Start with Azure: Learn It Fast, Build It Right

Master Microsoft Azure from the ground up with this comprehensive, fast-track guide to building cloud solutions the right way. Whether you're a student, aspiring cloud engineer, or an IT professional transitioning to Azure, Start with Azure: Learn It Fast, Build It Right delivers a clear, hands-on roadmap to mastering Microsoft's powerful cloud platform. This book strips away the fluff and gets straight to what matters—equipping you with practical knowledge and real-world skills to build, deploy, and manage cloud applications on Azure. Begin with a solid foundation as Chapter 1 introduces cloud computing and Azure's place in the ecosystem, comparing it with major providers and explaining why Azure stands out. From there, you'll learn how to set up your environment, navigate the Azure portal, and use essential tools like the Azure CLI, PowerShell, and Cloud Shell. Dive deep into Azure's core services—compute, storage, networking, and databases—and gain a functional understanding of each. Discover how to build and deploy your first Azure app with confidence, utilizing best practices in CI/CD with Azure DevOps. The book covers critical topics including: Identity and access management with Azure Active Directory Secure secrets storage with Azure Key Vault Monitoring and diagnostics using Azure Monitor and Application Insights Performance tuning, cost optimization, and autoscaling techniques Advanced services like serverless, containers, AI, and hybrid cloud with Azure Arc Real-world projects showcase the application of concepts, guiding you through deploying scalable e-commerce platforms, serverless APIs, and secure, multi-region architectures. The final chapters prepare you for Azure certifications with a breakdown of exam tracks, resources, and expert tips to help you pass. What You'll Gain: Fast, practical understanding of Azure fundamentals Hands-on skills through guided projects and code examples Readiness for real-world Azure development and operations Confidence to pursue certifications like AZ-900, AZ-204, AZ-104, and more Learn Azure the fast, efficient, and smart way—build it right with this essential guide.