I have developed a node-RED app with a dashboard.
Now I would like to host it for colleagues in Azure.
I understand I can put together a docker image or use a ubuntu vm, install node-red and my flows.
but how can I
a) give access to the GUI from the outside in Azure
b) any suggestions on how I can automatically create a new instance of the vm, on demand when somebody wants to access it? each user has to have their own instance.
Is there something that Azure provides, like a 'front-end', where a user can go to, type in a user name (or some id), and it starts a new instance? and then, after, say, 2 hours of inactivity, destroys that instance again?
You can either use a VM or you can create a simple web app (though note that there is a bug in Azure webapps at the moment that stops you using a Linux webapp instance as websockets won't work - should be fixed before too long - in the meantime, you can use a Windows instance).
If using a VM, you will also need to understand Azure's virtual networking which is the key to allowing and securing access to your app. When using a webapp, you don't need to do that but then you don't get as much fine-grained control (the typical SaaS vs PaaS balance).
To automate Azure PaaS services, you will need to investigate Azure Pipeline which is the part of the service that lets you use DevOps processes. Typically, you will create one or more Azure Templates which describe the system and lets you quickly create a new instance.
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
