Azure Setup and Account Access

Throughout this track, you'll deploy data pipelines to the cloud using Microsoft Azure. This week, we'll just set up your access - actual cloud development starts in later weeks.

<aside> 💡 Student accounts have already been created for you in the Azure portal. You don't need to create a new Azure account or use a credit card.

</aside>

Logging Into Azure

Step 1: Get your credentials

Your instructor will provide you with:

Your Azure email/username (usually in format [email protected])
A temporary password

Step 2: First login

Go to https://portal.azure.com
Enter your provided email address
Enter the temporary password
You'll be prompted to create a new password

Must be at least 12 characters
Include uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols
Don't reuse passwords from other accounts!

Step 3: Set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Azure requires MFA for security:

Download the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone

Follow the on-screen prompts to link your account
Scan the QR code with the Authenticator app

<aside> ⚠️ Keep your Authenticator app! You'll need it every time you log in. If you lose access to it, contact your instructor immediately.

</aside>

Step 4: Verify access

Once logged in, you should see the Azure Portal home page:

Click on Resource groups in the left sidebar
You should see at least one resource group assigned to you
This confirms your account is set up correctly

Install the Azure CLI

The Azure CLI (az) is a command-line tool for managing Azure resources. You will use it from Week 5 onward. Install it now so it is ready when you need it.

macOS:

brew install azure-cli

Windows:

Download and run the installer from https://learn.microsoft.com/cli/azure/install-azure-cli-windows, or use winget:

winget install Microsoft.AzureCLI

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

curl -sL <https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb> | sudo bash

After installation, verify it works:

az version

Then log in with the same student account you just set up:

az login

This opens a browser window. After you sign in, the CLI is ready.

GitHub Education Benefits

If you have a GitHub Student account (from the Core program), you may have additional Azure credits:

Go to https://education.github.com/pack
Look for "Microsoft Azure" in the benefits list
Follow the link to activate free Azure credits

<aside> 💡 The student accounts provided by your instructor are sufficient for this track. GitHub Education credits are a bonus if you want to experiment on your own.

</aside>

Troubleshooting

Can't log in?

Double-check your username (copy-paste to avoid typos)
Try a private/incognito browser window
Clear browser cookies for microsoft.com and azure.com
Contact your instructor if problems persist

MFA not working?

Make sure your phone's time is synced (Authenticator is time-sensitive)
Check if notifications are enabled for the Authenticator app
Try using the 6-digit code instead of push notification

No resource groups visible?

You might be in the wrong directory: top-right avatar → Switch directory → select HackYourFuture (the same flow used by Week 1 Assignment Task 3)
You might be in the wrong subscription: check the subscription filter at the top of the Resource groups view
Your account setup might be incomplete: contact your instructor

Extra reading

What is Azure?

Cheatsheet

Portal: portal.azure.com
Login: Use student email provided.
MFA: Keep Authenticator app ready.
Support: Ask in Slack if blocked.

In the next chapter you put the week's Python skills (variables, functions, type hints, logging, file I/O) to work on five short exercises before the assignment.

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