Azure Resource Manager template to create resources for different environments

Question

I'm trying to create an ARM template so I can create all of my resources that already exist in one azure subscription to another new subscription. For example, if I have something in the testing environment, I would like to create new resources in a different environment for me to be able to deploy code after. However, I am very new to Azure and powershell and ARM templates and therefore, am looking for guidance on where to begin and how to achieve this goal.

1. I've already read up on powershell.
2. I know how to move resources from one resource group to another or even different Azure subscriptions.

Answer 1

If you really want to start with ARM Templates you need to parameterise all values in the template azuredeploy.json and build out your parameters file azuredeploy.parameters.json with the parameters that you need to change between environments such as name, location, sku/size etc.

Although if you're just starting out I recommend going straight to Azure CLI. It's simple, easily repeatable and you can deploy whole solutions in a few commands. This creates a Resource Group, SQL Logical Server with DB and App Service Plan with Web App.

Dev

az group create --name "rg-d-01" --location "australiaeast"
az appservice plan create --name "asp-d-01" --resource-group "rg-d-01" --location "australiaeast" --sku "S1"
az webapp create --name "awa-d-01" --plan "asp-d-01" --resource-group "rg-d-01"
az sql server create --name "sql-d-01" --resource-group "rg-d-01" --location "australiaeast"
az sql db create --server "sql-d-01" --resource-group "rg-d-01" --name "sqldb-d-01" --service-objective S0

Test

az group create --name "rg-t-01" --location "australiaeast"
az appservice plan create --name "asp-t-01" --resource-group "rg-t-01" --location "australiaeast" --sku "S1"
az webapp create --name "awa-t-01" --plan "awhp-t-01" --resource-group "rg-t-01"
az sql server create --name "sql-t-01" --resource-group "rg-t-01" --location "australiaeast"
az sql db create --server "sql-t-01" --resource-group "rg-t-01" --name "sqldb-t-01" --service-objective S0

Prod

az group create --name "rg-p-01" --location "australiaeast"
az appservice plan create --name "asp-p-01" --resource-group "rg-p-01" --location "australiaeast" --sku "S1"
az webapp create --name "awa-p-01" --plan "awhp-p-01" --resource-group "rg-p-01"
az sql server create --name "sql-p-01" --resource-group "rg-p-01" --location "australiaeast"
az sql db create --server "sql-p-01" --resource-group "rg-p-01" --name "sqldb-p-01" --service-objective S0

Answer 2

Azure Resource Manager templates are the preferred way of automating the deployment of resources to ARM. Learn how to deploy resources with Resource Manager templates and Azure PowerShell , you can refer to this official document.

To deploy to a subscription, use New-AzDeployment:

New-AzDeployment -Location <location> -TemplateFile <path-to-template>

If you want to deploy Azure Resource Manager Templates with azure devops, you can refer to these ( blog, blog). One of the concepts about devops is automation, if you don’t want to manually recreate everytime your environment through the portal , this is a good try.

Answer 3

you can take a look at Azure Citadel self-paced ARM template lab

Answer 4

so generally you would create an ARM Template to do this. When you need to change something you add\remove resources to it, then you would deploy it to different environments. This would be similar to how you promote your application across environment. First you deploy it to dev, test it. Then you deploy it to test and do more rigorous testing, perhaps performance testing. Then you deploy it to production.

If you are looking for examples, here's the official examples repo. The official docs might help as well.