This article explain how to get started with Microsoft Azure. It provides steps by steps instructions on how to signup to the service and prepare your Azure account for use with Maestrano products or other types of products.

1 - Account creation process

1. First go to https://azure.microsoft.com and click "Free Account"
   
   
2. Click on "Start for Free"
   
   
   
   
3. Azure will request you to login through the Microsoft platform. Unless you have an existing account with Microsoft that you want to link click on "Create a New Microsoft Account"
   
   
   
   
4. Enter an email address and password for your account
   
   
5. Microsoft will send you a confirmation code by email address. Enter the code to confirm your account. (Note that the email can end up in your spam folder if you use a Gmail account)
6. Azure will then ask you for additional identification details
   
   
   
   
7. A phone confirmation will be required
   
   
   
   
8. Azure will also ask you for your credit card details. No charges will be incurred until you actually decide to use the service.
   
   
9. Finally click on signup to finalise your account
   
   
   
   
10. After signing up you will land in a waiting zone while your account gets finalised. Click on Get Started to access your account.
    
    
    
    
11. Microsoft will then propose you some training sessions. If you want to skip this step simply click on My Account at the top of the page.
    
    
    
    
12.  Finally click on AccessAzure Portal.
    
     

2 - Obtain API credentials

In order to communicate with the Azure API you need to register an application, generate keys for it and select a role.

This article will help you get setup: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/resource-group-create-service-principal-portal

3 - More reading

It is likely you will want to provision linux machines on Azure. More information can be found about how to do so on this link:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/linux/