Create Your Azure Web App
This article states how to create and deploy mission-critical web applications that scale with your business. Azure Web Apps have emerged as the logical choice for many enterprise apps because they allow developers to focus on delivering business value rather than wasting time on server updates or operating system changes. Remarkably, web apps you can run applications written in Java, PHP, Python, or Node.js.Deploying a Web App on Azure App Service: A Comprehensive Guide
At the heart of this post is Kairos IMS, an innovative Impact Management System designed to empower human-serving nonprofits and social impact organizations. Co-developed by the Urban League of Broward County and our trusted technology partner, Impactful, Kairos IMS reduces administrative burdens, enhances holistic care, and enables organizations to leverage data for increased agility and seamless service delivery. In this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at the powerful technologies that fuel Kairos IMS, from Azure services to security frameworks, offering insight into how modern infrastructure supports mission-driven impact. Click here to learn more. Azure App Service is a powerful platform for building, deploying, and scaling web apps. It supports multiple languages and frameworks, making it a versatile choice for developers. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of deploying a web app on Azure App Service. Step 1: Prerequisites Before you start, ensure you have the following: An Azure account with an active subscription. If you don't have one, you can create a free account. Create Your Azure Free Account Or Pay As You Go | Microsoft Azure Your web app code ready for deployment. Visual Studio or any other development environment you prefer. Step 2: Create an App Service Log in to the Azure Portal: Go to portal.azure.com and sign in with your Azure account. Create a Resource: Click on "Create a resource" and select "App Service." 3. Configure your Web App: Choose your subscription, resource group, App Name, publish, runtime stack, region, and etc. Once you have went through/reviewed all the necessary tab, select "review + create" to create your web app. Step 3: Deploy Your Web App Deployment Center: Navigate to the "Deployment Center" in your App Service. Source Control: Choose your source control method (e.g., GitHub, Bitbucket, Azure Repos). Build Provider: Select the build provider (e.g., GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines). Configure Settings: Follow the prompts to configure your deployment settings. This includes connecting your repository and setting up continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Step 4: Monitor and Scale Your App Monitor: Use Azure Monitor to keep track of your app's performance and health. Set up alerts to notify you of any issues. Scale: Azure App Service allows you to scale your app based on demand. Navigate to the "Scale up" or "Scale out" options to adjust your app's resources. Step 5: Manage Your App App Settings: Configure application settings, connection strings, and environment variables in the "Configuration" section. SSL Certificates: Secure your app with SSL certificates. Navigate to "TLS/SSL settings" to configure SSL bindings. Conclusion Deploying a web app on Azure App Service is a streamlined process that integrates well with various development tools and workflows. By following these steps, you can easily deploy, monitor, and scale your web app, ensuring a robust and reliable online presence.Deploying Your Web App with CI/CD through Azure Portal
Azure App Service makes deploying web apps straightforward and efficient. Whether you're a nonprofit or an individual developer, here's how to deploy your code using CI/CD through the Azure Portal. CI/CD is a crucial foundation for modern software development processes, combining the practices of continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment. Step-by-Step Instructions: Log in to Azure Portal: Visit the Azure Portal: https://portal.azure.com Use your credentials to log in. Navigate to Your App Service: Locate and select your App Service resource. Go to Deployment Center: In the left-side menu, click on Deployment>Deployment Center. Choose Your Deployment Source: Select the method that suits your setup: Local Git: Push your code directly to Azure's Git repository. GitHub: Connect your GitHub repository for seamless, continuous deployment. ZIP Deployment: Upload a ZIP file containing your application’s code. Complete Deployment: Follow the on-screen steps for the selected source and deploy your app. Once you are done, select Save. Test Your Deployment: Once the deployment is successful, navigate to your Web App URL to verify the deployment. Connect to Your Web App: Go to the resource in the Azure Portal. Select "Overview" to find the URL of your Web App. Open the URL in your browser to see your deployed application. Conclusion By following these steps, you can efficiently deploy your web app using CI/CD through the Azure Portal. This setup ensures that your application is always up-to-date with the latest code changes. Additional Resources Deployment best practices - Azure App Service | Microsoft Learn Tutorial: PHP app with MySQL and Redis - Azure App Service | Microsoft LearnDeploying a Web App on Azure App Service
At the heart of this post is Kairos IMS, an innovative Impact Management System designed to empower human-serving nonprofits and social impact organizations. Co-developed by the Urban League of Broward County and our trusted technology partner, Impactful, Kairos IMS reduces administrative burdens, enhances holistic care, and enables organizations to leverage data for increased agility and seamless service delivery. In this blog series, we’ll take a closer look at the powerful technologies that fuel Kairos IMS, from Azure services to security frameworks, offering insight into how modern infrastructure supports mission-driven impact. Click here to learn more. Azure App Service is a powerful platform for building, deploying, and scaling web apps. It supports multiple languages and frameworks, making it a versatile choice for developers. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of deploying a web app on Azure App Service. Step 1: Prerequisites Before you start, ensure you have the following: An Azure account with an active subscription. If you don't have one, you can create a free account. Your web app code ready for deployment. Visual Studio or any other development environment you prefer. Step 2: Create an App Service Log in to the Azure Portal: Go to portal.azure.com and sign in with your Azure account Create a Resource: Click on "Create a resource" and select "Web App." Creating Your Web App: Subscription: Choose your subscription. Resource Group: Select an existing resource group or create a new one. App Name: Enter a unique name for your app. Publish: Choose "Code" if you're deploying code directly, or "Docker Container" if you're using a container. Runtime Stack: Select the runtime stack that matches your web app (e.g., .NET, Node.js, Python). Region: Choose the region closest to your users. Pricing Plans: When creating your Web App, Azure will also ask you to create or select an App Service Plan, which defines the pricing tier and performance level for your app. Finish the steps and click "Review + create." 4. Completing Deployment: You will see a message letting you know your deployment is complete. Step 3: Deploy Your Web App Deployment Center: Once your deployment is complete, click on "Go to Resources" and navigate to the "Deployment Center" in your App Service. Source Control: Choose your source control method (e.g., GitHub, Bitbucket, Azure Repos). 3. Build Provider: Select the build provider (e.g., GitHub Actions, Azure Pipelines). 4. Configure Settings: Follow the prompts to configure your deployment settings. This includes connecting your repository and setting up continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Step 4: Monitor and Scale Your App Monitor: Use Azure Monitor to keep track of your app's performance and health. Set up alerts to notify you of any issues. To learn more about Azure Monitor, please visit: Monitor Azure App Service - Azure App Service | Microsoft Learn Scale: Azure App Service allows you to scale your app based on demand. Navigate to the "Scale up" or "Scale out" options to adjust your app's resources. To learn more about scaling, please visit: Scale up features and capacities - Azure App Service | Microsoft Learn Step 5: Manage Your App App Settings: Configure application settings, connection strings, and environment variables in the "Configuration" section. To learn more about configuring your app settings, please visit: Configure an App Service App - Azure App Service | Microsoft Learn SSL Certificates: Secure your app with SSL certificates. Navigate to "TLS/SSL settings" to configure SSL bindings. To learn more about SSL Certificates, please visit: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/app-service/configure-ssl-bindings Conclusion Deploying a web app on Azure App Service is a streamlined process that integrates well with various development tools and workflows. By following these steps, you can easily deploy, monitor, and scale your web app, ensuring a robust and reliable online presence.Building Secure Software from the Ground Up: Why It Matters for Nonprofits
What Is the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC)? The Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC) integrates security into every phase of the traditional Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Instead of treating security as a final step before software deployment, SSDLC ensures that security measures are embedded from day one. This approach reduces vulnerabilities and strengthens nonprofit organizations against cyber threats. Key Phases of SSDLC and Why They Matter Planning & Requirements Identify security risks before development begins: This involves understanding potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect the software. Define compliance needs: Ensure that the software meets regulatory requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, and donor data protection. Design Use secure architecture principles to mitigate risks: Design the software with security in mind, incorporating principles that reduce potential risks. Implement encryption, authentication, and access control measures: Ensure that data is protected through encryption, and that only authorized users can access the system. Development Follow secure coding best practices: Prevent vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and unauthorized access by adhering to secure coding standards. Use automated security scanning tools: Detect issues early in the development process by employing tools that automatically scan for security vulnerabilities. Testing Conduct penetration testing, security audits, and code reviews: Uncover weaknesses by thoroughly testing the software's security. Simulate cyberattacks to test software resilience: Ensure the software can withstand real-world attacks by simulating various cyber threats. Deployment & Maintenance Monitor for security threats and apply regular updates: Continuously watch for potential security issues and keep the software up-to-date with the latest patches. Conduct incident response drills: Prepare for potential breaches by regularly practicing how to respond to security incidents. How Nonprofits Can Implement SSDLC with the Right Tools Understanding SSDLC is one thing—putting it into practice effectively is another. Many nonprofits lack dedicated cybersecurity teams or technical expertise, making it difficult to integrate security throughout the development process. This is where Microsoft’s Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) comes in. Leveraging Microsoft’s Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) Practices Microsoft’s Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) is a structured approach that aligns with SSDLC principles, providing security best practices and tools to help organizations—including nonprofits—develop secure applications. Some of the key SDL practices that nonprofits should incorporate include: 🔹 Perform Security Design Review and Threat Modeling – Nonprofits often handle sensitive data, such as donor information and beneficiary details. Conducting thorough security design reviews and identifying potential security risks early in the development cycle through threat modeling helps protect this sensitive information and ensures compliance with regulations. 🔹 Require Use of Proven Security Features, Languages, and Frameworks – Nonprofits may have limited resources, so it's crucial to use reliable security features, programming languages, and frameworks that are known to minimize vulnerabilities. This ensures that the software is built on a secure foundation without requiring extensive custom security solutions. 🔹 Perform Security Testing – Regularly run comprehensive security tests, including penetration tests and vulnerability assessments, to identify and address security flaws. This practice is essential for nonprofits to maintain the trust of their donors and beneficiaries by ensuring that their data is secure. 🔹 Implement Security Monitoring and Response – Continuously monitor for security threats and have a robust incident response plan in place to address potential breaches. Nonprofits need to be prepared to quickly detect and effectively manage any security incidents to minimize the impact on their operations and stakeholders. 🔹 Provide Security Training – Educate and train staff on security best practices and the importance of maintaining a secure development lifecycle. Nonprofits often rely on volunteers and staff who may not have extensive technical backgrounds, so ongoing security training is crucial to prevent security breaches and ensure everyone understands their role in maintaining security. This list showcases some of the essential SDL practices that can greatly benefit nonprofits. For a comprehensive overview, please view the following resources: Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle Practices. Learn how Microsoft supports secure software development as part of a cybersecurity solution - Training | Microsoft Learn Microsoft Tools That Support Secure Development To help nonprofits implement SSDLC and SDL, Microsoft offers several security-focused tools that integrate directly into the software development process. ✔ Microsoft Defender for DevOps – Protects code repositories and CI/CD pipelines from security threats, ensuring security is embedded throughout the development lifecycle. ✔ Azure DevOps Security Tools – Integrates security checks into DevOps workflows with automated scanning for vulnerabilities in code, dependencies, and containerized applications. ✔ Microsoft Defender for Cloud – Provides real-time security monitoring, threat detection, and compliance management for cloud-based applications. This helps nonprofits maintain continuous security visibility across Azure and hybrid environments. ✔ Azure Key Vault – Secures application secrets, encryption keys, and certificates, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive credentials used in nonprofit applications. ✔ Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) – Helps protect nonprofit web applications from common threats like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and bot attacks by filtering and monitoring traffic. ✔ Azure Policy – Automates security compliance checks within Azure environments, ensuring nonprofit applications and services follow best security practices throughout their lifecycle. Bringing It All Together For nonprofits, cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue—it’s a mission-critical priority. A data breach can compromise donor trust, expose sensitive beneficiary information, and disrupt critical operations. By integrating Microsoft’s SDL practices and security tools into the Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SSDLC), nonprofits can: ✅ Proactively reduce cybersecurity risks before they become major threats. ✅ Protect donor and beneficiary data from unauthorized access. ✅ Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations. ✅ Strengthen trust with stakeholders who rely on them. By leveraging Microsoft’s security tools, nonprofits can build safer, more resilient applications—even without large security teams. This blog discusses building applications and incorporating security from the very beginning phases of development. If you are a nonprofit with applications that you may not have the budget to rebuild from the ground up, you can learn about modernizing and upgrading the security for your legacy applications here: Modernizing Legacy Applications in your Nonprofit | Microsoft Community HubBuilding a Web App and Database in Azure for Nonprofits
Welcome to our blog on how nonprofits can leverage Microsoft Azure to create and deploy a web app with a database. This blog will provide a step-by-step guide to help you get started, even if you have little to no experience with cloud computing. Setting Up Your Azure Environment In this first blog, we'll walk you through setting up your Azure environment. This includes creating an Azure account, setting up a resource group, and preparing your development environment. Sign in to your Azure Portal: Visit the Azure portal and sign in with your nonprofit account by going to this link: https://portal.azure.com/ Navigate to "App Services In the search bar, search for app services and select app service. Create an App Service Plan: Select "Create." Select Web App + Database Fill in all the required information for Project Details Create a new Resource group and select the Region closest to you. Select the Name and Runtime Stack. The Runtime stack in an Azure App Service web app refers to the set of technologies and frameworks that your web application runs on. Configure the database Select the engine, server name and database name. The Engine is the type of database for the web app. For this example, MySQL was picked. Select to add Azure Cache for Redis or not. Azure Cache for Redis is a fully managed, distributed, in-memory data store that enhances application performance and scalability by providing fast data access with sub-millisecond latency. For more information visit Azure Cache for Redis | Microsoft Azure. For this example, we will not add Azure cache for Redis. Select your hosting plan. Review + create Click on Review + create Click on Create after the validation process. Conclusion By following the steps outlined in this blog, you will successfully set up your Azure environment. This guide empowers nonprofits to leverage Microsoft Azure's robust capabilities, ensuring your web app is ready to support your mission effectively. Stay tuned for future blogs, where we will delve deeper into advanced configurations and best practices to maximize your Azure experience.
