Hybrid cloud with Azure Arc

Integrating Azure Arc into a hybrid cloud environment enables organizations to manage and govern resources across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments through a unified platform. This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth exploration of Azure Arc, detailing its features, benefits, and a step-by-step approach to implementing a hybrid cloud solution using Azure Arc.

1. Introduction to Hybrid Cloud and Azure Arc

1.1 Understanding Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud combines on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services, offering flexibility, scalability, and enhanced deployment options. This approach allows businesses to keep sensitive data on-premises while leveraging the computational power and scalability of the cloud for other workloads.

1.2 What is Azure Arc?

Azure Arc is a Microsoft service that extends Azure’s management capabilities to resources residing outside the Azure environment, including on-premises data centers and other cloud platforms. It enables organizations to manage, secure, and govern infrastructure and applications across diverse environments using Azure tools and services.

1.3 Key Features of Azure Arc

• Unified Management: Manage resources across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments through the Azure Portal.
• Azure Services Anywhere: Deploy Azure services such as Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure PostgreSQL Hyperscale on any infrastructure.
• Consistent Security and Governance: Apply Azure security policies and compliance standards uniformly across all environments.
• Scalability and Flexibility: Scale resources dynamically and choose the best environment for each workload.

2. Planning Your Hybrid Cloud Strategy with Azure Arc

2.1 Assessing Your Current Infrastructure

Evaluate your existing infrastructure to identify which resources can be integrated with Azure Arc. This includes:

• Inventory of Resources: Catalog all servers, Kubernetes clusters, and data services across on-premises and cloud environments.
• Connectivity Requirements: Ensure that your network configurations allow secure communication between on-premises resources and Azure.
• Compliance and Security Policies: Review existing policies to align them with Azure’s security and compliance standards.

2.2 Defining Objectives and Use Cases

Clearly define what you aim to achieve with Azure Arc, such as:

• Centralized Management: Streamlining operations by managing all resources from a single platform.
• Enhanced Security: Implementing uniform security policies across all environments.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring all resources comply with industry regulations and standards.

2.3 Designing the Architecture

Develop an architecture that integrates Azure Arc with your existing infrastructure. Key considerations include:

• Resource Organization: Group resources logically using Azure Resource Manager.
• Network Topology: Design network configurations that facilitate secure and efficient communication between environments.
• Identity and Access Management: Integrate with Azure Active Directory for consistent identity management across environments.

3. Implementing Azure Arc in Your Hybrid Cloud Environment

3.1 Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

• Azure Subscription: An active Azure subscription with appropriate permissions.
• Network Connectivity: Secure and reliable network connections between on-premises resources and Azure.
• Supported Operating Systems: Ensure that the servers and services to be connected are running supported operating systems.

3.2 Connecting On-Premises Servers to Azure Arc

Step 1: Register the Azure Arc Resource Provider

1. Log in to the Azure Portal.
2. Navigate to “Subscriptions” and select your subscription.
3. Under “Settings,” select “Resource providers.”
4. Search for “Microsoft.HybridCompute” and “Microsoft.GuestConfiguration,” and register both.

Step 2: Generate the Installation Script

1. In the Azure Portal, search for and select “Azure Arc.”
2. Under “Infrastructure,” select “Servers.”
3. Click on “+ Add” and choose “Add a single server.”
4. Fill in the required details:
   • Subscription: Select your Azure subscription.
   • Resource Group: Choose or create a resource group.
   • Region: Select the Azure region.
   • Operating System: Specify the OS of the server.
   • Connectivity Method: Choose the appropriate connectivity method.
5. Click on “Next” to generate the script.

Step 3: Install the Azure Connected Machine Agent

1. Copy the generated script to the on-premises server.
2. Open an elevated PowerShell session on the server.
3. Run the script to download and install the Azure Connected Machine Agent.
4. The server will now appear as an Azure Arc-enabled server in the Azure Portal.

3.3 Connecting Kubernetes Clusters to Azure Arc

Step 1: Prepare the Kubernetes Cluster

1. Ensure the Kubernetes cluster is running a supported version.
2. Install kubectl and the Azure CLI on your management machine.

Step 2: Install the Azure Arc Kubernetes Agent

1. Log in to the Azure CLI: az login

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2. Register the necessary resource providers: az provider register --namespace Microsoft.Kubernetes az provider register --namespace Microsoft.KubernetesConfiguration

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3. Connect the cluster to Azure Arc: az connectedk8s connect --name <cluster-name> --resource-group <resource-group>