10 Best Microsoft Azure Books in 2023

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  • Understand Azure networking services
  • Create and work on hybrid connections
  • Configure and manage Azure network services
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  • Understand the capabilities of Microsoft Azure for Infrastructure Services
  • Implement a public cloud to achieve full virtualization of data, both on and off premise
  • Understand IaaS cost and options
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  • Understand Azure as a solution development platform for building applications
  • Use Azure services to solve real-world software problems
  • Discover when and why an Azure service is required
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  • Use different Azure services
  • Understand how to architect solutions on Azure
  • Gain expertise in implementing Azure infrastructure
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If you want to learn about the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, there are several excellent resources available to help you get started.

My number one recommendation is the official Microsoft Azure documentation. Microsoft has a wealth of information available on their website, including detailed tutorials and articles that cover all aspects of using the platform.

But if you want to go beyond the basics, here are the best Azure books available in 2023:

1. Azure Networking Cookbook Practical recipes to manage network traffic in Azure, optimize performance, and secure Azure resources

1. Azure Networking Cookbook Book Cover

The Azure Networking Cookbook is a guide for managing networks with Azure's networking services. Networking is one of the most complex resources to manage in , Azure, so buckle up.

The book starts with an introduction to Microsoft Azure networking like creating Azure virtual networks, and designing address spaces and subnets. Then you will learn to create and manage network security groups, application security groups, and IP addresses in Azure. Gradually, we move on to various aspects like S2S, P2S, and Vnet2Vnet connections, DNS and routing, load balancers and traffic manager.

This book covers every aspect and function required to deliver practical recipes to help you learn from basic cloud networking practices to the planning, implementing and securing infrastructure network with Azure.

Azure Networking Cookbook is filled with step-by-step instructions that are supplemented by screenshots taken from real-world experiences. Configuring hybrid environments can be difficult but this cookbook makes it easy by providing clear explanations and step-by-step instructions.

Whether you are new to networking with Azure or an experienced user, this book will help you master the skills necessary to create and manage your network with confidence.

Authors: Mustafa Toroman

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand Azure networking services
  • Create and work on hybrid connections
  • Configure and manage Azure network services
  • Discover ways to design high availability network solutions in Azure
  • Monitor and troubleshoot Azure network resources
  • Gain insights into best practices for optimizing Azure networking.

Mustafa Toroman: About the author

Mustafa Toroman is a solution architect at Devoteam M Cloud, with a focus on cloud-native applications and migrating existing systems to the cloud.

2. Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Services for Architects Designing Cloud Solutions

2. Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Services for Architects Book Cover

Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Services for Architects provides expert guidance on understanding, deploying and maintaining Microsoft Azure environments.

You will develop the skills required to set up cloud-based virtual machines, deploy web servers, configure hosted data stores, and use other key Azure technologies.

The book also covers topics including IaaS cost and options, customizing VM storage, enabling external connectivity to Azure virtual machines, extending Azure Active Directory, replicating and backing up to Azure, disaster recovery, and more.

If you are an IT administrator looking to create and manage a public cloud using the power of Microsoft Azure, then this expert guide is for you. With in-depth coverage of all the key aspects of Azure Infrastructure Services, from setting up cloud-based virtual machines and deploying web servers to configuring hosted data stores and leveraging other key technologies, this book will help you master the skills needed to successfully navigate this powerful platform.

Authors: John Savill

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand the capabilities of Microsoft Azure for Infrastructure Services
  • Implement a public cloud to achieve full virtualization of data, both on and off premise
  • Understand IaaS cost and options
  • Customize VM storage
  • Enable external connectivity to Azure virtual machines
  • Extend Azure Active Directory
  • Replicate and back up to Azure
  • Setup disaster recovery
  • Use enterprise security guidelines for Azure deployment

John Savill: About the author

John Savill is a Windows technical specialist, an 11-time MVP, and an Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

3. Practical Azure Application Development A Step-by-Step Approach to Build Feature-Rich Cloud-Ready Solutions

3. Practical Azure Application Development Book Cover

Practical Azure Application Development provides a step-by-step approach to application development using Microsoft Azure, from selecting the right services to solve a problem, exploring the the potential of different services offered and how they can help you in building an enterprise application.

Moreover, it gives you a holistic approach to Azure as a solution development platform, with real-world examples that illustrate why and when an Azure service is required.

Authors: Thurupathan Vijayakumar

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand Azure as a solution development platform for building applications
  • Use Azure services to solve real-world software problems
  • Discover when and why an Azure service is required
  • Gain a holistic approach to Azure as a solution platform
  • Understand the basics of security, data protection, and cost controls in Azure

Thurupathan Vijayakumar: About the author

Thurupathan Vijayakumar is the CTO & Co-Founder of Aventude, a company that specializes in cloud migration and AI-driven automation. He is an experienced technologist with a deep understanding of Azure.

4. The Azure Cloud Native Architecture Mapbook Explore Microsoft Cloud's infrastructure, application, data, and security architecture

4. The Azure Cloud Native Architecture Mapbook Book Cover

The Azure Cloud Native Architecture Mapbook is a guide to help you understand and plan your cloud and cloud-native architecture. The book starts with the key aspects of architecture and moves on to map different architectural perspectives. You'll also get acquainted with the basic cloud vocabulary and learn which strategic aspects to consider for a successful cloud journey.

As you advance through the chapters, you'll understand technical considerations from the perspective of a solutions architect. Finally, you'll explore Infrastructure as Code (IaC) through ARM templates, Bicep, and Terraform.

To learn more about using Terraform with Azure, read my guide on best Terraform books.

By the end of this book, you'll have picked up best practices and more rounded knowledge of different architectural perspectives that will enable you to build successful Azure solutions.

Whether you are just starting out with Azure or looking to expand your knowledge into the world of cloud-native architecture, this book is for you.

Authors: Stephane Eyskens, Ed Price

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Use different Azure services
  • Understand how to architect solutions on Azure
  • Gain expertise in implementing Azure infrastructure
  • Learn about cloud design patterns and distributed architecture
  • Get to grips with cloud-native security

5. Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification and Beyond Simplified cloud concepts and core Azure fundamentals for absolute beginners to pass the AZ-900 exam

5. Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification and Beyond Book Cover

If you're interested in learning more about cloud computing and the Microsoft Azure platform, then look no further than this comprehensive guide. With the help of simplified examples, you'll gain a solid understanding of cloud concepts and Azure fundamentals to help you successfully achieve AZ-900 certification.

To learn more about cloud computing, read my review of best cloud computing books.

Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification and Beyond is an in-depth guide that will help you understand cloud concepts, the Microsoft Azure platform, and how to prepare for the AZ-900 certification exam. You will learn about cloud computing with Azure, key Azure architectural components, core services and management tools, security concepts and defenses, as well as identity, privacy, and compliance features. The book also includes cost management tips and exercises to help you practice what you have learned. By the end of this book, you will be ready to pass the AZ-900 certification exam with flying colors!

Authors: Steve Miles, Peter De Tender

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand cloud concepts
  • Gain in-depth knowledge of Azure fundamentals
  • Explore practical exercises to gain experience of working with the Microsoft Azure platform in the real world
  • Prepare to achieve AZ-900 certification on the first go with the help of simplified examples covered in the book
  • Understand security concepts, defense-in-depth, and key security services such as Network Security Groups and Azure Firewall, as well as security operations tooling such as Azure Security Center and Azure Sentinel.
  • Acquire knowledge of identity, governance, privacy, and compliance features
  • Understand Azure cost management, SLAs, and service life cycles

Steve Miles: About the author

Steve Miles is a Cloud Solution Architect with Microsoft UK. He's been working with Azure since the platform launched and has written a number of books on the topic.

6. Modern Authentication with Azure Active Directory for Web Applications

6. Modern Authentication with Azure Active Directory for Web Applications Book Cover

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is a cloud-based service that allows you to manage authentication and authorization for your web applications. Azure AD can be used to protect both cloud-based and on-premises applications.

In this book, author Vittorio Bertocci shows you how to use Azure AD to secure your applications and how to make the most of their features. You will learn how to address authentication challenges in the cloud or on-premises, power sign-in flows with OpenID Connect, work with the Azure AD representation of apps and their relationships, provide fine-grained app access control, consume and expose Web APIs protected by Azure AD, and understand new authentication protocols.

If you're looking to build advanced authentication solutions for any cloud or web environment, then this book is for you.

Authors: Vittorio Bertocci

Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand how Active Directory has been transformed to reflect the cloud revolution
  • Build advanced authentication solutions for any cloud or web environment
  • Get guidance on implementing complete solutions for various app types
  • Understand key concepts in greater depth and refine your solution to improve performance and reliability
  • Make sense of highly abstract architectural diagrams and nitty-gritty protocol and implementation details

7. Learn Azure in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition

7. Learn Azure in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition Book Cover

Learn Azure in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition is a tutorial on writing, deploying, and running applications in Azure. In it, you'll learn the most important concepts and tasks in 21 practical bite-sized lessons. As you explore the examples, exercises, and labs, you'll pick up valuable skills immediately and take your first steps to Azure mastery! This fully revised new edition covers core changes to the Azure UI, new Azure features, Azure containers, and the upgraded Azure Kubernetes Service.

Overall, Learn Azure in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition takes an approachable, hands-on approach as it guides you through the essential concepts

Authors: Iain Foulds

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Basics of Azure virtual machines
  • Create and deploy Azure Web Apps
  • Use Azure storage, networking, and security features
  • Implement machine learning and artificial intelligence in Azure
  • Understand how to manage, monitor, and troubleshoot Azure applications.

Iain Foulds: About the author

Iain Foulds is a senior content developer at Microsoft, focused on Azure technologies. He spent more than a decade in the field as an engineer building and running virtualization environments, including cloud solutions.

8. Exam Ref AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies

8. Exam Ref AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Book Cover

The Exam Ref for AZ-500 will help you demonstrate your real-world knowledge of securing data and applications in Azure environments. Designed for professionals with Azure security experience, this exam ref focuses on the critical thinking and decision-making acumen needed for success at the Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate level. The book is organized by exam objectives and features strategic, what-if scenarios to challenge you.

AZ-500 is an exam that certifies your expertise implementing security controls and threat protection, managing identity and access, and protecting assets in cloud and hybrid environments. Manage access to Azure resources with Azure Active Directory (AD), implement platform protection, secure data and applications, monitor security with tools like Azure Monitor and Sentinel, and more. To earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate credential, you'll need to pass this exam as well as two other exams on the Microsoft Learning website.

Authors: Yuri Diogenes, Orin Thomas

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Implement security controls and threat protection
  • Manage identity and access
  • Protect assets in cloud and hybrid environments
  • Identify and remediate vulnerabilities
  • Implement threat protection
  • Respond to incident escalations

9. Azure for Architects Implementing cloud design, DevOps, IoT, and serverless solutions on your public cloud

9. Azure for Architects Book Cover

This book is for Cloud Architects, DevOps Engineers, or developers who want to learn key architectural aspects of the Azure Cloud platform.

The book starts with an extensive introduction to all the categories of designs available with Azure. These design patterns focus on different aspects of cloud such as high availability, data management, and so on.Gradually, we move on to various aspects such as building your cloud structure and architecture. It will also include a brief description about different types of services provided by Azure, such as Azure functions and Azure Analytics, which can prove beneficial for an organization. This book will cover every aspect and function required to develop an Azure cloud based on your organizational requirements. By the end of this book, you will be in a position to develop a full-fledged Azure cloud.

Whether you're looking to maximize high availability, manage data more efficiently, or simply keep costs under control, this book will show you how to design, develop, and deploy a successful Azure cloud architecture that can scale as your business grows. From building serverless solutions to designing highly secure architectures and managing costs effectively, we'll examine every aspect of setting up a fully optimized Azure deployment.

Authors: Ritesh Modi

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Learn about the different design patterns available in Microsoft Azure
  • Understand how to develop Azure cloud architecture and a pipeline management system
  • Get to know the security best practices for your Azure deployment
  • Familiarize yourself with the components of the Azure Cloud platform
  • Understand cost management for Azure solutions
  • Develop an architectural strategy for implementing different components into a complete Azure solution.
  • Manage costs for your cloud infrastructure.

10. Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and Design Complete Study Guide Exams AZ-303 and AZ-304

10. Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies and Design Complete Study Guide Book Cover

This book is a comprehensive guide that covers the two key Microsoft Azure exams - AZ-303 and AZ-304. It will help you understand Azure, set up your Microsoft cloud network, and solve real-world problems. After reading this book, you will be able to confidently pass the exams and perform the job with confidence.

As more and more organizations move to the cloud, there is a growing need for skilled Microsoft Azure architects who are proficient in working with this powerful platform. The AZ-303 and AZ-304 certifications are critical for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in designing, developing and implementing solutions on the Azure platform.

This comprehensive guide will help you prepare for these exams by teaching you everything you need to know about Azure architecture, including setting up your network infrastructure in the cloud, solving real-world problems, and gaining the confidence to pass the exams with flying colors.

Authors: Benjamin Perkins, William Panek

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Topics covered

You will learn how to:

  • Understand Azure is and its components
  • Understand the basics of cloud computing in Azure
  • Set up an Azure environment
  • Deploy applications and services to Azure
  • Manage and monitor Azure resources
  • Solve common issues and troubleshoot problems
  • Adapt to the latest changes in Azure
  • Pass the AZ-303 and AZ-304 exams with confidence

Conclusion: Microsoft Azure Books

The cloud has become an essential part of the modern computing ecosystem, and Azure is one of the leading providers of cloud services.

In this article, we’ve looked at some of the best books to help you learn about Azure and prepare for Microsoft’s exams.

Whether you’re looking to understand Azure cloud fundamentals or basics of cloud computing or need more in-depth knowledge about designing and deploying solutions on the Azure platform, these books will give you everything you need to succeed.

Josip Miskovic
About Josip

Josip Miskovic is a software developer at Americaneagle.com. Josip has 10+ years in experience in developing web applications, mobile apps, and games.

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