8.2. Azure PowerShell and CLI

Cloud management is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, and this is especially true within the diverse ecosystem of Microsoft Azure. The Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) and Azure PowerShell are two command-line tools that have become indispensable for cloud administrators, developers, and operators. These tools provide powerful, scriptable environments that complement the Azure Portal’s graphical management interface. Let’s explore the functionalities, benefits, and applications of Azure PowerShell and CLI, which are central to executing complex or repetitive tasks in Azure.

Azure PowerShell: The Power of Automation and Scripting

Azure PowerShell is a module offering cmdlets to manage Azure through Windows PowerShell or PowerShell Core. It’s built on the .NET Standard, ensuring it is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. PowerShell scripts are extremely useful for automating long sequences of commands that involve Azure resources.

Features of Azure PowerShell

● Scriptability: It’s designed for automation and running scripts to perform complex tasks with minimal intervention.
● Comprehensive Resource Control: Provides complete control over all Azure resources, facilitating tasks such as VM management, network configurations, and storage account operations.
● Object-Oriented Nature: Outputs and inputs of Azure PowerShell cmdlets are .NET objects, allowing for sophisticated manipulation and a wide range of operations on returned data.
● Extensibility: Azure PowerShell can be extended with custom cmdlets and modules, allowing for personalization according to specific requirements.

Automation and Orchestration

One of the strongest points of Azure PowerShell is the ability to automate nearly every aspect of Azure services. From setting up and managing Azure environments to orchestrating deployment workflows, it serves as the backbone for automation strategies. PowerShell workflows can be written to handle tasks such as scaling resources based on demand, batch processing of resource creation, and automated testing of environment deployments.

Integration with Azure Services

Azure PowerShell is tightly integrated with Azure services. It provides first-class support for Azure’s Resource Manager and offers dedicated cmdlets for different Azure services, such as Azure SQL Database, Azure Virtual Machines, and Azure Blob Storage. This integration ensures that the latest Azure features and services are accessible via PowerShell.

Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI): Cross-Platform Management and Deployment

The Azure CLI is a cross-platform command-line program that connects to Azure and executes administrative commands on Azure resources. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and can be run from the command line or through scripts.

Features of Azure CLI

● Cross-Platform Compatibility: Designed to run on any platform, ensuring consistent experiences across different environments.
● Idiomatic Syntax: Commands are structured to be intuitive and easy to remember, which reduces the learning curve for new users.
● Interactive Mode: The az interactive mode provides guided command completion, helping users to navigate and learn the Azure CLI syntax and operations.
● JMESPath Query: Azure CLI supports JMESPath, a query language for JSON, allowing users to customize the output format and retrieve specific information from the command’s response data.