Deployment slots for staging in Azure - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Deployment Slots for Staging

📖 Scenario: You work for a company that wants to deploy a web app on Azure. They want to test new versions safely before making them live. To do this, they use deployment slots. A deployment slot is like a separate space where you can deploy your app version and test it without affecting the live app.In this project, you will create an Azure App Service with a production slot and add a staging slot for testing.

🎯 Goal: Create an Azure App Service resource with a production slot and add a deployment slot named staging. Configure the staging slot with the same settings as production.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create an Azure App Service resource named exactly myAppService.

Add a deployment slot named exactly staging to myAppService.

Configure the staging slot with the same app service plan as myAppService.

Ensure the deployment slot is ready for deployment testing.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Deployment slots let developers test new app versions safely before making them live, reducing downtime and errors.

💼 Career

Understanding deployment slots is essential for cloud engineers and DevOps professionals managing Azure App Services.

1

Create the Azure App Service resource

Write an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template snippet to create an Microsoft.Web/sites resource named myAppService with a basic app service plan myAppServicePlan. Include the kind property set to app and set the location to eastus.

Azure

{
  "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites",
  "apiVersion": "2021-02-01",
  "name": "myAppService",
  "location": "eastus",
  "kind": "app",
  "properties": {
    "serverFarmId": "myAppServicePlan"
  }
  // Your code here
}

Hint

Use the Microsoft.Web/sites resource type with name set to myAppService. Set kind to app and location to eastus. Use serverFarmId property to link the app service plan.

2

Add a deployment slot configuration

Add a new resource of type Microsoft.Web/sites/slots named staging under the myAppService resource. Set its location to eastus and link it to the same app service plan myAppServicePlan.

Azure

{
  "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites",
  "apiVersion": "2021-02-01",
  "name": "myAppService",
  "location": "eastus",
  "kind": "app",
  "properties": {
    "serverFarmId": "myAppServicePlan"
  }
},
{
  "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites/slots",
  "apiVersion": "2021-02-01",
  "name": "myAppService/staging",
  "location": "eastus",
  "properties": {
    "serverFarmId": "myAppServicePlan"
  }
  // Your code here
}

Hint

Use the resource type Microsoft.Web/sites/slots with the name format myAppService/staging. Set the location and serverFarmId same as the main app.

3

Configure the staging slot settings

Add a siteConfig property to the staging slot resource. Set alwaysOn to true inside siteConfig to keep the slot always running.

Azure

{
  "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites",
  "apiVersion": "2021-02-01",
  "name": "myAppService",
  "location": "eastus",
  "kind": "app",
  "properties": {
    "serverFarmId": "myAppServicePlan"
  }
},
{
  "type": "Microsoft.Web/sites/slots",
  "apiVersion": "2021-02-01",
  "name": "myAppService/staging",
  "location": "eastus",
  "properties": {
    "serverFarmId": "myAppServicePlan",
    "siteConfig": {
      // Your code here
    }
  }
}

Hint

Inside the properties of the staging slot, add siteConfig with "alwaysOn": true to keep the slot active.

4

Complete the ARM template with both resources

Wrap both the myAppService and staging slot resources inside a JSON array named resources in the ARM template. This completes the deployment template for the app service with a staging slot.

Azure

{
  "resources": [
    // Your code here
  ]
}

Hint

Put both resource objects inside a resources array to form a valid ARM template structure.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using deployment slots in Azure App Service?

easy

A. To create multiple independent apps with separate resources

B. To test new app versions safely before making them live

C. To increase the storage capacity of the app

D. To backup the app data automatically

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand deployment slots purpose

   Deployment slots allow you to deploy a new version of your app in a separate slot to test it without affecting the live app.

2. Step 2: Compare options with deployment slots function

   Options A, B, and D describe unrelated features like independent apps, storage, or backups, which are not the main purpose of deployment slots.

3. Final Answer:

   To test new app versions safely before making them live -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Deployment slots = safe testing before live [OK]

Hint: Deployment slots = safe app version testing before live [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking slots increase storage
• Confusing slots with separate apps
• Assuming slots are for backups

2. Which of the following is the correct way to swap a staging slot with the production slot in Azure CLI?

easy

A. az webapp deployment swap --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot staging

B. az webapp slot swap --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot production

C. az webapp deployment slot swap --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot staging

D. az webapp deployment slot switch --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot staging

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct Azure CLI command syntax

   The correct command to swap deployment slots is az webapp deployment slot swap with parameters for app name, resource group, and slot.

2. Step 2: Check each option's command correctness

   az webapp deployment slot swap --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot staging matches the correct syntax exactly. Options B, C, and D have incorrect command names or parameters.

3. Final Answer:

   az webapp deployment slot swap --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot staging -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Correct CLI swap command = az webapp deployment slot swap --name MyApp --resource-group MyGroup --slot staging [OK]

Hint: Use 'az webapp deployment slot swap' with --slot staging [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'slot swap' instead of 'deployment slot swap'
• Swapping with production slot explicitly
• Misspelling 'deployment' or 'swap'

3. Given the following Azure App Service slots setup:

Production slot URL: https://myapp.azurewebsites.net
Staging slot URL: https://myapp-staging.azurewebsites.net

If you deploy a new version to the staging slot and then swap slots, what will be the URL of the new live app?

medium

A. https://myapp-staging.azurewebsites.net

B. https://myapp-live.azurewebsites.net

C. https://myapp-staging-live.azurewebsites.net

D. https://myapp.azurewebsites.net

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand slot URLs and swapping behavior

   Each slot has its own URL. When you swap staging with production, the staging app becomes live at the production URL.

2. Step 2: Identify the live app URL after swap

   After swapping, the new live app runs at the production slot URL https://myapp.azurewebsites.net. The staging URL remains for the old production app now in staging.

3. Final Answer:

   https://myapp.azurewebsites.net -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Swap keeps live URL as production slot URL [OK]

Hint: Live app URL stays production slot URL after swap [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming staging URL becomes live URL
• Thinking swap creates new URLs
• Confusing slot names with URLs

4. You tried to swap your staging slot with production but received an error saying the swap failed due to configuration conflicts. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The staging slot has app settings marked as 'slot setting' that differ from production

B. The staging slot is using a different Azure subscription

C. The production slot is stopped and cannot be swapped

D. The staging slot has no deployment

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand slot setting behavior during swap

   App settings marked as 'slot setting' stay with their slot and do not swap. Conflicts arise if these settings differ between slots.

2. Step 2: Analyze error cause possibilities

   The staging slot has app settings marked as 'slot setting' that differ from production explains configuration conflicts due to slot settings. Options B, C, and D do not cause swap configuration conflicts.

3. Final Answer:

   The staging slot has app settings marked as 'slot setting' that differ from production -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Slot setting conflicts cause swap errors [OK]

Hint: Check 'slot setting' app settings for conflicts before swap [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring slot setting app configuration
• Assuming subscription mismatch causes swap errors
• Trying to swap when production is stopped

5. You want to minimize downtime during a major app update using deployment slots. Which strategy best achieves this?

hard

A. Deploy the new version to a staging slot, test it, then swap with production slot

B. Deploy directly to production slot during off-hours without staging

C. Create a new app service and switch DNS to it after deployment

D. Stop the production slot, deploy update, then start it again

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand deployment slots for zero downtime

   Deployment slots allow deploying and testing new versions without affecting live traffic, then swapping instantly to minimize downtime.

2. Step 2: Evaluate each strategy for downtime impact

   Deploy the new version to a staging slot, test it, then swap with production slot uses deployment slots correctly. Options A, B, and C cause downtime or complex DNS changes.

3. Final Answer:

   Deploy the new version to a staging slot, test it, then swap with production slot -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use staging slot deployment and swap for minimal downtime [OK]

Hint: Deploy to staging slot, test, then swap to production [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Deploying directly to production causing downtime
• Using DNS switch instead of slot swap
• Stopping production slot during update