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Azure Resource Manager Templates

Azure Resource Manager is an interface for deploying and managing cloud resources through templates. Resource Manager templates define resources in JSON format, allowing resources to be deployed as a single operation. Templates improve consistency, help deploy complex topologies, reduce manual tasks, and enable infrastructure as code and reuse through parameters. A template contains sections for parameters, variables, functions, resources, and outputs.

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235 views

Azure Resource Manager Templates

Azure Resource Manager is an interface for deploying and managing cloud resources through templates. Resource Manager templates define resources in JSON format, allowing resources to be deployed as a single operation. Templates improve consistency, help deploy complex topologies, reduce manual tasks, and enable infrastructure as code and reuse through parameters. A template contains sections for parameters, variables, functions, resources, and outputs.

Uploaded by

micu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What's Azure Resource Manager?

Azure Resource Manager is the interface for managing and organizing cloud resources. Think of
Resource Manager as a way to deploy cloud resources.

What are Resource Manager Templates?

A Resource Manager template precisely defines all the Resource Manager resources in a deployment.
You can deploy a Resource Manager template into a resource group as a single operation.

A Resource Manager template is a JSON file, making it a form of declarative automation. Declarative
automation means that you define what resources you need but not how to create them. Put another
way, you define what you need and it is Resource Manager's responsibility to ensure that resources are
deployed correctly.

Note: - You may hear others refer to Resource Manager Templates as "ARM templates". We prefer the
full names "Azure Resource Manager templates" or "Resource Manager Templates".

Why use Resource Manager Templates?

Using Resource Manager Templates will make your deployments faster and more repeatable. For
example, you no longer have to create a VM in the portal, wait for it to finish, then create the next VM,
and so on. Resource Manager takes care of the entire deployment for you.

Here are some other benefits to consider.

1. Templates improve consistency


Resource Manager templates provide a common language for you and others to describe your
deployments. Regardless of the tool or SDK used to deploy the template, the structure, format,
and expressions inside the template remain the same.
2. Templates help express complex deployments
Templates enable you to deploy multiple resources in the correct order. For example, you
wouldn't want to deploy a virtual machine before creating OS disk or network interface.
Resource Manager maps out each resource and its dependent resources and creates dependent
resources first. Dependency mapping helps ensure that the deployment is carried out in the
correct order.
3. Templates reduce manual, error-prone tasks
Manually creating and connecting resources can be time consuming, and it's easy to make
mistakes along the way. Resource Manager ensures that the deployment happens the same way
every time.
4. Templates are code
Templates express your requirements through code. Think of a template as a type of
infrastructure as code that can be shared, tested, and versioned like any other piece of
software. Also, because templates are code, you can create a "paper trail" that you can follow.
The template code documents the deployment. Most users maintain their templates under
some kind of revision control, such as Git. When you change the template, its revision history
also documents how the template (and your deployment) has evolved over time.
5. Templates promote reuse
Your template can contain parameters that are filled in when the template runs. A parameter
can define a username or password, a domain name, and so on. Template parameters enable
you to create multiple versions of your infrastructure, such as staging and production, but still
utilize the exact same template.
6. Templates are linkable
7. Resource Manager templates can be linked together to make the templates themselves
modular. You can write small templates that each define a piece of a solution and combine them
to create a complete system.

What's in a Resource Manager template?

A Resource Manager template can contain the following sections. These sections are expressed using
JSON notation, but are not related to the JSON language itself.

1. Parameters
2. Variables
3. Functions
4. Resources
5. Outputs

Parameters

This is where you specify which values are configurable when the template runs. For example, you might
allow users of your template to specify a username, password, or domain name.

Here's an example that illustrates two parameters – one for a VM's username and one for its password.

Variables

This is where you define values that are used throughout the template. Variables can help make your
templates easier to maintain. For example, you might define a storage account name one time as a
variable and use that variable throughout the template. If the storage account name changes, you need
to only update the variable.

Here's an example that illustrates a few variables that describe networking features for a VM.
Functions

This is where you define procedures that you don't want to repeat throughout the template. Like
variables, functions can help make your templates easier to maintain. Here's an example that creates a
function to create a unique name that could be used when creating resources that have globally unique
naming requirements.

Resources

This section is where you define the Azure resources that make up your deployment.

Here's an example that creates a public IP address resource.

Outputs
This is where you define any information you'd like to receive when the template runs. For example, you
might want to receive your VM's IP address or FQDN – information you do not know until the
deployment runs.

Here's an example that illustrates an output named "hostname". The FQDN value is read from the VM's
public IP address settings.

What are Azure Quick start templates?

Azure Quick start templates are Resource Manager templates that are provided by the Azure
community. Quick start templates are available on GitHub.

Many templates provide everything you need to deploy your solution. Others might serve as a starting
point for your template. Either way, you can study these templates to learn how to best author and
structure your own templates.

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