Tutorial / Cram Notes
Before you can collect any logs, you must create a Log Analytics workspace. This workspace is a unique environment for Azure Monitor Logs where data is collected, aggregated, analyzed, and presented in queries, charts, and alerts.
To create a Log Analytics workspace:
- In the Azure portal, select Create a resource.
- Search for and select Log Analytics.
- Click Create.
- Fill in the following details:
- Subscription: Choose your Azure subscription.
- Resource Group: Select an existing resource group or create a new one.
- Name: Enter a name for the workspace.
- Region: Select the region that is close to your resources.
Step 2: Configure Data Sources
Once a workspace is created, you need to configure data sources. These sources can include Azure virtual machines, Azure resources, and on-premises machines.
To configure data sources for Azure VMs:
- In the workspace, go to Advanced Settings > Connected Sources > Virtual Machines.
- You will see a list of VMs that can be connected. For each VM, you can click on the Connect button to start collecting data.
To configure data sources for other Azure resources:
- Navigate to Azure resources under Advanced Settings.
- Check the resources you want to connect to the workspace and click on Connect.
Step 3: Set Up Data Collection
After connecting sources, specify which data types to collect. This includes event logs, performance counters, syslogs, and others.
Configure Windows event log data collection:
- Under Advanced Settings, select Data > Windows Event Logs.
- Enter the name of the event log (e.g., System, Application, Security).
- Specify the desired log level (e.g., Error, Warning, Information).
- Click Save to apply the settings.
Configure performance counters:
- In the same Data section, click on Windows Performance Counters.
- Choose the counters you wish to collect (e.g., Memory\Available Mbytes, Processor(_Total)\% Processor Time).
- Specify the collection frequency and click Add.
- Click Save once you’ve added all necessary counters.
Step 4: Create Log Queries
Log queries are how you extract actionable insights from your data. They use the Kusto Query Language (KQL), which is powerful for analyzing and visualizing data.
Example log query:
Perf
| where ObjectName == “Processor” and CounterName == “% Processor Time” and InstanceName == “_Total”
| summarize AvgCPUUsage=avg(CounterValue) by bin(TimeGenerated, 30m), Computer
| render timechart
This example query collects average CPU usage across all monitored computers, summarized every 30 minutes.
Step 5: Set Up Alerts and Actions
With queries, you can set up alerts to notify you when specific conditions are met.
To create an alert:
- Save a log query that identifies the condition for the alert.
- Click on New alert rule from the query page.
- Configure the alert condition, details, and actions such as sending an email notification or invoking an Azure Logic App.
Step 6: Configuring Log Analytics Solutions
Azure Monitor also provides solutions that offer additional insights into your environment. These can be added to your workspace and configured to collect specific data sets.
Example solutions include:
- Update Management: Tracks the status of updates on your Azure VMs.
- Change Tracking: Records changes in files, software, Windows registry, and more.
- Azure Automation: Offers cloud-based automation and configuration service.
To add a solution:
- Navigate to Solutions in the Log Analytics workspace.
- Click Add and select the solution that aligns with your monitoring goals.
- Follow the configuration wizard to set the solution up.
By configuring Azure Monitor Logs, administrators can get deeper visibility into their environments, which is critical for maintaining operational excellence. This knowledge is integral to the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator exam, ensuring that candidates understand how to implement, manage, and configure key monitoring aspects of their Azure resources.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Azure Monitor Logs can collect data from multiple sources such as virtual machines, Azure resources, and on-premises servers.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Azure Monitor Logs is designed to collect data from a variety of sources including virtual machines, Azure resources, and on-premises servers.
What is the primary repository for data in Azure Monitor Logs?
- (A) Azure Blob Storage
- (B) Azure SQL Database
- (C) Log Analytics Workspace
- (D) Azure Table Storage
Answer: C) Log Analytics Workspace
Explanation: Log Analytics Workspace is the primary repository for storing data in Azure Monitor Logs.
True or False: Azure Monitor Logs requires manual configuration to start collecting data from Azure resources.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Azure Monitor can automatically collect platform metrics and logs for many Azure services, with further configuration available for more detailed or custom data collection.
Multiple Select: Which of the following services can be integrated with Azure Monitor Logs for enhanced logging capabilities?
- (A) Azure Active Directory
- (B) Azure HDInsight
- (C) Azure Cosmos DB
- (D) Azure Virtual Networks
Answer: A) Azure Active Directory, B) Azure HDInsight, C) Azure Cosmos DB
Explanation: Azure Monitor Logs can integrate with a variety of services, including Azure Active Directory, Azure HDInsight, and Azure Cosmos DB, for enhanced logging and monitoring.
True or False: You can export Azure Monitor Logs data to a Power BI dataset for visualization and analysis.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: You can export the data from Azure Monitor Logs to Power BI for more advanced visualization and analysis.
What query language is used to retrieve and analyze data in Azure Monitor Logs?
- (A) SQL
- (B) PowerShell
- (C) Kusto Query Language (KQL)
- (D) LINQ
Answer: C) Kusto Query Language (KQL)
Explanation: Azure Monitor Logs uses the Kusto Query Language (KQL) for data retrieval and analysis.
True or False: You can create and configure alert rules based on metrics and log data within Azure Monitor Logs.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Azure Monitor allows you to create alert rules based on the data from metrics and logs to notify about critical conditions and take automated actions.
What is the role of solutions in Azure Monitor Logs?
- (A) To increase storage capacity
- (B) To provide additional data sources
- (C) To implement fine-grained access control
- (D) To provide insights and analytics for specific applications and services
Answer: D) To provide insights and analytics for specific applications and services
Explanation: Solutions in Azure Monitor Logs are used to offer insights and analytics tailored to specific applications, workloads, and services.
True or False: Azure Monitor Logs can only collect data for resources located within the same Azure region.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Azure Monitor Logs can collect data from resources in multiple Azure regions and pool them into a single Log Analytics Workspace.
How does Azure Monitor collect data for Azure Virtual Machines?
- (A) Network capture
- (B) Azure VM extension
- (C) Azure Service Fabric
- (D) Azure Automation
Answer: B) Azure VM extension
Explanation: Azure Monitor collects data for Virtual Machines using the Log Analytics agent installed as an extension on Azure VMs.
Multiple Select: What actions can you perform with the data collected in Azure Monitor Logs?
- (A) Visualizing data with workbooks
- (B) Triggering automated actions using Logic Apps
- (C) Storing long-term data for compliance
- (D) Upgrading virtual machines
Answer: A) Visualizing data with workbooks, B) Triggering automated actions using Logic Apps, C) Storing long-term data for compliance
Explanation: With Azure Monitor Logs, you can visualize data with workbooks, trigger automated actions with Logic Apps, and store data long-term for compliance, among other actions. Upgrading VMs is not a direct function of Azure Monitor Logs.
True or False: Once deleted, the data in an Azure Monitor Log Analytics Workspace can be easily recovered within 30 days.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Once the data in a Log Analytics Workspace is deleted, it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered.
Interview Questions
What is Azure Monitor Logs?
Azure Monitor Logs is a log analytics service that allows you to collect, analyze, and visualize logs from various Azure services and on-premises resources.
What are the benefits of using Azure Monitor Logs?
Azure Monitor Logs provides insights into your applications and infrastructure, helps you troubleshoot issues, and enables you to optimize performance.
What types of data can you collect with Azure Monitor Logs?
Azure Monitor Logs can collect data from Azure resources, custom applications, and on-premises resources.
How do you configure data sources for Azure Monitor Logs?
You can configure data sources for Azure Monitor Logs through the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, or the REST API.
What is a Log Analytics workspace?
A Log Analytics workspace is a container for log data in Azure Monitor Logs. It provides a centralized location for data storage, analysis, and visualization.
How do you create a Log Analytics workspace?
You can create a Log Analytics workspace through the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, or the REST API.
What is a log query in Azure Monitor Logs?
A log query is a search expression that retrieves data from a Log Analytics workspace.
What are some common log queries in Azure Monitor Logs?
Some common log queries in Azure Monitor Logs include queries for finding and analyzing specific types of events, identifying trends in performance data, and tracking usage and consumption metrics.
How do you analyze and visualize log data in Azure Monitor Logs?
You can analyze and visualize log data in Azure Monitor Logs using tools such as log queries, Azure Monitor Views, and dashboards.
What are some best practices for configuring Azure Monitor Logs?
Some best practices for configuring Azure Monitor Logs include defining a clear data retention policy, configuring data sources for optimal performance, and using query performance optimization techniques to speed up log queries.
Great article on configuring Azure Monitor Logs for the AZ-104 exam. Very detailed and helpful!
Thanks for the post. It really helped clarify some of the more complex concepts for me.
I’m struggling with setting up the diagnostic settings. Any advice?
How often do the logs refresh in Azure Monitor?
The step-by-step guide for setting up Log Analytics Workspaces was very useful!
I appreciate the detailed screenshots. They make the setup process so much easier to understand.
Is there a way to automate the setup of Azure Monitor Logs using Terraform?
The log query examples for Kusto Query Language (KQL) were fantastic. Can anyone recommend more complex queries?