In this lesson, you will use the CLI to create an Azure virtual machine (VM), install Nginx (a popular web server), and then delete the VM along with all associated resources. You will use the Azure CLI for this task and work within a resource group named FreeResourcesRG.

Task 1: Create a Linux Virtual Machine and Install Nginx

Use the following Azure CLI commands to create a Linux VM and install Nginx. The Custom Script Extension will be used to install Nginx on your VM after it is created.

Open Cloud Shell

Access the Azure Portal.
Click on the Cloud Shell icon in the top menu bar.

Create a Linux Virtual Machine

Run the following command to create a Linux VM in the FreeResourcesRG resource group:

az vm create \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --name my-vm \
  --public-ip-sku Standard \
  --image Ubuntu2204 \
  --admin-username azureuser \
  --generate-ssh-keys

This command will create a VM named my-vm with Ubuntu 22.04, using SSH keys for authentication. The VM creation will take a few minutes.

Install Nginx on the VM

After the VM is created, run the following command to install Nginx using the Custom Script Extension:

az vm extension set \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --vm-name my-vm \
  --name customScript \
  --publisher Microsoft.Azure.Extensions \
  --version 2.1 \
  --settings '{"fileUris":["https://raw.githubusercontent.com/MicrosoftDocs/mslearn-welcome-to-azure/master/configure-nginx.sh"]}' \
  --protected-settings '{"commandToExecute": "./configure-nginx.sh"}'

This command will:

Task 2: Verify Nginx Installation

Get the Public IP Address

Run the following command to get the public IP address of your VM:

az vm show \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --name my-vm \
  --show-details \
  --query [publicIps] \
  --output tsv

Copy the public IP address from the output.

Verify Nginx is Running

Open a web browser and enter the public IP address you copied.
You should see a welcome message from Nginx, indicating that it is installed and running on your VM.

Task 3: Delete the VM and Associated Resources

Once you have verified that Nginx is running, you can delete the VM and all associated resources to avoid incurring costs.

Delete the Virtual Machine

Run the following command to delete the VM:

az vm delete \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --name my-vm \
  --yes

Delete the Network Interface

Identify the network interface associated with the VM by running:

az vm show \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --name my-vm \
  --query "networkProfile.networkInterfaces[0].id" \
  --output tsv

Use the returned network interface ID to delete the network interface:

az network nic delete \
  --ids [networkInterfaceId]

Delete the Public IP Address

Identify the public IP address associated with the VM by running:

az vm show \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --name my-vm \
  --query "networkProfile.networkInterfaces[0].id" \
  --output tsv | xargs -I {} az network nic show --ids {} --query "ipConfigurations[0].publicIpAddress.id" --output tsv

Use the returned public IP address ID to delete the public IP address:

az network public-ip delete \
  --ids [publicIpAddressId]

Delete the OS Disk

Identify the OS disk associated with the VM by running:

az vm show \
  --resource-group FreeResourcesRG \
  --name my-vm \
  --query "storageProfile.osDisk.managedDisk.id" \
  --output tsv

Use the returned disk ID to delete the OS disk:

az disk delete \
  --ids [osDiskId] \
  --yes

By following these steps, you have created a Linux VM, installed Nginx, verified its operation, and cleaned up all associated resources. This lesson provides a comprehensive understanding of managing Azure VMs using the Azure CLI.

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