Azure Insights: SSH access; Grafana alerts; Azure DevOps

Azure pros discuss SSH server access with Azure Arc, Grafana alert rules, and using Azure DevOps and Power Automate for self-service.

Gaining SSH server access with Azure Arc

Microsoft senior cloud advocate Thomas Maurer discussed ways to remotely manage Windows and Linux servers with Azure Arc. Microsoft recently extended SSH access to servers for hybrid and multicloud scenarios where direct access is a must.

Imagine a scenario where you as an IT Pro or developer need to access a server remotely using SSH, to troubleshoot a system or install or configure an application or the server. However, you might don’t have direct network access to the server since you are working remotely or you don’t have a VPN set up. Azure Arc enabled server now allows you to use the Azure CLI SSH extension to connect to the Azure control plane and from there to securely connect to the Azure Arc enabled server using the Azure Connected Machine Agent without opening additional ports or firewall configurations. In addition, to enable the connection you can also use Azure AD for role-based access control.

SSH access encompasses automated SSH connections, secure access to hybrid servers, ways to connect with Cloud Shell, and options to leverage different authentication methods. He walked users through prerequisites, default connectivity endpoints, and the setup process with Azure CLI.

Making sense of Grafana alert rules

Microsoft MVP Gregor Suttie commented on the news that Microsoft recently launched a new managed Grafana service for Azure. Users are able to run Grafana locally, in a container, or on Azure. He decided to setup Grafana alert. Starting with an Azure Monitor dataset, he added a new dashboard panel, selected the data source, and filled in details. He explained the role of contact points and notification policies, and explored the use of APIs, demoing code in the process. He wrote: