Azure VM Setup for Absolute Beginners

Key insights

• Azure Virtual Machine (VM): A beginner-friendly video walkthrough shows how to create a cloud VM using the Azure portal step by step.
  It explains purpose, basic terms, and when to use a VM for development, testing, or light production.
• Core setup steps: Sign in to the Azure portal, open "Virtual Machines," pick or create a resource group, choose an image (Windows or Linux), select VM size, and set the region.
  The guide highlights sensible defaults to speed setup for new users.
• Access and authentication: Configure login using RDP for Windows or SSH for Linux and choose password or SSH key authentication.
  Assign a public IP if you need external access and set network rules carefully.
• Cost and billing: Azure uses a pay-as-you-go model; compute charges accrue while the VM is running.
  Stop versus deallocate are different—deallocating stops compute billing while leaving storage costs in place.
• Security best practices: Group related items in a resource group, apply network security rules, use least-privilege access, and prefer SSH keys or strong passwords.
  Enable secure management channels and remove public access when not needed.
• Next steps and learning: Follow hands-on labs and official Microsoft Learn modules to practice VM creation, management, and cost control.
  Use short test projects to build confidence before deploying production workloads.

Video Overview

Anders Jensen [MVP] published a concise YouTube video that walks beginners through creating an Azure Virtual Machine via the Azure portal. The video aims to simplify the process by demonstrating key steps such as choosing an operating system image, selecting a VM size, and connecting with RDP or SSH. As a result, viewers can expect a practical, visual guide that complements written documentation and accelerates hands-on learning.

Moreover, the video highlights basic best practices around access control, shutdown routines, and cost awareness to help new users avoid common pitfalls. It presents the creation workflow in a clear step-by-step format, which improves confidence for those who have never provisioned cloud VMs before. Consequently, the piece serves as both an instructional resource and an introductory primer on common operational choices.

Step-by-Step Essentials Covered

First, the guide shows how to navigate to the Virtual Machines area of the Azure portal, create a new resource, and place resources into a resource group for easier management. Then, it explains how to name the VM, select the nearest region for latency reasons, and pick an OS image such as Windows Server or Ubuntu. Finally, the tutorial walks through authentication choices and basic networking settings so users can connect once the VM is provisioned.

Importantly, the video demonstrates the interplay between instance details and billing, emphasizing that Compute charges depend on uptime while Storage fees continue unless disks are removed. It also points out that choosing a too-large VM inflates costs, while picking a too-small VM may bottleneck performance, so balancing needs is important. Thus, the demonstration links technical choices directly to cost outcomes so viewers make informed decisions.

Security and Access Tradeoffs

Jensen stresses secure connection methods, explaining when to use SSH for Linux and RDP for Windows and how to protect credentials or SSH keys. He recommends restricting public access when possible and using network controls to limit exposure, and he points out that leaving ports open can invite attacks. Therefore, the video balances usability with security by showing default access options and recommending changes for production use.

At the same time, the guide acknowledges tradeoffs involved in tight security: locking down connectivity can complicate legitimate access for developers and require additional tooling such as bastion hosts or VPNs. This means teams must weigh convenience against risk and plan for secure remote access workflows that match their operational maturity. In practice, the right balance often involves incremental improvements supported by monitoring and automation.

Choosing VM Size, Image, and Region

A core segment of the video walks users through selecting the right VM size based on CPU and memory needs, and choosing an OS image tailored to the workload. Additionally, Jensen explains how region selection affects latency, available SKUs, and potentially pricing, and he suggests choosing the closest region that meets compliance and capacity requirements. Consequently, the selection process becomes a deliberate tradeoff among cost, performance, and regulatory needs.

Moreover, the video describes how image choice can reduce setup time by providing preconfigured environments, yet it warns that specialized images may include extra licensing costs or less flexibility. It also covers how scaling decisions made early can be changed later, but with complexity and migration costs, which makes initial planning beneficial. In short, thoughtful choices up front reduce rework and unexpected charges later.

Cost Management and Operational Challenges

The tutorial emphasizes practical cost-saving actions, such as shutting down VMs when idle, using lower-cost sizes for non-production workloads, and Monitoring billing to spot surprises. However, it also highlights challenges: stopping a VM can stop compute billing but often does not remove storage charges, and frequent start-stop cycles may disrupt long-running tasks. Thus, operators must consider both short-term savings and operational impact before automating shutdown behaviors.

Furthermore, the video touches on governance issues like tagging and resource group organization so teams can track costs and assign responsibility. Yet, implementing governance requires consistent processes and may add overhead to small teams, presenting a tradeoff between control and agility. In practice, simple tagging policies and consistent naming conventions provide value with limited friction and can scale over time.

Conclusion and Practical Recommendations

In conclusion, Anders Jensen’s video offers a clear, approachable walkthrough that helps beginners deploy an Azure Virtual Machine and understand practical tradeoffs around security, cost, and configuration. The step-by-step pace and focus on immediate, repeatable actions make it a useful starting point for developers and administrators who need to learn by doing. Consequently, viewers who follow the video can expect a faster, less error-prone first deployment experience.

For those seeking deeper follow-up learning, the video pairs well with structured learning modules that provide hands-on labs and assessments to validate skills. Ultimately, the right approach depends on team size, workload criticality, and expected growth, and Jensen’s guide helps viewers make those choices with clearer context and fewer surprises.

Keywords

azure virtual machine tutorial, azure vm setup for beginners, how to create azure virtual machine, azure vm step by step guide, deploy virtual machine in azure, azure virtual machine windows setup, azure vm linux setup guide, azure virtual machine best practices