Microsoft Azure API Management (APIM) is a feature of Azure that allows developers to publish, manage, secure, and analyze APIs in a few minutes. It acts as a front door to the API, forming a single point of entry for all the back-end services. This article will cover how to develop an APIM instance, a vital skill outlined in the Microsoft Azure AZ-204 certification exam.
Prerequisites
Before getting started with creating an APIM instance, make sure you have:
- An active Azure account (Create one for free if you do not have it yet).
- Azure CLI installed on your system for command-line operations (Optional).
- Basic knowledge about Azure and RESTful API.
Step by Step Guide to Create APIM Instance
The entire process to create an Azure API management instance is broadly classified into two sections: Azure Portal Method and Azure CLI Method.
Azure Portal Method
- Sign in to your Azure portal.
- Navigate to the ‘All Services’ section. In the search box, type ‘API Management Services’. You will see a listing under services.
- Click on ‘API Management Services’, and it will take you into the ‘API Management Services’ section.
- Click on ‘Add’ to create a new instance. You’ll be prompted to enter details such as ‘Name’ (unique name for your API Management service), ‘Subscription’ (Azure subscription that you want to use), ‘Resource group’ (where all the resources for your services reside), ‘Location’ (region to deploy your services), and ‘Organization name’ (your organization name).
- Fill in the required details and click on the ‘Review + create’ button at the bottom.
- Azure will validate your inputs, and once it passes you can click on ‘Create’. It will take a few moments for the service to be deployed.
Azure CLI Method
Open up your terminal and follow the steps below:
- Log in to your Azure account with the command:
az login
- Create a resource group. Replace <name> and <location> with appropriate values:
az group create --name
- Create an API Management with the below command. Replace the placeholders with your ‘name’, ‘resource group’, ‘location’, ‘organization name’ etc.:
az apim create --name
This process might take a few minutes to complete.
By either using the Azure portal or Azure CLI, you will be able to create an Azure API Management (APIM) instance.
Conclusion
Creating an Azure API Management instance is a fundamental process in managing and securing APIs for back-end services. This article covers both Azure portal and Azure CLI methods to create an APIM instance. These are crucial skills for the AZ-204 Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure certification exam and will build a strong foundation for the candidates in managing APIs using Azure.
Take time to practice these steps often to ingrain this into your knowledge as you prepare for the AZ-204 Azure certification exam. Happy studying!
Practice Test
True or False: Azure API Management is a cloud service that gives you the ability to publish, analyze, secure, and scale APIs.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure API Management offers the ability to manage, secure, and mediate the API requests, presenting a unified facade for your backend services and data.
The Azure API Management service can only be managed in Azure portal.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure API Management service can be managed using the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, and REST API.
True or False: In order to create an Azure API management instance, one must always have the standard tier or above.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: You can create an Azure API Management instance with any tier – Developer, Basic, Standard, Premium, or Consumption.
Which of the following is NOT required while creating an Azure API Management instance?
- a) Subscription
- b) Resource group
- c) Location
- d) Database
Answer: d) Database
Explanation: Database is not necessarily needed to create an Azure API Management instance. Subscription, resource group, and location are the mandatory entities.
True or False: “System-assigned managed identity” can be enabled to create an Azure API Management instance.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure can assign an Azure Active Directory identity to an API Management service, known as a system-assigned managed identity.
Scaling out an Azure APIM instance can be achieved by ___________.
- a) Creating new instance
- b) Adding units
- c) Running PowerShell script
- d) None of above
Answer: b) Adding units
Explanation: Scaling out (adding capacity) for APIM can be achieved by adding units to an existing instance, not by creating a new one.
Multiple APIs can be hosted in a single Azure API Management instance.
- a) True
- b) False
Answer: a) True
Explanation: A single Azure API Management instance can be used to publish and manage multiple different APIs.
Only APIs built on Azure can be managed by Azure API Management instances.
- a) True
- b) False
Answer: b) False
Explanation: Azure API Management is not limited to APIs built on Azure, you can manage APIs built on any platform.
Azure API Management instance can only be created using Azure portal.
- a) True
- b) False
Answer: b) False
Explanation: Azure API Management instance can be created using Azure portal, PowerShell, Azure CLI or REST APIs.
When creating an Azure API management instance, the pricing tier determines the features available, the capacity, and the pricing.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Different pricing tiers offer different levels of functionality, capacity, and cost, so you should choose a pricing tier based on your business needs.
What is the duration limit for the Long-term retention (LTR) of Azure API Management logs?
- a) 1 month
- b) 3 months
- c) 6 months
- d) 365 days
Answer: d) 365 days
Explanation: Azure API Management provides retention of logs for up to 365 days, which is a feature available in the premium tier.
Which Azure command line tool can be used to create an Azure API Management instance?
- a) Azure CLI
- b) Azure RM
- c) Azure AD
- d) Azure DevOps
Answer: a) Azure CLI
Explanation: Azure Command Line Interface (CLI) is used to create and manage Azure resources from the command line or in scripts.
Azure API Management supports import of OpenAPI Specification version
- a) True
- b) False
Answer: a) True
Explanation: The Azure API Management supports both OpenAPI Specification version 0 and
True or False: “Developer portal” is an optional component while setting up Azure API Management instance.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Developers portal is a crucial component of Azure API Management which enables developers to discover the APIs and learn how to use them, as well as to test them in a safe, controlled environment.
Azure API Management does NOT support APIs developed in _____.
- a) .NET
- b) Java
- c) Python
- d) None of the above
Answer: d) None of the above
Explanation: Azure API Management supports APIs developed in any language, including .NET, Java, Python, etc.
Interview Questions
What is Azure API Management (APIM)?
Azure API Management (APIM) is a cloud-based PaaS offering available on Microsoft’s Azure platform. It provides a scalable, multi-regional gateway for managing, securing, and analyzing APIs and microservices.
What are the key features of the Azure API Management service?
Key features of Azure API Management service are API Gateway, Developer portal, Azure AD integration, Rate limit policies, Cache policies, Monitoring and reports, and Support for APIs hosted anywhere.
What are the steps to create an Azure API Management (APIM) instance?
Create an APIM instance by signing in to the Azure portal. Select “Create a resource”. In the search bar, type “API Management”, then select API Management from the list. On the API Management page, select “Create” and fill in the appropriate details.
How long does it typically take to create an Azure API Management instance?
The creation of an Azure API Management instance can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.
Can we create Azure APIM instance with Azure CLI?
Yes, you can create an APIM instance using either Azure portal, Azure CLI, or Azure PowerShell.
Can we migrate the Azure APIM instance to another subscription or resource group?
Yes, it is possible to move an API Management instance to another Azure subscription or resource group, using either Azure portal, CLI, or PowerShell.
How is pricing determined for Azure API Management?
Azure API Management pricing is determined based on tiers – Developer, Basic, Standard, Premium and Consumption. Each tier has different features and capabilities to suit different needs and scenarios.
What are the benefits of integrating Azure APIM with Azure AD?
By integrating Azure APIM with Azure AD, you can manage permissions and secure APIs using role-based access control (RBAC) and OAuth respectively.
What is the purpose of the Developer portal in Azure APIM?
The Developer portal offers a place for developers to learn about, try out, and manage APIs. It serves as the main interaction point for API providers to engage with their API consumers.
What is Azure API Management’s policy expression language?
Azure API Management’s policy expression language is C# 7.3. It is used in setting and enforcing API policies.
Can I import APIs from an existing service into Azure API Management?
Yes, Azure API Management allows you to import APIs from existing services by using the Azure portal, Azure PowerShell, Azure Resource Manager template, or REST API.
What is ‘rate-limiting’ in Azure API Management?
Rate limiting in Azure API Management is a capability which control the number of requests an API user can make within a specified period.
Can we utilize caching in Azure API Management?
Yes, cache policies in Azure API Management allows you to improve the performance of your APIs by storing responses for a specified period.
Is Azure API Management supports versioning and revisioning the APIs?
Yes, Azure API Management allows the API providers to version and revision their APIs to give them flexibility in publishing different API versions and iterations.
Can I monitor my Azure APIM using Azure Monitor?
Yes, Azure Monitor service can be utilized to gain insights into the performance, usage and behavior of your Azure APIM.
extutorials.com