What's changed: Deepened AZ-104 Chapter 5 to Associate depth (tables, scenarios, FAQ, traps; localized figures)
5.3Management and Automation (CLI, Templates)
Understand management options (Portal, CLI, PowerShell, Cloud Shell) and repeatable deployments via Infrastructure as Code (IaC) with ARM templates / Bicep.
To build the same configuration identically, repeatedly, automation beats manual work. Azure can be managed/automated with CLI / PowerShell and templates (IaC).
5.3.1Management and automation options
- Azure Portal: visual operations; good for one-off tasks and inspection.
- Azure CLI / PowerShell: command-driven; can be scripted and repeated. Cloud Shell runs them right in the browser.
- ARM templates / Bicep: declarative templates (IaC); deploy the same configuration with repeatability and consistency.
Common on AZ-104: repeatable, consistent deployments = ARM templates/Bicep (IaC), scripted automation = CLI/PowerShell, one-off operations = Portal. Bicep is a more concise language for ARM.
Pick a management option by "one-off = portal / repeated = scripts / repeatable = templates (IaC)." The Azure Portal is visual for one-off tasks/inspection; Azure CLI (az)/Azure PowerShell (Az module) are scriptable for repeated automation, with Cloud Shell ready in the browser (already authenticated). ARM templates (JSON)/Bicep (a more concise Azure-specific IaC language that compiles to ARM) declaratively define the desired state for repeatable, consistent deployments, with what-if to preview diffs before applying. For multi-cloud, Terraform is an option. Apply config continuously with Azure Automation (runbooks) plus Azure Machine Configuration (the older Automation State Configuration/DSC was retired in 2025), and enforce org rules with the prior chapter’s Azure Policy. IaC pairs well with version control, review, and CI/CD, curbing drift (divergence from manual changes) and easing rebuilds after a disaster. The axes: "repeatable deployment = ARM/Bicep," "scripted automation = CLI/PowerShell," "one-off = portal," "ongoing config = Automation."
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| Repeatable deployment | ARM templates / Bicep (IaC) |
| Scripted, repeated automation | Azure CLI / PowerShell |
| One-off operation/inspection | Azure Portal |
| Ongoing config/ops automation | Azure Automation (runbooks) |
Scenario: reproduce the same config quickly across dev/test/prod and eliminate manual drift. Define config in Bicep (IaC), preview with what-if before applying, and deploy from a CI/CD pipeline. Automate routine ops (nightly stop, patching) with Azure Automation runbooks and enforce org rules with Azure Policy. Use the portal only for ad-hoc checks and run automation scripts via CLI/PowerShell (Cloud Shell).
Q. Repeatable deployment? ARM templates/Bicep. Q. Preview diffs? what-if. Q. Scripted automation? CLI/PowerShell. Q. Run in the browser? Cloud Shell. Q. Automate routine ops? Azure Automation (runbooks). Q. Enforce org rules? Azure Policy.
Watch the mix-ups: (1) Manual portal work isn’t repeatable—mass-produce identical config with IaC (ARM/Bicep). (2) Bicep compiles to ARM (Azure-specific); Terraform is multi-cloud—choose by use. (3) Manually changing an IaC-managed environment causes drift and may be overwritten on the next apply. (4) Azure Policy (enforce rules) and IaC (deploy desired config) play different roles.
IaC (templates) can be version-controlled and reviewed, reducing environment drift and easing rebuilds after a disaster.
5.3.2Section summary
- Portal (one-off) / CLI, PowerShell (scripts) / templates (IaC)
- Repeatable deployments = ARM templates / Bicep
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Quick check
(just a quick review)Q1. You want to repeatedly deploy the same set of resources with consistency. Which fits best?
Q2. Which lets you use CLI/PowerShell to operate Azure right from the browser?
Q3. Which Azure-specific IaC language writes ARM templates with more concise syntax?
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