Microsoft Azure Tutorial: Cloud Basics & Hands-On Guide

Microsoft Azure Tutorial is one of those searches that usually means you want to get practical fast—maybe to run a VM, learn DevOps pipelines, or prep for an Azure certification. I wrote this guide for beginners and intermediate users who want clear steps, real-world examples, and a sensible path from basics to hands-on labs. Expect short, actionable sections, a simple comparison table, and links to the official docs so you can follow along. If you’ve been hesitating, this will give you a friendly nudge (and a few honest tips I picked up along the way).

What is Microsoft Azure and why it matters

Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform that offers compute, storage, networking, databases, AI services, and more. Think of it as a huge toolbox companies rent instead of buying hardware. From what I’ve seen, Azure is popular with enterprises that already use Windows Server, Active Directory, or Microsoft 365.

For a concise history and background, see Microsoft Azure on Wikipedia. For official product overviews and service lists visit the Azure official overview.

Who should follow this tutorial?

• Beginners who want a guided entry to cloud computing and Azure.
• Developers learning Azure DevOps and CI/CD.
• IT pros provisioning Azure virtual machines and networking.
• People prepping for Azure certification like AZ-900 or AZ-104.

Quick terminology you’ll meet

• VM (Virtual Machine) — a server in the cloud.
• Resource Group — a container for related resources.
• Subscription — billing and access boundary.
• Region — geographic location for resources.
• Azure Portal — the web UI to manage services.

Step-by-step: Your first hands-on Azure lab

I’ll walk you through creating a free account, deploying a Linux VM, and connecting via SSH. This is the most common first task and great for getting comfortable.

1. Create a free Azure account

Go to the Azure free account page, sign up with your Microsoft ID, and claim the starter credits. You probably need a phone and credit card for verification, but you’ll get free credits and access to many free-tier services.

2. Open the Azure Portal

Visit the Azure Portal at portal.azure.com. The interface looks busy at first—don’t panic. Use the search box to find services like “Virtual machines” or “Resource groups.”

3. Create a resource group

• Search for Resource groups → Create.
• Name it (example: my-first-rg), choose a region, click Review + create.

4. Deploy an Ubuntu VM

• Search for Virtual machines → Create → Azure virtual machine.
• Choose image: Ubuntu LTS, size: B1s (cheap for testing).
• Authentication: SSH public key (recommended) or password.
• Networking: accept defaults for a basic lab.
• Review + create → Create.

5. Connect via SSH

Get the public IP from the VM page, then from your terminal run: ssh azureuser@x.x.x.x. If you used an SSH key, make sure your key file permissions are correct.

Core Azure services you should learn next

• Azure Virtual Machines — compute instances for custom workloads.
• Azure App Service — host web apps without managing VMs.
• Azure SQL / Cosmos DB — managed databases for relational and NoSQL needs.
• Azure Storage — blobs, files, and queues for app storage.
• Azure Functions — serverless compute for event-driven code.
• Azure DevOps / GitHub Actions — CI/CD and pipelines.

Short comparison: Azure vs AWS vs GCP

Quick table if you’re evaluating options. I use this to pick tools for projects; your mileage will vary.

Best learning path (practical)

1. Start with the AZ-900 fundamentals course to learn cloud basics.
2. Do lab exercises: deploy VMs, storage accounts, and a simple web app.
3. Learn CI/CD: build a pipeline with Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions.
4. Move to networking and security: VNets, NSGs, role-based access control.
5. Pick a specialty: databases, AI services, or infrastructure automation with Terraform.

Cost control tips I use

• Use tags and resource groups to track costs.
• Turn off dev VMs when not in use (automate with scripts).
• Prefer B-series burstable VMs for low-traffic dev workloads.
• Use the Azure Pricing Calculator before committing to large deployments.

Where to find trustworthy docs and tutorials

The best, up-to-date tutorials are the official docs and learning paths. Microsoft’s docs are extensive and include step-by-step labs; I often cross-check with community blog posts for practical tips. See the official learning portal: Microsoft Learn: Azure documentation.

Real-world example: migrating a small app to Azure

I helped a team move a three-tier app to Azure. We used Azure App Service for the web layer, Azure SQL for the database, and Azure Cache for Redis for session state. The migration took two sprints, and the main win was reducing ops time—no more VM patching. Key decision: choose PaaS (platform-as-a-service) where possible to focus on features, not OS maintenance.

Next steps and study resources

• Try official labs on Microsoft Learn.
• Practice with a small project: set up CI/CD for a sample app and deploy to App Service.
• Consider AZ-900 then AZ-104 for system admin skills.

Helpful links and references

• Azure official overview — product pages and service lists.
• Microsoft Azure — Wikipedia — background and history.
• Microsoft Learn: Azure documentation — tutorials and modules.

Wrap-up: how to keep momentum

If you want one pragmatic plan: create a free account, deploy a VM and a simple web app, then add a CI/CD pipeline. Spend a few hours each week on labs. From my experience, consistent small experiments beat binge-reading docs. And remember—use tags, budgets, and the pricing calculator to avoid surprises.