Tutorial / Cram Notes
Azure App Service enables you to build and host web applications in the programming language of your choice without managing infrastructure. It offers auto-scaling, high availability, and supports both Windows and Linux.
Step 1: Decide on Your App Service Plan
Before you create an App Service, you must determine the appropriate App Service Plan for your application. The App Service Plan defines:
- Region (where your app will be hosted)
- Number of VM instances
- Size of VM instances (small, medium, large, etc.)
- Scalability options
There are four pricing tiers for App Service Plans: Free, Shared, Basic, Standard, Premium, and Isolated. The decision on which to use depends on the requirements of your application such as expected traffic, costs, and features needed.
Step 2: Create a New App Service
To create an App Service, you will typically follow these steps:
- Log in to Azure Portal
After logging in to your Azure Portal, navigate to the Azure App Service. - Create a New App Service
- Click on the “Create a resource” button
- Select “Web” from the Marketplace
- Choose “Web App” to start creating your App Service.
- Fill in Web App Basics
- Subscription: Select the Azure subscription in which you want to create the App Service.
- Resource Group: You can either create a new resource group or use an existing one.
- Name: Enter a unique name for your web app.
- Publish: Select either Code or Docker Container according to your deployment.
- Runtime stack: Choose the programming language and version your app requires.
- Operating System: Select an operating system (Windows or Linux).
- Region: Choose a region close to your users to reduce latency.
- Choose an App Service Plan
- You can create a new App Service Plan or use an existing one.
- Select the pricing tier (as decided earlier).
- Monitoring
Set up monitoring if necessary, with Application Insights. - Advanced Settings
- Configure additional settings such as networking, deployment slots, and storage if needed.
- Review and Create
Check all configurations and then hit “Review + create”.
Validate your settings and click “Create”.
Step 3: Deploy Your Application
Once your App Service is created, you can deploy your web application using various methods such as through Azure DevOps, GitHub, FTP, or directly from Visual Studio.
Configurations After Creation
Once your App Service is deployed, additional configurations often necessary include:
- Custom Domains and SSL: Assign a custom domain to your app and bind it with an SSL certificate for security.
- Scaling: Configure scale out settings to automatically or manually scale the app service plan as needed.
- Backup and Restore: Set up regular backups of your app and its configuration.
- Environment Variables: Manage application settings and connection strings.
- Authorization and Authentication: Set up Azure Active Directory, Facebook, Google, or other providers for authenticating into your app.
Monitoring and Management
After creating and deploying your App Service, ensure you monitor and manage the service effectively:
- Use Azure Monitor and Application Insights for detailed performance, telemetry, and error logs.
- Track metrics and enable alerts to proactively detect and respond to issues.
Conclusion
Creating an Azure App Service is a critical task for an Azure Administrator. Understanding the pricing tiers, resource configuration, deployment strategies, and maintenance operations are all important aspects covered in the AZ-104 exam.
By following these steps and employing best practices such as continuous monitoring and automated scaling, administrators can manage a highly available and scalable web application in Azure.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: In Azure, you can only create an App Service using the Azure Portal.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: 2) False
Explanation: Azure App Services can be created using the Azure Portal, Azure CLI, PowerShell, ARM templates, and other tools.
True or False: Azure App Service Plans define the location of the App Service.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: 2) False
Explanation: App Service Plans define the region (which is a part of the location) but also the size and features of the web app, such as pricing tier, instance size, and scale count.
In Azure, which of the following can be used to deploy code to an App Service? (Select all that apply)
- 1) FTP
- 2) Local Git
- 3) Azure DevOps
- 4) Zip Deploy
Answer: 1) FTP, 2) Local Git, 3) Azure DevOps, 4) Zip Deploy
Explanation: Azure App Service supports different deployment methods including FTP, Local Git, Azure DevOps, and Zip Deploy among others.
Which of the following is NOT a type of app you can create in Azure App Service?
- 1) Web App
- 2) API App
- 3) Function App
- 4) Desktop App
Answer: 4) Desktop App
Explanation: Azure App Service supports the creation of Web Apps, API Apps, and Function Apps but not desktop applications, which are run on local machines instead of in the cloud.
True or False: You must always manually scale Azure App Services according to traffic demand.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: 2) False
Explanation: Azure App Service offers auto-scaling features that allow services to automatically scale in response to traffic patterns.
Which version of .NET is NOT supported by Azure App Service as of the knowledge cutoff in 2023?
- 1) .NET Framework x
- 2) .NET Core 1
- 3) .NET 5
- 4) .NET 1
Answer: 4) .NET 1
Explanation: Azure App Service supports multiple versions of .NET, including .NET Framework x, .NET Core 1, and .NET Older versions like .NET 1 are not supported.
True or False: You can use a custom domain for your Azure App Service at any pricing tier.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: 2) False
Explanation: Custom domains are not supported in the Free tier of Azure App Service. You have to be in a paid tier to use custom domains.
Which Azure service is used to manage the source code for an Azure App Service using Git?
- 1) Azure Repos
- 2) Azure Artifacts
- 3) Azure Boards
- 4) Azure Pipelines
Answer: 1) Azure Repos
Explanation: Azure Repos provides Git repositories for source control of your code, which is a service that can be integrated with Azure App Service for continuous deployment.
True or False: Azure App Services automatically creates a backup of your application.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: 2) False
Explanation: Automatic backups are not enabled by default. Users have to manually configure backups for Azure App Services.
Which service is NOT a part of the Azure App Service environment?
- 1) Azure Functions
- 2) Azure Logic Apps
- 3) Azure WebJobs
- 4) Azure Virtual Machines
Answer: 4) Azure Virtual Machines
Explanation: Azure Virtual Machines are not part of the App Service environment. App Service environments are specifically created for Web Apps, API Apps, Azure Functions, and Logic Apps.
True or False: Azure App Services can be deployed to Virtual Networks (VNet) to provide enhanced security and isolation.
- 1) True
- 2) False
Answer: 1) True
Explanation: Azure App Services can be integrated with Azure Virtual Network to provide secure and isolated network connectivity.
When creating a new Azure App Service, which of the following is an optional step?
- 1) Selecting an App Service Plan
- 2) Configuring the Application Insights
- 3) Choosing a resource group
- 4) Naming the App Service
Answer: 2) Configuring the Application Insights
Explanation: While selecting an App Service Plan, choosing a resource group, and naming the App Service are mandatory steps, configuring Application Insights is an optional step that can be done during or after the creation process.
Interview Questions
What is an App Service in Azure?
An App Service is a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering from Azure that allows developers to easily deploy and manage their web apps, mobile app backends, and RESTful APIs.
What are the benefits of using an App Service in Azure?
The benefits of using an App Service in Azure include easy deployment and management of web apps, automatic scaling, continuous deployment, and integration with other Azure services.
What are the requirements for creating an App Service in Azure?
To create an App Service in Azure, you need an Azure subscription and access to the Azure portal.
How do you create an App Service in Azure?
You can create an App Service in Azure by following the steps outlined in the Azure portal.
What is the purpose of the “Size and scale” tab in the App Service creation process?
The “Size and scale” tab allows you to select the appropriate pricing tier based on your application’s resource requirements.
What programming languages and frameworks are supported by App Service in Azure?
App Service in Azure supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, including .NET, Node.js, Python, PHP, and Java.
How can you deploy a web app to an App Service in Azure?
You can deploy a web app to an App Service in Azure by using tools such as Visual Studio and the Azure App Service extension.
What is the purpose of the Azure App Service extension in Visual Studio?
The Azure App Service extension in Visual Studio allows developers to easily publish their web apps to Azure App Service.
How can you test a web app deployed to an App Service in Azure?
You can test a web app deployed to an App Service in Azure by browsing to the URL of the App Service in a web browser.
Can you integrate other Azure services with an App Service in Azure?
Yes, you can integrate other Azure services such as Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Storage with an App Service in Azure.
How does automatic scaling work in an App Service in Azure?
Automatic scaling in an App Service in Azure allows the App Service to scale up or down automatically based on the app’s demands, such as CPU usage.
What is the difference between a web app and a mobile app backend in an App Service in Azure?
A web app is a web application that can be accessed through a web browser, while a mobile app backend is a backend service that provides data and authentication services for mobile apps.
How can you enable continuous deployment for an App Service in Azure?
You can enable continuous deployment for an App Service in Azure by using tools such as Visual Studio Team Services, GitHub, or Bitbucket.
What are the different pricing tiers available for an App Service in Azure?
The different pricing tiers available for an App Service in Azure include Free, Shared, Basic, Standard, and Premium.
How can you monitor an App Service in Azure?
You can monitor an App Service in Azure by using Azure Monitor, which provides metrics such as CPU usage, memory usage, and HTTP queue length.
This blog post on creating an App Service for the AZ-104 exam was very helpful. Thanks!
I’m having trouble understanding the difference between an App Service Plan and an App Service Environment. Can anyone help?
When scaling an app service, should I use vertical scaling (up) or horizontal scaling (out)?
I’m new to Azure and this article made creating an App Service seem easy. Thanks for the awesome content!
What are the advantages of using App Service over traditional VM hosting for web applications?
These blog posts are always so informative. Keep up the good work!
Not a fan of the UI in the Azure Portal. It can be a bit confusing to navigate sometimes.
Can someone explain how to deploy a web app using GitHub Actions? I’ve only done it manually so far.