Microsoft Azure Data & AI
Introduction
The Microsoft Azure Data & AI masterclass that was conducted by EY learing encompassed the
absolute fundamentals in getting started with Azure. This masterclass was instructed by Madan
Mohan of the EY team and displayed superior professionalism and brilliant teaching capability.
The course covered various topic such Cloud Fundamentals, Storage, Networking and learning to
deploy a custom LLM on the Azure platform.
The session was divided into various modules to help easier understanding and development of
topics.
Session 1: Defining Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is defined as a model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network
access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage,
applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management
effort or service provider interaction.
The cloud model is composed of five essential characteristics, three service models, and four
deployment models.
Essential Characteristics
On-demand self-service - A consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as
server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction
with each service provider.
Broad network access - Capabilities are available over the network and accessed through
standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g.,
mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and workstations).
Resource pooling - The provider’s computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers
using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned
and reassigned according to consumer demand. Examples of resources include storage,
processing, memory, and network bandwidth.
Rapid elasticity - Capabilities can be elastically provisioned and released, in some cases
automatically, to scale rapidly outward and inward commensurate with demand. To the
consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be
appropriated in any quantity at any time.
Measured service - Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging
a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g.,
storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored,
controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the
utilized service.
Service models
Software as a Service(SaaS) - The capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider’s
applications running on a cloud infrastructure.
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - The capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the
cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming
languages, libraries, services, and tools supported by the provider.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - The capability provided to the consumer is to provision
processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer
is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and
applications.
Deployment Models:
Private cloud - The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a single organization
comprising multiple consumers (e.g., business units). It may be owned, managed, and operated
by the organization, a third party, or some combination of them, and it may exist on or off
premises.
Community cloud - The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for exclusive use by a specific
community of consumers from organizations that have shared concerns (e.g., mission, security
requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be owned, managed, and operated
by one or more of the organizations in the community, a third party, or some combination of
them, and it may exist on or off premises.
Public cloud - The cloud infrastructure is provisioned for open use by the general public. It may
be owned, managed, and operated by a business, academic, or government organization, or
some combination of them.
Hybrid cloud - The cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more distinct cloud
infrastructures (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities, but are bound
together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability
(e.g., cloud bursting for load balancing between clouds).
Session 2: Azure Fundamentals
This module emphasized the architectural components of Azure Cloud Platform as well as it’s
numerous functionalities.
It gave insight into Azure regions, region pairs and also made aware of Availability Zones. It
highlighted the various Azure datacenters around the world. This module thought us how to allocate
and manage resources and resource groups. This session also described Azure virtual machines and
it’s components such as virtual desktop, Azure containers, functions, networking and such more
topics.
Session 3: Azure Administrator
This module thought how to configure Microsoft Entra ID and compared the differences between
Active Directory Domian Services.
It also explained Azure policy and using RBAC control to enhance security. This session highlighted on
the importance of Security and showed procedures such as Entra Priveledge Identity Management to
help ensure compliance with standard security policies and set forward a governance strategy to deal
with incoming threats.
