Microsoft Azure Essentials

Lesson 1 • Azure Service Categories and Marketplace

Surveys compute, storage, networking, and database service families. Students map business needs to the correct Azure service category.

Lesson 2 • Core Cloud Computing Concepts

Defines cloud computing, deployment models, and service types. Provides the conceptual baseline required for all subsequent Azure topics.

Lesson 3 • Azure Portal and Account Setup

Guides students through creating a free Azure account and navigating the portal. Hands-on access enables immediate practice throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Role-Based Access Control

Explains RBAC roles, scope hierarchy, and assignment best practices. Students apply least-privilege principles to Azure resource access.

Lesson 2 • Authentication Methods and MFA

Covers password policies, multi-factor authentication, and passwordless options. Strengthens account security before resource deployment begins.

Lesson 3 • Azure Policy and Governance Basics

Introduces Azure Policy and Blueprints for enforcing organizational standards. Connects identity governance to broader compliance requirements.

Lesson 1 • Containers and Azure Kubernetes Service

Introduces Docker containers, Azure Container Instances, and AKS orchestration. Students run containerized workloads and understand orchestration trade-offs.

Lesson 2 • Azure Functions and Serverless Computing

Explains event-driven serverless execution with Azure Functions and Logic Apps. Students build trigger-based workflows without managing infrastructure.

Lesson 3 • Azure Virtual Machines Deep Dive

Covers VM creation, sizing, OS images, and availability options. Students deploy and connect to VMs as the foundational compute unit.

Lesson 4 • VM Scaling and High Availability

Introduces Virtual Machine Scale Sets and load balancing for elastic workloads. Builds resilience patterns on top of basic VM knowledge.

Lesson 1 • Azure Blob Storage

Manages unstructured object storage with containers, blobs, and lifecycle policies. Students upload, organize, and secure large-scale binary data.

Lesson 2 • Azure Queue and Table Storage

Introduces message queuing and NoSQL key-value storage for application decoupling. Students integrate lightweight storage services into application architectures.

Lesson 3 • Azure Files and File Sync

Deploys fully managed SMB and NFS file shares accessible from cloud and on-premises. Connects file storage to hybrid enterprise scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Azure DNS and Traffic Management

Configures Azure DNS zones and Traffic Manager for name resolution and routing. Students direct traffic intelligently across regions and endpoints.

Lesson 2 • Virtual Networks and Subnets

Creates Azure Virtual Networks and subnets with proper address space planning. Establishes network isolation as the foundation for secure resource deployment.

Lesson 3 • VNet Peering and Hybrid Connectivity

Connects VNets and on-premises networks using peering, VPN Gateway, and ExpressRoute. Enables hybrid architectures built on earlier networking concepts.

Lesson 4 • Network Security Groups and Firewalls

Applies inbound and outbound traffic rules using NSGs and Azure Firewall. Students enforce network-layer security across subnets and VMs.

Lesson 1 • Open-Source Database Services on Azure

Covers Azure Database for PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MariaDB managed offerings. Students migrate and operate open-source workloads without infrastructure management.

Lesson 2 • Azure Cosmos DB for NoSQL Workloads

Introduces globally distributed NoSQL storage with multiple consistency models. Students design document, key-value, and graph data solutions.

Lesson 3 • Azure Synapse Analytics and Data Factory

Introduces enterprise analytics with Synapse and data integration with Data Factory. Connects operational databases to analytical and ETL pipelines.

Lesson 1 • Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Uses Defender for Cloud to assess security posture and detect threats. Builds on identity and network security from earlier chapters with a unified dashboard.

Lesson 2 • Data Encryption in Azure

Covers encryption at rest and in transit across storage, databases, and VMs. Students apply encryption controls to protect data throughout its lifecycle.

Lesson 3 • Azure Sentinel and Security Monitoring

Deploys Microsoft Sentinel as a cloud-native SIEM for threat detection and response. Integrates logs from resources configured throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Azure Key Vault and Secrets Management

Stores and manages keys, secrets, and certificates in Azure Key Vault. Students integrate Key Vault with applications and services for secure credential handling.

Lesson 1 • Azure Cost Management and Billing

Uses Azure Cost Management to analyze spending by resource, tag, and subscription. Students identify cost drivers and set up alerts for budget control.

Lesson 2 • Resource Optimization Techniques

Identifies underutilized resources and applies right-sizing and scheduling strategies. Builds on deployed resources from earlier chapters to reduce waste.

Lesson 3 • Governance for Cost Control

Applies Azure Policy and management groups to enforce spending boundaries. Connects governance tools from Chapter 2 to financial accountability.