To create virtual machines (VMs) in Azure, there are several methods available. Here are the different approaches you can take:
Azure Portal: The Azure Portal provides a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) for managing Azure resources, including VMs. You can navigate to the Azure Portal, select the desired subscription and resource group, and use the "Create a resource" button to create a VM. The portal offers a step-by-step wizard where you can specify VM configurations, such as image, size, networking, and storage options.
Azure CLI: The Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) is a cross-platform command-line tool that allows you to manage Azure resources from the command line. You can use the Azure CLI to create VMs by running commands that specify the desired VM properties, such as the image, size, resource group, and networking configurations.
Azure PowerShell: Azure PowerShell is a scripting environment that enables you to automate Azure management tasks using PowerShell scripts. With Azure PowerShell, you can create VMs by writing PowerShell scripts that define the VM properties, resource group, networking, and other configurations.
Azure Resource Manager (ARM) Templates: ARM templates are JSON files that describe the desired state of your Azure infrastructure. You can define the VM properties, networking, storage, and other configurations in an ARM template and deploy it to create VMs in a consistent and repeatable manner. ARM templates can be deployed using the Azure Portal, Azure CLI, or Azure PowerShell.
Azure DevOps: Azure DevOps provides a set of services for CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipelines and automating infrastructure deployment. Using Azure DevOps pipelines, you can define YAML or visual pipeline configurations that include steps to create VMs as part of your infrastructure deployment process.
These methods provide different levels of automation, flexibility, and programmability to create VMs in Azure. You can choose the approach that best suits your requirements and preferences. It's worth noting that Azure SDKs for various programming languages are also available if you prefer to programmatically create VMs using your preferred programming language.