Deploy a Scalable Web Application with Database Integration using Azure VMs, Docker, and Cloud Security

Scenario:

You have been tasked with deploying a scalable e-commerce web application for a fastgrowing company. The application should consist of a front-end and a backend API that connects to a MySQL database. The solution should be secure, scalable, and containerized using Docker. The goal is to minimize downtime and optimize costs while ensuring security.

Task:

1. Set up Azure Virtual Machines to host the front-end and back-end services.

• Use two separate Linux VMs (one for the front end, one for the back end).

2. Dockerize the front-end and back-end applications.

• The front-end can be a simple NGINX server hosting a static HTML page.
• The back end can be a Node.js API.

3. Deploy a MySQL database using Docker on the back-end VM.
4. Ensure database integration between the back-end API and the MySQL database, securing communication using SSL.
5. Set up Azure Load Balancer to distribute traffic between the front-end and back-end VMs for high availability.
6. Implement Azure Security Center and Network Security Groups (NSGs) to protect against external threats. Ensure only necessary ports (e.g., 80/443) are open to the public.
7. Configure a cron job on the back-end VM to perform a health check on the database and log the status every 10 minutes.
8. Optimize VM sizing for cost-effectiveness and performance by evaluating CPU, memory, and network usage.

Deliverable:

• A public GitHub repository containing:
  • docker-compose.yml files for the front-end and back-end applications.
  • Scripts for setting up the VMs, MySQL, and Docker containers.
  • Configuration screenshots of NSGs, the load balancer, and Azure Security Center.
  • Performance metrics and logs showing the VM resource utilization and cron job output.
  • Screenshots of API endpoints interacting with the MySQL database.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Proper VM creation and Docker containerization.
• Effective scaling and security (load balancing, NSGs).
• Integration between the back-end API and MySQL database.
• Evidence of optimization and security via logs and Azure performance metrics.