Skip to main content

Azure VM Creation using Azure CLI

Objective​

Create an Azure Virtual Machine (VM) named nautilus-vm as part of an incremental cloud migration project.

Requirements​

  • Use the existing Resource Group.
  • VM Name: nautilus-vm
  • Region: centralus
  • Image: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
  • VM Size: Standard_B1s
  • Allow SSH access on port 22
  • OS Disk Size: 30 GB
  • Storage Type: Standard HDD
  • Verify SSH connectivity after deployment

Prerequisites

Login to Azure​

Authenticate using the Azure credentials provided in the lab.

az login

Verify the active subscription:

az account show -o table

Step 1: Identify the Existing Resource Group

List available resource groups:

az group list -o table

Output:

Name                          Location    Status
----------------------------  ----------  ---------
kml_rg_main-fbfc96181909474e  eastus      Succeeded

Store the resource group name in a variable:

RG=kml_rg_main-fbfc96181909474e

Verify:

echo $RG

Output:

kml_rg_main-fbfc96181909474e

Step 2: Generate SSH Key Pair

Check existing SSH keys:

ls ~/.ssh/

Output:

authorized_keys

Since no key pair exists, generate one:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096

Accept the default file location:

/root/.ssh/id_rsa

Verify the generated files:

ls ~/.ssh/

Output:

authorized_keys
id_rsa
id_rsa.pub

View the public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Understanding the SSH Key Pair

Azure uses SSH key authentication instead of passwords for Linux virtual machines.

The generated files are:

FilePurpose
id_rsaPrivate key (keep secret)
id_rsa.pubPublic key (uploaded to Azure VM)

During VM creation, Azure installs the public key on the server.

When connecting:

ssh azureuser@<public-ip>

The private key proves your identity.

Step 3: Create the Virtual Machine

Execute:

az vm create \
  --resource-group $RG \
  --name nautilus-vm \
  --location centralus \
  --image Ubuntu2404 \
  --size Standard_B1s \
  --admin-username azureuser \
  --authentication-type ssh \
  --ssh-key-values ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub \
  --public-ip-sku Standard \
  --storage-sku Standard_LRS \
  --os-disk-size-gb 30

Understanding the Command

Resource Group​

--resource-group $RG

Specifies where Azure should create the resources.

VM Name​

--name nautilus-vm

Creates a VM named:

nautilus-vm

Region​

--location centralus

Deploys the VM in the Central US Azure region.

Operating System​

--image Ubuntu2404

Uses:

Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS

VM Size​

--size Standard_B1s

Specifications:

  • 1 vCPU
  • 1 GB RAM
  • Suitable for testing and learning environments

SSH Authentication​

--authentication-type ssh

Disables password login and enables key-based authentication.

SSH Public Key​

--ssh-key-values ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

Uploads the public key to the VM.

Storage Type​

--storage-sku Standard_LRS

Creates a Standard HDD-backed managed disk.

LRS means:

Locally Redundant Storage

Azure keeps three copies of the data within the same datacenter.

Disk Size​

--os-disk-size-gb 30

Creates a:

30 GB Operating System Disk

Resources Created Automatically

The Azure CLI automatically creates:

Virtual Machine
Virtual Network (VNet)
Subnet
Network Interface (NIC)
Public IP Address
Network Security Group (NSG)
OS Disk

This simplifies deployment significantly.

Step 4: Open SSH Port

Allow inbound SSH traffic:

az vm open-port \
  --resource-group $RG \
  --name nautilus-vm \
  --port 22

This creates an NSG rule:

Protocol : TCP
Port     : 22
Action   : Allow

Step 5: Retrieve Public IP Address

Get the VM's public IP:

az vm show \
  --resource-group $RG \
  --name nautilus-vm \
  -d \
  --query publicIps \
  -o tsv

Example output:

20.84.xx.xx

Step 6: Connect to the VM

SSH into the VM:

ssh azureuser@20.84.xx.xx

First connection prompt:

Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?

Type:

yes

Successful login:

azureuser@nautilus-vm:~$

Verification

Verify VM configuration:

az vm show \
  -g $RG \
  -n nautilus-vm \
  --query "{name:name,location:location,size:hardwareProfile.vmSize,disk:storageProfile.osDisk.diskSizeGb}" \
  -o table

Expected:

Name         Location    Size          Disk
-----------  ----------  ------------  ----
nautilus-vm  centralus   Standard_B1s  30

Lab Validation Checklist

RequirementStatus
Existing Resource Group Used✅
VM Name: nautilus-vm✅
Region: centralus✅
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS✅
VM Size: Standard_B1s✅
SSH Allowed on Port 22✅
30 GB Disk✅
Standard HDD Storage✅
SSH Login Successful✅

Key Learning Outcomes

After completing this exercise, you should understand:

  • Azure Resource Groups
  • Azure Virtual Machines
  • SSH Key Authentication
  • Azure Managed Disks
  • Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs)
  • Public IP Addresses
  • Azure CLI-based VM provisioning
  • Secure remote access using SSH

This workflow mirrors how Linux virtual machines are commonly provisioned in real-world DevOps environments.