Lab 02: Implement task processing logic by using Azure Functions

Microsoft Azure user interface

Given the dynamic nature of Microsoft cloud tools, you might experience Azure UI changes that occur after the development of this training content. As a result, the lab instructions and lab steps might not align correctly.

Microsoft updates this training course when the community alerts us to needed changes. However, cloud updates occur frequently, so you might encounter UI changes before this training content updates. If this occurs, adapt to the changes, and then work through them in the labs as needed.

Instructions

Before you start

Username: Admin
Password: Pa55w.rd

Note: Your instructor will provide instructions to connect to the virtual lab environment.

Review the installed applications

Find the taskbar on your Windows 10 desktop. The taskbar contains the icons for the applications that you’ll use in this lab, including:

Microsoft Edge
File Explorer
Windows Terminal
Visual Studio Code

Lab Scenario

In this lab, you will demonstrate the ability to create a simple Azure function that echoes text that is entered and sent to the function by using HTTP POST commands. This will illustrate how the function can be triggered over HTTP.

Additionally, you will demonstrate how to execute an Azure function by setting it to execute on a fixed schedule. The function will write a message to a log each time the schedule is triggered.

Finally, you will demonstrate how an Azure function can connect to other Azure resources, such as a storage account. The function will connect to a storage account that you create and return the contents of a file that is stored in the Azure storage account.

Architecture diagram

Architecture diagram depicting a user implementing task processing logic by using Azure Functions.

Exercise 1: Create Azure resources

Task 1: Open the Azure portal

On the taskbar, select the Microsoft Edge icon.
In the browser window, browse to the Azure portal at https://portal.azure.com, and then sign in with the account you’ll be using for this lab.

Note: If this is your first time signing in to the Azure portal, you’ll be offered a tour of the portal. If you prefer to skip the tour, select Get Started to begin using the portal.

Task 2: Create an Azure Storage account

In the Azure portal, use the Search resources, services, and docs text box to search for Storage Accounts, and then, in the list of results, select Storage Accounts.
On the Storage accounts blade, select + Create.

On the Create a storage account blade, on the Basics tab, perform the following actions, and then select Review:

Setting	Action
Subscription drop-down list	Retain the default value
Resource group section	Select Create new, enter Serverless, and then select OK
Storage account name text box	Enter funcstor[yourname]
Region drop-down list	Select (US) East US
Performance section	Select the Standard option
Redundancy drop-down list	Select Locally-redundant storage (LRS)

The following screenshot displays the configured settings in the Create a storage account blade.

Screenshot displaying the configured settings on the Create a storage account blade

On the Review tab, review the options that you selected during the previous steps.
Select Create to create the storage account by using your specified configuration.

Note: Wait for the creation task to complete before you proceed with this lab.
On the Overview blade, select the Go to resource button to navigate to the blade of the newly created storage account.
On the Storage account blade, in the Security + networking section, select Access keys.
On the Access keys blade, select Show keys.
Review any one of the keys, and then copy the value of either of the Connection string boxes to the clipboard.

Note: It doesn’t matter which connection string you choose. They are interchangeable.
Open Notepad, and then paste the copied connection string value to Notepad. You’ll use this value later in this lab.

Task 3: Create a function app

On the Azure portal’s navigation pane, select the Create a resource link.
On the Create a resource blade, in the Search services and marketplace text box, enter Function, and then select Enter.
On the Marketplace search results blade, select the Function App result.
On the Function App blade, select Create.

On the Create Function App blade, on the Basics tab, perform the following actions, and then select Next: Storage:

Setting	Action
Subscription drop-down list	Retain the default value
Resource group section	Select Serverless
Function App name text box	Enter funclogic[yourname]
Publish section	Select Code
Runtime stack drop-down list	Select .NET
Version drop-down list	Select 6
Region drop-down list	Select the East US region
Operating System option	Select Linux
Plan type drop-down list	Select Consumption (Serverless)

The following screenshot displays the configured settings in the Create Function App blade.

Screenshot displaying the configured settings on the Create Function App blade

On the Storage tab, perform the following actions, and then select Review + create:

Setting	Action
Storage account drop-down list	Select the funcstor[yourname] storage account

On the Review + create tab, review the options that you selected during the previous steps.
Select Create to create the function app by using your specified configuration.

Note: Wait for the creation task to complete before you move forward with this lab.

Review

In this exercise, you created all the resources that you’ll use in this lab.

Exercise 2: Configure a local Azure Functions project

Task 1: Initialize a function project

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func empty directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
Note: In Windows Explorer remove the Read-only attribute from F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func\.gitignore file.
Run the following command to use the Azure Functions Core Tools to create a new local Azure Functions project in the current directory using the dotnet runtime:
```
 func init --worker-runtime dotnet --force
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [create a new project][azure-functions-core-tools-new-project] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Close the Windows Terminal application.

Task 2: Configure a connection string

On the Start screen, select the Visual Studio Code tile.
On the File menu, select Open Folder.
In the File Explorer window that opens, browse to Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func, and then select Select Folder.
On the Explorer pane of the Visual Studio Code window, open the local.settings.json file.
Observe the current value of the AzureWebJobsStorage setting:
```
 "AzureWebJobsStorage": "UseDevelopmentStorage=true",
```
Change the value of the AzureWebJobsStorage element to the connection string of the storage account that you recorded earlier in this lab.
Save the local.settings.json file.

Task 3: Build and validate a project

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
Run the following command to build the .NET Core 3.1 project:
```
 dotnet build
```

Review

In this exercise, you created a local project that you’ll use for Azure Functions development.

Exercise 3: Create a function that’s triggered by an HTTP request

Task 1: Create an HTTP-triggered function

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
Run the following command to use the Azure Functions Core Tools to create a new function named Echo using the HTTP trigger template:
```
 func new --template "HTTP trigger" --name "Echo"
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [create a new function][azure-functions-core-tools-new-function] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Close the currently running Windows Terminal application.

Task 2: Write HTTP-triggered function code

On the Start screen, select the Visual Studio Code tile.
On the File menu, select Open Folder.
In the File Explorer window that opens, browse to Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func, and then select Select Folder.
On the Explorer pane of the Visual Studio Code window, open the Echo.cs file.

Delete all the content within the Echo.cs file, and add the following code. It defines an HTTP-triggered function called “Echo” which takes in a POST request and returns the request body as an OkObjectResult. The ILogger interface is also used for logging information. This function can be used to test HTTP requests and responses.

 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
 using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 /*The following lines of code to add using directives for the 
 Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc, Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs, 
 Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http, and Microsoft.Extensions.Logging namespaces.*/
 public static class Echo
 {/*The following code block to create a new public static method 
 named Run that returns a variable of type IActionResult and that 
 also takes in variables of type HttpRequest and ILogger as parameters
 named request and logger.*/
     [FunctionName("Echo")]
     public static IActionResult Run(        
         [HttpTrigger("POST")] HttpRequest request,
         ILogger logger)
     {
         logger.LogInformation("Received a request");
         return new OkObjectResult(request.Body);
         /*The following line of code to echo the body of the HTTP request as the HTTP response.*/
     }
 }

Select Save to save your changes to the Echo.cs file.

Task 3: Test the HTTP-triggered function by using httprepl

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
Run the following command to run the function app project:
```
 func start --build
```
Note: You can review the documentation to start the function app project locally using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon again to open a new instance of the application. Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func empty directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From the command prompt, run the following command to install and start the httprepl tool, setting the base Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) to http://localhost:7071:
```
 dotnet tool install -g Microsoft.dotnet-httprepl
 httprepl http://localhost:7071
```
Note: An error message is displayed by the httprepl tool. This message occurs because the tool is searching for a Swagger definition file to use to traverse the API. Because your function project doesn’t produce a Swagger definition file, you’ll need to traverse the API manually.
From the tool’s prompt, run the following command to browse to the relative api directory:
```
 cd api
```
Run the following command to browse to the relative echo directory:
```
 cd echo
```
Run the following command to run the post command, sending in an HTTP request body set to a numeric value of 3 by using the --content option:
```
 post --content 3
```
Run the following command to run the post command, sending in an HTTP request body set to a numeric value of 5 by using the --content option:
```
 post --content 5
```
Run the following command to run the post command, sending in an HTTP request body set to a string value of Hello by using the --content option:
```
 post --content "Hello"
```
Run the following command to run the post command, sending in an HTTP request body set to a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) value of {“msg”: “Successful”} by using the --content option:
```
 post --content "{"msg": "Successful"}"
```
Run the following command to exit the httprepl application:
```
 exit
```
Close all currently running instances of the Windows Terminal application.

Review

In this exercise, you created a basic function that echoes the content sent through an HTTP POST request.

Exercise 4: Create a function that triggers on a schedule

Task 1: Create a schedule-triggered function

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From the command prompt, run the following command to use the Azure Functions Core Tools to create a new function named Recurring, using the Timer trigger template:
```
 func new --template "Timer trigger" --name "Recurring"
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [create a new function][azure-functions-core-tools-new-function] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Close the currently running Windows Terminal application.

Task 2: Observe function code

On the Start screen, select the Visual Studio Code tile.
On the File menu, select Open Folder.
In the File Explorer window that opens, browse to Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func, and then select Select Folder.
On the Explorer pane of the Visual Studio Code window, open the Recurring.cs file.

In the code editor, observe the implementation:

 using System;
 using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs;
 using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Host;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;    
 namespace func
 {
     public static class Recurring
     {
         [FunctionName("Recurring")]
         public static void Run([TimerTrigger("0 */5 * * * *")]TimerInfo myTimer, ILogger log)
         {
             log.LogInformation($"C# Timer trigger function executed at: {DateTime.Now}");
         }
     }
 }

Task 3: Observe function runs

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From the command prompt, run the following command to run the function app project:
```
 func start --build
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [start the function app project locally][azure-functions-core-tools-start-function] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Observe the function run that occurs about every five minutes. Each function run should render a simple message to the log.
Close the currently running Windows Terminal application.

Task 4: Update the function integration configuration

On the Start screen, select the Visual Studio Code tile.
On the File menu, select Open Folder.
In the File Explorer window that opens, browse to Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func, and then select Select Folder.
On the Explorer pane of the Visual Studio Code window, open the Recurring.cs file.

In the code editor, observe the existing Run method signature:

 [FunctionName("Recurring")]
 public static void Run([TimerTrigger("0 */5 * * * *")]TimerInfo myTimer, ILogger log)

Update the Run method signature code block to change the schedule to run once every 30 seconds:

 [FunctionName("Recurring")]
 public static void Run([TimerTrigger("*/30 * * * * *")]TimerInfo myTimer, ILogger log)

Select Save to save your changes to the Recurring.cs file.

Task 5: Observe function runs

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\ \Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
1. From the command prompt, run the following command to run the function app project:
```
 func start --build
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [start the function app project locally][azure-functions-core-tools-start-function] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Observe the function run that occurs about every 30 seconds. Each function run should render a simple message to the log.
Close the currently running Windows Terminal application.
Close the Visual Studio Code window.

Review

In this exercise, you created a function that runs automatically based on a fixed schedule.

Exercise 5: Create a function that integrates with other services

Task 1: Upload sample content to Azure Blob Storage

On the Azure portal’s navigation pane, select the Resource groups link.
On the Resource groups blade, select the Serverless resource group that you created previously in this lab.
On the Serverless blade, select the funcstor[yourname] storage account that you created previously in this lab.
On the Storage account blade, select the Containers link in the Data storage section.
In the Containers section, select + Container.

In the New container pop-up window, perform the following actions, and then select Create:

Setting	Action
Name text box	Enter content
Public access level drop-down list	Select Private (no anonymous access)

Return to the Containers section, and then select the recently created content container.
On the Container blade, select Upload.

In the Upload blob window, perform the following actions, and then select Upload:

Setting	Action
Files section	Select Browse for files or use the drag and drop feature
File Explorer window	Browse to Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter, select the settings.json file, and then select Open
Overwrite if files already exist check box	Ensure that this check box is selected

Note: Wait for the blob to upload before you continue with this lab.

Task 2: Create an HTTP-triggered function

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From the command prompt, run the following command to use the Azure Functions Core Tools to create a new function named GetSettingInfo, using the HTTP trigger template:
```
 func new --template "HTTP trigger" --name "GetSettingInfo"
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [create a new function][azure-functions-core-tools-new-function] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Close the currently running Windows Terminal application.

Task 3: Write HTTP-triggered and blob-inputted function code

On the Start screen, select the Visual Studio Code tile.
On the File menu, select Open Folder.
In the File Explorer window that opens, browse to Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func, and then select Select Folder.
On the Explorer pane of the Visual Studio Code window, open the GetSettingInfo.cs file.

Delete all the content within the GetSettingInfo.cs file, and add the following code. This code returns the contents of a JSON file in an Azure Blob Storage container in response to an HTTP GET request.

 /*The following lines of code to add using directives for the
     Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http, Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc, and 
     Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs namespaces.*/
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
 using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs;

 public static class GetSettingInfo
 {
     [FunctionName("GetSettingInfo")]
     //Specify that the name of the Azure Function is "GetSettingInfo".
     public static IActionResult Run(        
         [HttpTrigger("GET")] HttpRequest request,
         [Blob("content/settings.json")] string json)
         => new OkObjectResult(json); 

         /*The following code to update the Run expression-bodied method
          to return a new instance of the OkObjectResult class passing 
          in the value of the json method parameter as the sole 
          constructor parameter.*/         
 }

Select Save to save your changes to the GetSettingInfo.cs file.

Task 4: Register Azure Storage Blob extensions

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From the command prompt, run the following command to register the Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Extensions.Storage extension:
```
 func extensions install --package Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Extensions.Storage --version 5.0.1
```
Run the following command to build the .NET project and to validate the extensions were installed correctly:
```
 dotnet build
```
Close all currently running instances of the Windows Terminal application.

Task 5: Test the function by using httprepl

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From the command prompt, run the following command to run the function app project:
```
 func start --build
```
Note: You can review the documentation to [start the function app project locally][azure-functions-core-tools-start-function] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon again to open a new instance of the Windows Terminal application.
From the command prompt, run the following command to start the httprepl tool setting the base Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) to http://localhost:7071:
```
 httprepl http://localhost:7071
```
Note: An error message is displayed by the httprepl tool. This message occurs because the tool is searching for a Swagger definition file to use to traverse the API. Because your function project doesn’t produce a Swagger definition file, you’ll need to traverse the API manually.
When you receive the tool prompt, run the following command to browse to the relative api endpoint:
```
 cd api
```
Run the following command to browse to the relative getsettinginfo endpoint:
```
 cd getsettinginfo
```
Run the following command to run the get command for the current endpoint:
```
 get
```

Observe the JSON content of the response from the function app, which should now include:

 {
     "version": "0.2.4",
     "root": "/usr/libexec/mews_principal/",
     "device": {
         "id": "21e46d2b2b926cba031a23c6919"
     },
     "notifications": {
         "email": "joseph.price@contoso.com",
         "phone": "(425) 555-0162 x4151"
     }
 }

Run the following command to exit the httprepl application:
```
 exit
```
Close all currently running instances of the Windows Terminal application.

Review

In this exercise, you created a function that returns the content of a JSON file in Storage.

Exercise 6: Deploy a local function project to an Azure Functions app

Task 1: Deploy using the Azure Functions Core Tools

On the taskbar, select the Windows Terminal icon.
Run the following command to change the current directory to the Allfiles (F):\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func directory:
```
 cd F:\Allfiles\Labs\02\Starter\func
```
From command prompt, run the following command to login to the Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI):
```
 az login
```
In the Microsoft Edge browser window, enter the name and password of the Microsoft or Azure Active Directory account you are using in this lab, and then select Sign in.
Return to the currently open Windows Terminal window. Wait for the sign-in process to finish.
From the command prompt, run the following command to publish the function app project (replace the <function-app-name> placeholder with the name of the function app you created earlier in this lab):
```
 func azure functionapp publish <function-app-name>
```
Note: For example, if your Function App name is funclogicstudent, your command would be func azure functionapp publish funclogicstudent. You can review the documentation to [publish the local function app project][azure-functions-core-tools-publish-azure] using the Azure Functions Core Tools.
Wait for the deployment to finalize before you move forward with the lab.
Close the currently running Windows Terminal application.

Task 2: Validate deployment

On the taskbar, select the Microsoft Edge icon, and select the tab that displays the Azure portal.
On the Azure portal’s navigation pane, select the Resource groups link.
On the Resource groups blade, select the Serverless resource group that you created previously in this lab.
On the Serverless blade, select the funclogic[yourname] function app that you created previously in this lab.
On the Function App blade, select the Functions option in the Functions section.
On the Functions pane, select the existing GetSettingInfo function.
In the Function blade, select the Code + Test option in the Developer section.
In the function editor, select Test/Run.
In the automatically displayed pane, in the HTTP method drop-down list, select GET.
Select Run to test the function.

In the HTTP response content, review the results of the test run. The JSON content should now include the following code:

{
    "version": "0.2.4",
    "root": "/usr/libexec/mews_principal/",
    "device": {
        "id": "21e46d2b2b926cba031a23c6919"
    },
    "notifications": {
        "email": "joseph.price@contoso.com",
        "phone": "(425) 555-0162 x4151"
    }
}

Review

In this exercise, you deployed a local function project to Azure Functions and validated that the functions work in Azure.

Lab 02: Implement task processing logic by using Azure Functions

Microsoft Azure user interface

Instructions

Before you start

Sign in to the lab environment

Review the installed applications

Lab Scenario

Architecture diagram

Exercise 1: Create Azure resources

Task 1: Open the Azure portal

Task 2: Create an Azure Storage account

Task 3: Create a function app

Review

Exercise 2: Configure a local Azure Functions project

Task 1: Initialize a function project

Task 2: Configure a connection string

Task 3: Build and validate a project

Review

Exercise 3: Create a function that’s triggered by an HTTP request

Task 1: Create an HTTP-triggered function

Task 2: Write HTTP-triggered function code

Task 3: Test the HTTP-triggered function by using httprepl

Review

Exercise 4: Create a function that triggers on a schedule

Task 1: Create a schedule-triggered function

Task 2: Observe function code

Task 3: Observe function runs

Task 4: Update the function integration configuration

Task 5: Observe function runs

Review

Exercise 5: Create a function that integrates with other services

Task 1: Upload sample content to Azure Blob Storage

Task 2: Create an HTTP-triggered function

Task 3: Write HTTP-triggered and blob-inputted function code

Task 4: Register Azure Storage Blob extensions

Task 5: Test the function by using httprepl

Review

Exercise 6: Deploy a local function project to an Azure Functions app

Task 1: Deploy using the Azure Functions Core Tools

Task 2: Validate deployment

Review