Create resource group

In the previous article, we explored how to manage Azure resources using the Azure portal. The Azure portal provides an intuitive graphical user interface that enables users to easily create, manage, and monitor their Azure resources. However, for developers and system administrators, mastering command-line tools can significantly improve productivity and flexibility. This article therefore focuses on introducing the fundamental concepts of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell, along with instructions for installing and using them to manage Azure resources.

Overview of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell

Azure CLI

Azure CLI is a cross-platform command-line tool that allows users to interact with Azure resources via simple, concise commands. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and integrates well with various programming languages. With Azure CLI, users can efficiently perform bulk operations and automate tasks through scripting.

Azure PowerShell

Azure PowerShell is a command-line tool developed by Microsoft primarily for Windows users—especially those already familiar with PowerShell cmdlets. It provides a rich set of cmdlets designed specifically for managing Azure resources. PowerShell’s powerful scripting capabilities make it especially advantageous for handling complex automation workflows.

Installing Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell

Installing Azure CLI

Installation steps vary slightly across operating systems:

• Windows:

  1. Download and run the installer from the Azure CLI installation page.
  2. Verify the installation by running az in Command Prompt.

• macOS:

  1. Install using Homebrew: execute brew update && brew install azure-cli.
  2. Verify the installation by running az in Terminal.

• Linux:

  1. Install via your system’s package manager—for example, sudo apt-get install azure-cli (for Debian/Ubuntu).
  2. Verify the installation using the az command.

Installing Azure PowerShell

• Windows:

  1. Launch PowerShell and run:

  Install-Module -Name Az -AllowClobber -Scope CurrentUser
  

  2. Confirm successful installation with Get-Module -ListAvailable Az.

macOS and Linux:

1. You can also install Azure PowerShell on macOS and Linux by running the same command inside PowerShell.

Managing Resources with Azure CLI

Connecting to Your Azure Account

Before using Azure CLI, authenticate with your Azure account:

az login

This command opens your default browser, prompting you to enter your Azure credentials.

Creating a Resource Group

Creating a resource group is the foundational step for organizing Azure resources. Use the following command:

az group create --name MyResourceGroup --location eastus

Here, --name specifies the resource group name, and --location defines the Azure region (e.g., eastus).

Creating a Virtual Machine

Here's an example of deploying a simple virtual machine:

az vm create --resource-group MyResourceGroup --name MyVM --image UbuntuLTS --admin-username azureuser --generate-ssh-keys

The --image parameter selects the OS image—in this case, UbuntuLTS. The --generate-ssh-keys flag automatically generates SSH key pairs for secure access.

Managing Resources with Azure PowerShell

Connecting to Your Azure Account

To sign in to Azure from PowerShell:

Connect-AzAccount

Creating a Resource Group

Create a resource group using PowerShell:

New-AzResourceGroup -Name MyResourceGroup -Location "East US"

Note: Location names in PowerShell use full, space-separated region names (e.g., "East US"), unlike the hyphenated format (eastus) used in Azure CLI.

Creating a Virtual Machine

Example PowerShell command to deploy a VM:

New-AzVM -ResourceGroupName MyResourceGroup -Name MyVM -ImageName "UbuntuLTS" -Credential (Get-Credential)

The -Credential parameter triggers an interactive prompt for entering the administrator username and password.

Practical Example

Let’s walk through a real-world scenario demonstrating how Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell can automate common infrastructure provisioning tasks.

Suppose you want to create a resource group and deploy a web application VM within it.

Azure CLI Workflow:

# Create resource group
az group create --name MyWebAppGroup --location eastus

# Create VM
az vm create --resource-group MyWebAppGroup --name WebAppVM --image UbuntuLTS --admin-username azureuser --generate-ssh-keys

# Open HTTP port (80)
az vm open-port --port 80 --resource-group MyWebAppGroup --name WebAppVM

Azure PowerShell Workflow:

# Create resource group
New-AzResourceGroup -Name MyWebAppGroup -Location "East US"

# Create VM
$credential = Get-Credential
New-AzVM -ResourceGroupName MyWebAppGroup -Name WebAppVM -ImageName "UbuntuLTS" -Credential $credential

# Open HTTP port (80)
# Note: The example below is simplified; actual NSG configuration requires additional steps.
$vm = Get-AzVM -ResourceGroupName MyWebAppGroup -Name WebAppVM
$nic = Get-AzNetworkInterface -Name ($vm.NetworkProfile.NetworkInterfaces[0].Id.Split('/')[-1])
# Configure NSG rules as needed (full implementation omitted for brevity)

These examples illustrate how both Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell enable streamlined, repeatable, and scriptable Azure resource management.

Summary

In this article, we introduced the core concepts, installation procedures, and basic usage patterns of Azure CLI and Azure PowerShell. These command-line tools empower users to manage Azure resources more efficiently—particularly when performing bulk operations or building automated infrastructure workflows.

In the next tutorial, we’ll dive deeper into creating and configuring virtual machines—a foundational task in cloud infrastructure management.