The document provides a detailed overview of implementing Sitecore on Azure, discussing the key features and services of Azure. It highlights real-life scenarios of deployment, scalability, and management, addressing challenges faced by developers and IT administrators. The author emphasizes the importance of preparation, configuration, and understanding Azure's ecosystem for successful integration.

2. Sitecore on Azure:
a real life example
Sitecore User Group London

3. What is “Azure”?

4. As I see it
What is “Azure”?

5. As Microsoft shells it
What is “Azure”?

6. What is “Azure”?
Main Services

7. What is “Azure”?
Main Services
Cloud Service == Pre-Configured
Farm of servers

8. What is a Farm / Cloud Service
What is Azure
Internal IP
VIP / Domain
Production
Staging
Update Domain Fault Domain
Internal IP
VIP / Domain
Update Domain Fault Domain

9. What is “Azure”?
Main features
!=

10. Fully Automated
What is “Azure”?
API available to me

11. Introduction to Azure:
Martina´s Blog
http://mhwelander.net/
What is “Azure”?

13. Module using Azure API
Sitecore Azure
Classic Sitecore Instance

14. Azure compatibility table
Sitecore Azure

15. Demo: Sitecore Azure’s UI
Our “Real scenario”

16. Do we really need this
module?
Sitecore Azure
https://kb.sitecore.net/articles/983166

17. Our “Real scenario”

18. Hybrid scenario
• 1 SQL server for BE
• 1 Web server for BE
• 1 SQL Server for FE
• X web servers for FE
Our “Real scenario”

19. Demo: 2 Servers
Our “Real scenario”

20. Tricks: Uploading ghost files
• The second request could
be sent to a different
server
• Sitecore wizards with
upload doesn´t work:
Upgrade + Publish
• Save the file in blob
storage
Where is it stored?

21. Demo: Scale up to 3 servers
Our “Real scenario”

22. Does it affect me?

23. More than you expect!
• As a Developer • As an IT Administrator
Does it affects me?

24. As a developer…

25. Deployments:
Yet another “one
click deployment”

26. Module with Embedded Azure SDK
Sitecore Azure
Classic Sitecore Instance

27. Demo: Deploy
Our “Real scenario”

28. Tricks: It´s easy to deploy and
scale
• Don´t forget to delete!!!
• Get used to the emulator
for testing
Yet another “one click deployment”

29. Deploying to Azure: Behind the scenes
Yet another“one click deployment”

30. Deploying to Azure: Behind the scenes
Yet another“one click deployment”

31. Demo: Transformed solution
Our “Real scenario”

32. Tricks: Quick hotfixes
• Full application must be
deployed
• No more: “I just need to
copy one file”
Yet another “one click deployment”

33. • Always clean your Media
cache and temp folder
before upgrade files
(restart)
• Could take more than one
hour to deploy
• If it´s bigger than 600MB
azure rejects it
Yet another “one click deployment”
Tricks: The size of the Package
is important

34. Get used to the Azure´s approach
• It is easier to replace than
to fix
• Store everything in storage
not local disk
• Expect failures and “forget”
about why?
• Follow Azure patterns
• https://msdn.microsoft.com/
en-
us/library/dn568099.aspx
Yet another “one click deployment”

35. Can I customize it?

36. Demo: Items
Our “Real scenario”

37. Deployment item
• Service definition
 Vmsize: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/azure/dn197896.aspx
 Enable remote desktop
• Service configuration
 OsFamily:
 OsVersion
 Enable remote desktop
 Include the Vm into the Virtual network
Where is it stored?

38. Deployment item
• Custom config patch
 Remove custom settings only for CM
• Deployment type config patch
 Apply scaling guide
• Global config patch
 Remove comments
 Remove azure module settings
 Change license and data folder path
 Change custom errors mode
 Change Viewstate, pagestate and session state providers
 Move logs to Table storage
Where is it stored?

39. Tricks: .config files
• Forget about
xxx.config.qa or
xxx.config.cd
• Specific settings per
environment must be
applied via transformation
Where is it stored?

40. Can I manage each
VM?

41. NO
• Remote access
 Can be enabled
• VMs are rebuilt
 Your settings will disappear
Can I manage each VM?

42. YES
• Service definition
 You can enable plug-ins
• StartUp.cmd
 Commands line and reg files
• Custom webrole.dll
Can I manage each VM?

43. Tricks: Installing i-Filters
• Add the msi to the
azureoverride folder
• Execute it from the
startup.cmd
Can I manage each VM?

44. Tricks: Where are my logs
• Table storage
 Enable the option in
Sitecore Log Analyzer
 Azure Explorer
 Azure log viewer
• Enable local logs
 They could disappear!
Can I manage each VM?

45. As an IT
Administrator

46. Who is the IT guy?!
• What if a VM fails?
• How do we set up a DR?
• Can we restore a
back/Up?
• Files? Data?
• Can we connect to our
local server?
• The site is down!!!
As an IT administrator

47. Would I recommend
it?

48. Today… YES… IF….
• I fusing Sitecore Azure 3
or above
• If you really need a farm
• If you need scalability
• If you are ready to scale
up your skills
• If you don’t have any
complex application or
module
Would I recommend it?

49. All content and ideas expressed in this presentation are protected by intellectual property rights of ClearPeople Ltd.
Contact
Vicent Galiana
Technical Architect
vgaliana@clearpeople.com
@Vicent_galiana