Overview Of Azure CloudShell And Log Monitoring

Introduction

In this article, we will explore how to use cloud shell in Azure Cloud platform with an example of the creation of the Web app and monitor logs using CloudShell (PowerShell).

Scenario

Azure Cloud has several ways to create and manage resources. CloudShell is one of the ways to create and manage the resources within your Azure cloud environment. Many times, we need to provide PowerShell script to the deployment/development team instead of creating and managing resources by using the portal. We can execute the sequence of instructions using PowerShell in one go.

Prerequisites

Azure Cloud subscription
Basic knowledge of PowerShell

Cloud Shell

CloudShell is a feature in the Azure cloud which gives us the facility to write in commands with browser-based experience.
CloudShell helps Azure technical team to manage and control the Azure resources.
We have a choice – Bash, PowerShell
Securely access to authenticate account access for PowerShell and CLI
CloudShell is integrated to open source objects as well
CloudShell supports to multiple languages – .NET Core, Go, Java, Nods.JS, PowerShell and Python

When to use Bash or PowerShell?

Generally, Bash is used to play around with Linux, etc. However, PowerShell is preferred to use with Windows (Microsoft’s ecosystem).
Using PowerShell, we can write this as a scripting language which deals with object-oriented commands.
PowerShell can be used with different technologies.

Now, we will focus on actual steps using cloud shell to create Web App in the Azure Cloud.

Step 1

Log into the Azure Portal.

Step 2

Click the on CloudShell icon. This icon is present on top of the horizontal bar in the Azure portal site.

Overview Of Azure Cloud Shell And Log Monitoring

Step 3

The system prompts you to select type – Bash or PowerShell. In the current article, I am selecting PowerShell.

Note
If you are using the CloudShell for the first time, then you need to create a new storage account because CloudShell requires Azure file share.

Step 4

Click on ‘Create Storage’ or click on ‘advanced setting’ to select the proper CloudShell region, resource group, storage account name, file share name details.

Now, the system will authenticate to Azure and open default drive ‘Azure’.

Step 5

To create web app in Azure – first, we need to create a resource group and service plan.

Create variables and assign values

$rg=" pshellrg "
$app="pshellwebapptest"
$location="Southeast Asia"
$serviceplan="psserviceplan"

Create Resource Group

New-AzureRMResourceGroup -Name $rg -Location $location

When the command runs successfully then the system shows the below message,

We can also verify resource group in the portal.

Create a Service Plan

New-AzureRMAppservicePlan -Name $serviceplan -Tier Basic -ResourceGroupName $rg -Location $location

When the command runs successfully, the system shows the below message.

Create a Web app under the above-created resource group and link to a service plan.

New-AzureRMWebApp -Name $app -ResourceGroupName $rg -Location $location -AppServicePlan $serviceplan

When the command runs successfully, then the system shows the below message.

We can also verify the web app in the portal.

Enable web server logs to the web app.

Set-AzureRMWebApp -RequestTracingEnabled $True -HttpLoggingEnabled $True -DetailedErrorLoggingEnabled $True -ResourceGroupName $rg -Name $app

When the command runs successfully, then the system shows the below message.