Introduction
Step into Azure's detailed glossary for a guided journey through the world of cloud services.
Uncover key Azure terms and concepts to demystify cloud computing easily. Enhance your Azure knowledge and feel at ease with cloud technologies effortlessly.
Azure Terms
A
Account: An Azure subscription account is utilized to access and oversee Azure services. This account, commonly known as an Azure account, can be linked to an existing work, school, or personal Microsoft account.ShareRewrite
API app: Another name for App Service app.
App Service app: Azure App Service offers compute resources for hosting websites, web applications, web APIs, or mobile app backends, known as App Service apps. These resources can also be referred to as App Services, web apps, API apps, or mobile apps.
Availability Set: An availability set is a grouping of virtual machines managed collectively to enhance application redundancy and reliability. By utilizing an availability set, it guarantees that during scheduled or unscheduled maintenance, at least one virtual machine remains operational.
Azure classic deployment model: Azure offers two deployment models for resource allocation: Azure Resource Manager and the classic deployment model. While some Azure services support only the Azure Resource Manager, others are compatible with the classic deployment model, and some services support both. The documentation for each Azure service outlines the specific models it supports.
Azure CLI: Azure PowerShell and Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) are tools for managing Azure resources across Windows, macOS, and Linux environments. Certain services or features are exclusively manageable through PowerShell or CLI.
Azure PowerShell: Azure PowerShell is a command-line tool for managing Azure services on Windows PCs. Some services or features can only be managed using PowerShell or the Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI).
Azure Resource Manager deployment model: Microsoft Azure provides two deployment models for resource allocation: Azure Resource Manager and the classic deployment model. While some Azure services support only the Azure Resource Manager, others are compatible with the classic deployment model, and some services support both. The documentation for each Azure service outlines the specific models it supports.
F
Fault Domain: An availability set in Azure comprises a group of virtual machines that may experience simultaneous failure, such as machines in a rack sharing a common power source and network switch. In Azure, virtual machines within an availability set are automatically distributed across multiple fault domains to prevent concurrent failures.
G
Geo: A geo, also known as a geography, in the context of data residency, refers to a defined region that typically includes two or more Azure regions. These geographical boundaries may be within or cross national/regional borders and are influenced by tax regulations. Each geo contains at least one region, and examples include Asia Pacific and Japan.
Geo-Replication: Geo-replication is the automatic process of duplicating content, such as blobs, tables, and queues, across a regional pair in Azure, ensuring data redundancy and availability.
I
Image: In Azure, an image is a file that encompasses the operating system and application configurations necessary to create multiple virtual machines. There are two main types of images: VM images and OS images. A VM image comprises an operating system and all disks associated with a virtual machine at the time of image creation. On the other hand, an OS image contains a generalized operating system without any specific data disk configurations.
L
Limits: The quantity of resources that can be generated or the level of performance that can be reached is often subject to limitations. These limits are usually associated with subscriptions, services, and offerings, and they determine the maximum number of resources that can be created or the highest level of performance that can be achieved.
Load Balancer: In Azure, a load balancer is a resource that evenly distributes incoming network traffic among computers. It directs traffic to virtual machines specified in a load-balancer set and can function as either internet-facing or internal, depending on the network configuration.
M
Mobile App: Another name for App Service App.
O
Offer: The cost structure, credits, and associated terms that apply to an Azure subscription.
P
Portal: The secure online platform utilized for deploying and overseeing Azure services.
R
Region: A region within a geo is a distinct area that remains within national or regional borders and houses one or more data centers. Pricing, regional services, and offer types are specified at the region level. Regions are usually paired with another region, often located several hundred miles apart. These regional pairs serve as a strategy for disaster recovery and high availability scenarios.
Resource: A component of an Azure solution is referred to as a resource. Azure services enable the deployment of various resource types, including but not limited to databases and virtual machines.
Resource Group: In Resource Manager, a resource group is a container that houses resources related to an application. It can encompass all resources for an application or only those that are logically grouped together. The allocation of resources to resource groups is at your discretion, based on what best suits your organization's needs and structure.
Resource Manager template: A JSON file that declaratively outlines one or more Azure resources and specifies any dependencies between the resources being deployed. This template can be utilized to consistently and repeatedly deploy the resources, ensuring that they are configured in the same way each time.
Resource Provider: A service that provides the resources that can be deployed and managed using Resource Manager. Each resource provider offers a set of operations for working with the deployed resources, and these providers can be accessed through the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, and various programming SDKs. This service enables you to deploy and manage a wide range of resources using Resource Manager.
Role: An access control method that can be allocated to users, groups, and services. Roles have the capability to execute actions like creating, managing, and reading Azure resources.
S
Service Level Agreement (SLA): An agreement that outlines Microsoft's commitments regarding uptime and connectivity. Each Azure service has a distinct Service Level Agreement (SLA) that specifies the level of availability and connectivity that can be expected. The SLA serves as a guarantee of the service quality that Microsoft is committed to providing.
Shared Access Signature (SAS): A security feature that allows for the granting of limited access to a resource without revealing the account key. For instance, Azure Storage utilizes Shared Access Signatures (SAS) to grant clients access to objects such as blobs, while IoT Hub uses SAS to authorize devices to transmit telemetry. SAS tokens provide a secure and flexible way to grant access to specific resources without exposing sensitive account information.
Storage Account: A user account that provides access to the Azure Blob, Queue, Table, and File services within Azure Storage. The storage account name serves as a unique identifier for Azure Storage data objects, creating a distinct namespace for each user's data. This account structure enables efficient organization and management of data within Azure Storage.
Subscription: A contract between a customer and Microsoft that enables the customer to use Azure services. The cost of the subscription and the associated terms are determined by the selected offer for the subscription. This agreement outlines the pricing structure and other relevant terms for the customer's use of Azure services.
T
Tag: A labeling feature that allows you to classify resources based on your specific needs for organization or billing purposes. Tags provide a way to group and organize resources, especially when dealing with a large and diverse set of assets. For instance, you can tag resources that share a common function within your organization or are associated with a particular department, helping you to visualize and manage them more effectively.
Tenant: A tenant represents a group of users or an organization that collectively access a product, service, or application with designated privileges. In Microsoft Entra ID, a tenant is a distinct and separate instance of the service that an organization obtains when it subscribes to a cloud application like Microsoft 365. Each Microsoft Entra tenant is unique and independent from other Microsoft Entra tenants. Multitenancy refers to a shared instance of an application that serves multiple organizations, with each organization having its own access and privileges.
U
Update Domain: A group of virtual machines within an availability set that undergo updates simultaneously. During planned maintenance, virtual machines in the same update domain are restarted together. Azure ensures that only one update domain is restarted at a time, preventing disruptions to all virtual machines simultaneously. This group is also known as an upgrade domain.
V
Virtual Machine: A software emulation of a physical computer that operates an operating system, capable of running multiple instances concurrently on the same hardware. In Azure, virtual machines come in a range of sizes, offering flexibility and scalability to meet various performance and capacity requirements.
Virtual Machine Extension: A resource that incorporates functionalities or capabilities to support the operation of other programs or enable interaction with a running computer. For instance, the VM Access extension can be utilized to adjust or reset remote access settings on an Azure virtual machine, showcasing how extensions can enhance the functionality of resources within the Azure environment.
Virtual Network: A network infrastructure that offers connectivity between Azure resources, isolated from other Azure tenants. An Azure VPN Gateway facilitates the establishment of connections between virtual networks and between a virtual network and an on-premises network. This setup provides you with complete control over the IP address blocks, DNS settings, security policies, and route tables within the virtual network, ensuring a secure and customizable network environment.
W
Web app: Another name for App Service App.