SSH and RDP access in Azure - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - SSH and RDP access

User wants to connect

↓

Choose protocol: SSH or RDP

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Check VM network settings

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Is port open?

↓

Send connection request

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Authenticate user

↓

Access granted

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User controls VM remotely

User picks SSH or RDP, network ports are checked, then user authenticates to access the VM remotely.

Execution Sample

Azure

az vm open-port --resource-group MyGroup --name MyVM --port 22
ssh azureuser@vm-ip-address

Open SSH port 22 on VM, then connect using SSH client.

Process Table

Step	Action	Check/Command	Result
1	User decides to connect	Choose SSH or RDP	SSH chosen
2	Check VM network	Is port 22 open?	No
3	Open port	az vm open-port --resource-group MyGroup --name MyVM --port 22	Port 22 opened
4	Attempt connection	ssh azureuser@vm-ip-address	Connection established
5	Authenticate	Enter password or key	Authentication successful
6	Access VM	User controls VM remotely	Session active
7	End session	User disconnects	Connection closed

💡 User disconnects or session ends

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4	After Step 5	Final
Port 22 open	False	False	True	True	True	True
Connection status	Disconnected	Disconnected	Disconnected	Connected	Connected	Disconnected
Authentication status	Not authenticated	Not authenticated	Not authenticated	Not authenticated	Authenticated	Authenticated

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why can't I connect before opening the port?

Because the VM's network blocks the port (Step 2 shows port 22 is closed), so connection requests are rejected.

What happens if authentication fails?

The connection is refused after Step 5; user cannot access the VM remotely.

Why do we need to open port 22 for SSH?

Port 22 is the standard port for SSH; if it's closed, the VM won't accept SSH connections (Step 3 opens it).

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, at which step does the port 22 become open?

A Step 3

B Step 2

C Step 4

D Step 5

💡 Hint

Check the 'Port 22 open' variable in variable_tracker after each step.

At which step does the user successfully authenticate?

A Step 4

B Step 5

C Step 6

D Step 7

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Authentication status' variable in variable_tracker.

If port 22 was not opened, what would happen at Step 4?

A Connection would be established

B Authentication would succeed

C Connection would be blocked

D User would control VM remotely

💡 Hint

Refer to Step 2 and Step 3 in execution_table about port status.

Concept Snapshot

SSH and RDP allow remote VM access.
Open required ports (22 for SSH, 3389 for RDP).
Connect using client software.
Authenticate with password or keys.
Then control VM remotely.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how a user connects to a virtual machine using SSH or RDP. First, the user chooses the protocol. The VM's network settings are checked to see if the required port is open. If not, the port is opened using Azure CLI commands. Then the user attempts connection. If the port is open, the connection is established. The user authenticates with a password or key. After successful authentication, the user gains remote control of the VM. The session ends when the user disconnects.