Description
Project 2: Programmatic Cloud Configuration and Deployment
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Now that you have created BallotOnline’s Cloud Migration Plan, you have a better understanding of the cloud migration strategy and how a cloud migration plan differs from a traditional IT data center migration plan. At this point, you will evaluate the options for the programmatic deployment of infrastructure to the cloud.
Your supervisor, Sophia, the vice president of Information Technology (IT), has asked you to evaluate different programmatic approaches in Microsoft Azure and select the most suitable approach for BallotOnline if Azure will be used in a future multi-cloud deployment. Now, you will evaluate and compare programmatic and automation approaches and select the best one for BallotOnline, along with your rationale for selecting the specific approach or tool set.
Sophia has made it clear that your selection of the appropriate approach or tool set must incorporate industry best practices and standards and meet the relevant business and technical needs of the organization.
There are seven steps in this project.
Your work will be evaluated using the competencies listed below.
6.5: Investigate the underlying technologies (virtualization, data center infrastructure, servers).
6.8: Review, evaluate, and utilize emerging technologies related to cloud to support business needs.
9.3: Develop documentation (plans, policies, and procedures) to support cloud operation.
10.2: Create and deploy virtual machines.
10.3: Configure cloud management tools and software.
10.4: Configure cloud orchestration and automation software.
11.3: Upgrade the infrastructure to increase capacity.
11.4: Monitor system performance.
Project 2: Programmatic Cloud Configuration and Deployment
Step 1: Research Industry Standard Cloud Deployment Programmatic Approaches
Sophia has made it clear that she believes that learning how other companies approach their migration deployment efforts is a way to ensure that BallotOnline is considering the most efficient and cost-effective methods. So, before you begin setting up the configuration and deployment, take some time to research industry standard cloud deployment programmatic approaches across multiple clouds (e.g., AWS and Azure).
Engage in an online conversation with your colleagues to discuss cloud deployment programmatic approaches in the Discussion: Cloud Migration Programmatic Approaches.
After discussing the cloud migration programmatic approaches, move on to the next step, in which you will compare programmatic tool sets used in cloud deployment.
Step 2: Explore and Evaluate Azure Resource Manager templates
You and your colleagues agree that the three tools have their pros and cons, and the best tool depends on the situation involved. At this point, Sophia is interested in learning more about deploying infrastructure using Azure Resource Manager templates.
After reviewing Azure Resource Manager templates, engage in an online conversation with your colleagues at BallotOnline in the Discussion: Evaluation of Azure Resource Manager templates.
In the next step, you will use AWS OpsWorks Stacks to prepare to deploy a stack on Windows.
Step 3: Complete the Prerequisites to Deploy a Windows Stack
Now that you’ve evaluated AWS OpsWork Stacks, Sophia has asked you to evaluate how you can automate the deployment of BallotOnline’s Windows-based application stacks. Automating the deployment would allow for a faster turnaround time and avoid user errors that could occur during a manual deployment.
TAKE ACTION
Follow the instructions for getting started provided by Microsoft Azure to complete the cloud.
When you have completed the prerequisites to deploy a Windows stack, you can proceed to the next step: creating and deploying a server stack.
Step 4: Write the Final Cloud Deployment Programmatic Approach Document
The Cloud Deployment Programmatic Approach is designed to provide BallotOnline with an alternate programmatic approach and tool sets that align with BallotOnline’s technical and business requirements.
Use the Cloud Deployment Programmatic Approach Document Guide to write your Cloud Deployment Programmatic Approach and submit it after reading the instructions below. The final document should be between eight and 10 pages.
The Cloud Deployment Programmatic Approach will enable you to consolidate the work that you have completed in the steps along with some additional elements (scope, executive summary, etc.) to create a comprehensive programmatic approach. Sophia will present your work at the executive meeting.
CHECK YOUR EVALUATION CRITERIA
Before you submit your assignment, review the competencies below, which your instructor will use to evaluate your work. A good practice would be to use each competency as a self-check to confirm you have incorporated all of them. To view the complete grading rubric, click My Tools, select Assignments from the drop-down menu, and then click the project title.
6.5: Investigate the underlying technologies (virtualization, data center infrastructure, servers).
6.8: Review, evaluate, and utilize emerging technologies related to cloud to support business needs.
9.3: Develop documentation (plans, policies, and procedures) to support cloud operation.
10.2: Create and deploy virtual machines.
10.3: Configure cloud management tools and software.
10.4: Configure cloud orchestration and automation software.
11.3: Upgrade the infrastructure to increase capacity.
11.4: Monitor system performance.
Step 5: Add Flexibility Using Parameters and Outputs
In the last step, you created an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template and added an Azure storage account to the ARM template. You might have noticed that there’s a problem with your template. The storage account name is hardcoded. You can only use this template to deploy the same storage account every time. To deploy a storage account with a different name, you would have to create a new template, which isn’t a practical way to automate your deployments. The storage account SKU is also hardcoded, which means you can’t vary the type of storage account for different environments. You can make your template more reusable by adding a parameter for the storage account SKU. In this step, you learn about the parameters and outputs sections of the template and then create a more complex environment.
TAKE ACTION
Follow the instructions on how to add flexibility using parameters and outputs. Then you will create a static web page using your newly created storage account.
Remember to take screenshots for each task and save them to the Microsoft Azure Arm Template Guide used in the previous step.
Once you have finished evaluating scalability of a basic application server stack, you can proceed to the final step, in which you will record your programmatic approach in a document.
Step 6: Create and Deploy an ARM template
Now that you have completed the prerequisites to deploy a Windows stack, you will deploy a basic application server stack using an Azure ARM template.
TAKE ACTION
Review the following documentation to familiarize yourself with deploying Azure services using ARM templates: Azure ARM Template Documentation.
Now Create and Deploy an ARM template. Take screenshots of your work for documentation purposes. Save them in the Microsoft Azure Arm Template Guide.
After deploying a basic application server stack, you can proceed to the next step, in which you will determine the scalability of your stack to see how it handles loads, distributions, and requests.
Step 7: Review and Compare Cloud Deployment Programmatic Tools
In this step, you will learn about some of the leading cloud deployment programmatic tool sets for application and server management.
Review the Information Automation Tools provided by Microsoft Azure.
After reviewing and creating a feature comparison table for four most promising tools, you will submit your comparison using the Cloud Deployment Programmatic Tool Set Comparison Guide.
In the next step, you will take a detailed look at Azure Resource Manager template.
