage.
2. Implement an Azure App Service for hosting a basic website.
3. Deploy a simple Node.js or Python app to Azure App Services.

Example:

•    Deploy a Node.js web application to Azure App Services and link it to an Azure SQL Database.

Week 3: Managing Azure Storage Solutions

Topics Covered:

Azure Storage Types (Blob, Disk, File, Queue) 

Understanding Blob Storage and managing blobs

Working with Azure Managed Disks and Azure Files

Implementing Azure File Sync

Storage Security (Encryption, Shared Access Signatures)

Laboratory Activity 3:

Lab Objective: Create and manage Azure Storage accounts and configure access.

Steps: 

1. Create an Azure Storage Account (Blob Storage).
2. Upload files to the Blob Storage container.
3. Implement shared access signatures (SAS) to provide secure access.
4. Configure an Azure File Share and set up Azure File Sync.

Example:

• Upload a file to Azure Blob Storage and create a SAS URL to share the file securely.

Week 4: Implementing Virtual Networks and Network Security

Topics Covered:

Introduction to Virtual Networks (VNet) 

Subnets, IP Addressing, and DNS

Network Security Groups (NSGs)

Virtual Network Peering

Azure Load Balancer and VPN Gateway 

Configuring Load Balancer for high availability

Setting up Site-to-Site VPN and Point-to-Site VPN

Laboratory Activity 4:

Lab Objective: Implement Virtual Networks and Network Security.

Steps: 

1. Create an Azure Virtual Network with multiple subnets.
2. Set up Network Security Groups (NSGs) to control inbound and outbound traffic.
3. Configure Virtual Network Peering between two VNets.
4. Create an Azure VPN Gateway for secure communication between on-premises and Azure networks.

Example:

• Set up a basic 2-tier architecture with a Virtual Network, a load balancer, and two VMs for high availability.

Managing Azure Active Directory and Identity Services

Topics Covered:

Introduction to Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) 

Managing Azure AD Users and Groups

Configuring Azure AD Roles and Permissions

Implementing Identity Federation 

Azure AD Connect and Hybrid Identity

Managing Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Laboratory Activity 5:

Lab Objective: Configure Azure Active Directory and manage users.

Steps: 

1. Create an Azure Active Directory tenant.
2. Add users and assign roles in Azure AD.
3. Set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for a user.
4. Integrate Azure AD with Office 365 and configure SSO.

Example:

• Set up an Azure AD tenant, add users, assign roles, and configure MFA for an admin user.

Managing Azure Governance and Resource Management

Topics Covered:

Resource Management with Azure Resource Manager (ARM) 

Working with ARM Templates and Bicep

Implementing Resource Locks and Tagging

Azure Policies and Blueprints 

Enforcing Governance using Azure Policies

Introduction to Azure Blueprints

Azure Cost Management and Billing

Laboratory Activity 6:

Lab Objective: Implement governance using policies and resource tagging.

Steps: 

1. Create and deploy an ARM template to provision resources.
2. Tag resources to organize them for cost management and governance.
3. Create and assign an Azure Policy to enforce rules on resource provisioning.

Example:

• Deploy an Azure resource group with a specific tag using an ARM template and enforce a policy that restricts certain VM sizes.

Implementing Monitoring and Backups

Topics Covered:

Azure Monitor and Log Analytics 

Configuring Monitoring and Alerts for resources

Using Log Analytics to query and analyze logs

Backup Solutions in Azure 

Configuring Azure Backup for VMs and Files

Using Recovery Services Vaults for disaster recovery

Laboratory Activity 7:

Lab Objective: Implement Azure monitoring and backup solutions.

Steps: 

1. Set up Azure Monitor and configure alerts for resource health.
2. Create an Azure Backup Vault and configure backups for an Azure Virtual Machine.
3. Implement a Site Recovery service to replicate a VM for disaster recovery.

Example:

• Configure an Azure Monitor alert for high CPU usage on a Virtual Machine and schedule daily backups for the VM.

Week 8: Managing Security and Compliance in Azure

Topics Covered:

Security Center and Azure Defender 

Configuring Security Center for threat protection

Implementing Azure Defender for cloud security

Azure Security Best Practices 

Security best practices for networking, storage, and compute resources

Compliance certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.)

Laboratory Activity 8:

Lab Objective: Implement security and compliance solutions in Azure.

Steps: 

1. Enable Azure Security Center and review recommendations.
2. Set up Azure Defender for threat protection and security alerts.
3. Implement Azure Key Vault for securely storing secrets and keys.

Example:

• Use Azure Security Center to identify security vulnerabilities in a resource and implement Azure Defender to monitor threats.

Assessment & Certification:

Labs: Weekly hands-on lab activities to practice Azure administrative skills.

Final Exam: A comprehensive multiple-choice exam covering all topics discussed in the course.

Certification: Upon successful completion, participants will receive a course certificate.