How to create a Windows server on Azure Portal

INTRODUCTION

Creating a Windows Server on Azure is like getting a customizable and flexible computer space online. It helps because you can adjust its size as needed, pay only for what you use, and put it close to where it's needed most. It's secure, works well with other tools, and ensures your stuff is safe. This makes it great for growing businesses, testing new things, and keeping your work going even if something unexpected happens.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Signing in to the Azure portal

1. Go to the Azure portal at https://portal.azure.com in a web browser.

2. Enter your Azure account email address.

3. Type in your password.

4. If required, complete multi-factor authentication (MFA) steps.

5. Click the "Sign In" button.

6. You'll now have access to the Azure portal for managing your Azure resources.

Step 2: Create a Virtual machine

1. Search for virtual machines.

   

2. Choose Virtual Machines from the Services menu.

3. On the Virtual machine page, click on Create followed by Azure virtual machine. This action will open the page to Create a virtual machine.

   

4. In the Instance details section, input "WindowserverVM" as the Virtual machine name and select "Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition - x64 Gen 2" for the Image. Keep the other settings as default.

   

5. In the Administrator account section, set up a username like "azureuser" and create a password that follows specific complexity rules and is at least 12 characters long. Within Inbound port rules, opt for "Allow selected ports" and proceed to pick RDP (3389) and HTTP (80) from the dropdown menu.

   

6. Keep the rest of the settings as they are and then click on the "Review + create" button located at the bottom of the page.

7. Once the validation process is complete and all checks have been run, proceed by clicking on the "Create" button located at the bottom of the page to initiate the creation of the virtual machine.

   

8. Once the deployment finishes, click on "Go to resource" to access and manage the newly created virtual machine. This option directs you to the resource page for further actions and configurations.

   

   Step 3: Connect to Virtual Machine: Establish a remote desktop connection to the virtual machine, enabling access from a Windows computer.

   1. Navigate to your virtual machine's overview page and choose the "Connect" option, followed by selecting "RDP" to initiate a remote desktop connection to your VM. This option allows you to remotely access and manage your virtual machine through the Remote Desktop Protocol.

      

   2. Click Select Native RDP "Remote Desktop Protocol" and click Download RDP file.

      

   3. After downloading the RDP file, proceed by opening it. You'll encounter a prompt to connect—simply click on the 'Connect' option when it appears. This action initiates the connection process to the intended destination

      

   4. In the Windows Security dialog box, enter the username and password that you created previously, then click Ok.

      

   5. In the sign-in process, there might be instances where you receive a certificate warning. In such cases, you'll typically encounter options like 'Yes' or 'Continue.' Selecting either of these options is necessary to proceed with establishing the connection.

      

      Step 4: Set up and Install the Web Server: For a visual of your VM's performance, set up the IIS web server. Access the PowerShell prompt within the VM and execute this command

      "install-windows feature webserver"

      

      Step 4: Set up and Install the Web Server: In the portal, select the VM and in the overview of the VM, hover over the IP address to show Copy to clipboard. Copy the IP address and paste it into a browser tab. The default IIS welcome page will open, and should look like this

      

      VITAL NOTIFICATION: Delete and dissociate resources and IP addresses.

      Once unnecessary, you have the option to eliminate the resource group, virtual machine, and associated resources.

      Navigate to the Resource group link on the Overview page of the VM. Click on 'Delete resource group' at the top of the resource group page. A confirmation page will appear, cautioning about the impending deletion of resources. Input the resource group name and click 'Delete' to complete the deletion process for both resources and the resource group.