Az - Automation Account

👉 Overview

👀 What ?

Azure Automation Account is a cloud-based solution provided by Microsoft Azure that enables users to automate and orchestrate tasks across Azure and non-Azure environments. It helps to manage and deploy resources in your Azure environment using a highly scalable and reliable workflow execution engine.

🧐 Why ?

Automation is essential in today's fast-paced IT environment. It helps in reducing manual tasks, thereby saving time and reducing the chances of human error. Azure Automation Account provides a way to automate tasks not only in Azure but also in non-Azure environments, giving it a broader range of applicability. It's a significant tool for IT professionals aiming to streamline their workflows and increase efficiency.

⛏️ How ?

To use Azure Automation Account, one needs to create an Automation Account in the Azure portal. Once the account is created, you can start creating automation runbooks, which are collections of PowerShell or Python scripts. These runbooks can be executed to automate repetitive tasks such as managing resources, deploying applications, etc. Azure Automation Account also allows scheduling of runbooks, making it easy to automate tasks on a routine basis.

⏳ When ?

Azure Automation Account started gaining popularity with the rise of cloud computing. As organizations began moving their workloads to the cloud, the need for automation tools that could handle cloud-based tasks also grew. Microsoft Azure introduced Automation Account as a solution to this need.

⚙️ Technical Explanations

Azure Automation Account utilizes runbooks, which are essentially scripts written in PowerShell or Python. These runbooks can interact with Azure resources and external resources via Azure modules. They can be used to automate tasks such as creating virtual machines, setting up networks, managing storage accounts, etc. Runbooks can be run on demand, on a schedule, or in response to a specific event, providing a high degree of flexibility in automation. Azure Automation Account also supports Desired State Configuration (DSC), which is a management platform in PowerShell that enables you to manage your IT and development infrastructure with configuration as code.