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Explore the Possibilities with Azure Arc
Azure Arc stands as a groundbreaking service, offering a unified approach to managing servers, Kubernetes clusters, and data services across various environments. This innovative solution simplifies governance and management, providing a consistent multicloud and on-premises platform. It’s the bridge that extends the Azure platform, allowing customers to build applications and services with the flexibility to operate across data centers, edge locations, and multicloud environments.
Key Features and Benefits of Azure Arc
Azure Arc offers a plethora of features and benefits that revolutionize cloud management:
- Unified Management: Azure Arc allows for centralized management of your entire environment by integrating non-Azure and on-premises resources into Azure Resource Manager.
- Versatile Resource Management: Manage a diverse range of resources, including virtual machines, Kubernetes clusters, and databases, as if they’re running in Azure.
- Familiar Azure Services: Utilize familiar Azure services and management capabilities, irrespective of where your resources reside.
- DevOps and ITOps Integration: Continue using traditional ITOps while integrating DevOps practices to support new cloud-native patterns in your environment.
- Custom Locations: Configure custom locations on top of Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes clusters and cluster extensions for a tailored experience.
Supported Resources and Operations
Azure Arc supports various resource types, including Windows and Linux servers, Kubernetes clusters, and Azure data services. Key operations you can perform with Azure Arc-enabled servers include governance, protection, configuration, and monitoring. These encompass a range of functionalities like Azure Automanage, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Azure Automation, and more.
Pricing and Regions
Azure Arc’s pricing is structured to ensure value for its diverse features. The control plane functionality for Azure Arc-enabled servers is offered at no extra cost, including resource organization, searching, indexing, access, security, and automation through templates and extensions. Any Azure service used on Azure Arc-enabled servers, such as Microsoft Defender for Cloud or Azure Monitor, will be charged according to the service’s pricing.
Azure Arc-enabled servers support management of physical servers and virtual machines hosted outside of Azure. For detailed information about supported hybrid cloud environments hosting VMs, refer to the connected machine agent prerequisites.
Learning and Development with Azure Arc
Enhance your knowledge and skills with Azure Arc through Microsoft Learn. The platform offers a comprehensive introduction to Azure Arc, teaching you how to simplify governance and management of hybrid environments. You’ll learn about Azure Arc-enabled servers, Kubernetes, and data services, and how Azure Arc can integrate with other Azure services.
Architecture and SQL Server Integration
Azure Arc’s architecture facilitates the integration of SQL Server instances installed on virtual or physical machines running Windows or Linux. The Azure Connected Machine agent and Azure Extension for SQL Server securely connect to Azure, establishing communication with multiple Azure services. This integration enables features like Microsoft Defender for Cloud, best practices assessment, and various other services depending on the SQL Server license type.
Conclusion
Azure Arc is not just a tool; it’s a comprehensive solution that reshapes how businesses approach cloud management. Its ability to provide a unified, flexible platform across various environments, coupled with robust features and support for a wide range of resources, makes Azure Arc a frontrunner in cloud technology.
Azure Arc is a set of technologies that extends the Azure platform to help you build applications and services with the flexibility to run across datacenters, at the edge, and in multi-cloud environments. With Azure Arc, you can use familiar Azure services and management capabilities, regardless of where your resources are located.
What can you do with Azure Arc?
Azure Arc enables you to:
- Manage your entire environment together by projecting your existing non-Azure and/or on-premises resources into Azure Resource Manager.
- Manage virtual machines, Kubernetes clusters, and databases as if they are running in Azure.
- Use consistent development, operations, and security models to run cloud-native apps anywhere and on any Kubernetes platform.
- Deploy Azure data services like SQL and PostgreSQL as cloud-native services in your preferred environment for data insights.
- Implement consistent inventory, management, governance, and security for servers across your environment.
- Create custom locations on top of your Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes clusters, using them as target locations for deploying Azure services instances.
