Az Web App Slots
Deploying your application automatically on an Azure Web App isn't really challenging. You have several options to do it (including Web Deploy, Git, FTP...); and several release management services (like Visual Studio Team Services) provide automated tasks for this. But you might run into some issues if you just follow the easy way.
The shortest way is still not the best way
Azure Web Apps has a cool feature which enables you to have additional slots for a web app. In this article we are going to see how to create and publish to a slot. When you deploy your web app, web app on Linux, mobile back end, or API app to Azure App Service, you can use a separate deployment slot instead of the default production slot when you're running in the Standard, Premium, or Isolated App Service plan tier. Deployment slots are live apps with their own host names.
You can deploy your application straight to your Azure Web App, but here are the problems you might run into:
- Your deployment package might be large, so the deployment process would be long enough to introduce significant downtime to your application.
- After the deployment, the Web App might need to restart. This results in a cold start: the first request will be slower to process and multiple requests may stack up waiting for the Web App to be ready to process them.
- Your deployment may fail due to files being used by the server processes.
- If your last deployment introduces critical issues, you have no way to quickly rollback to the previous version.
All of these are worth considering if you are alone in your team, and deploy your application to your own private test Web App. But it isn't exactly the purpose of cloud computing, is it?
I mean, even if you are targeting an integration environment, only used by your kind frontend colleague, you don't want him to hit a brick wall, waiting for you to fix your API if something got wrong.
And if you are targeting a validation environment, would you like to have your QA open a non-reproductible issue due only to the deployment downtime?
And if you are deploying to your producti... OK, I think you got my point here, let's fix it!
Blue-Green deployment
Blue-Green deployment is a release approach to reduce downtime by ensuring you have two identical production environments: Blue and Green. At any time one of them is live, serving all production traffic, while the other is just idle.
Let's say that Blue is currently live.
You can deploy your new release in the environment that is not live, Green in our example. Once your deployment is finished, and your application is ready to serve requests, you can just switch the router so all incoming requests now go to Green instead of Blue.
Green is now live, and Blue is idle.
Credits: BlueGreenDeployment by Martin Fowler.
As well as reducing downtime, the Blue-Green deployment approach reduces risks: if your last release on Green produces unexpected behaviors, just roll back to the last version by switching back to Blue.
Deployment slots to the rescue!
The great news is that you have a nice way to implement the Blue-Green deployments for Azure Web Apps: deployment slots (available in the Standard or Premium App Service plan mode).
What are deployment slots?
By default, each Azure Web App has a single deployment slot called production which represents the Azure Web App itself.
You can then create more deployment slots. They are actually live Web App instances with their own hostnames, but they are tied to the main Web App.
In fact, if:
- I have a Web App:
- called
geeklearning, - with default hostname
geeklearning.azurewebsites.net, - and I create a slot:
- named
staging, - its hostname will be
geeklearning-staging.azurewebsites.net.
You can easyly swap two slots, including the production one. Swapping is not about copying the content of the website but, as the Blue-Green approach recommends it, it is more about swapping DNS pointers.
When dealing with deployment slots, you should also be aware of how configuration works.
Indeed, some configuration elements will follow the content across a swap while others will stay on the same slot.
Particulary, the app settings and connection strings are swapped by default, but can be configured to stick to a slot.
Settings that are swapped:
- General settings - such as framework version, 32/64-bit, Web sockets
- App settings (can be configured to stick to a slot)
- Connection strings (can be configured to stick to a slot)
- Handler mappings
- Monitoring and diagnostic settings
- WebJobs content
Settings that are not swapped:
- Publishing endpoints
- Custom Domain Names
- SSL certificates and bindings
- Scale settings
- WebJobs schedulers
Create a new slot
To create a new deployment slot, just open your Web App from the Azure Portal and click on Deployment slots, and then Add Slot.
You can choose to clone the configuration from an existing slot (including the production one), or to start with a fresh new configuration.
Once your slot has been created, you can configure it like a normal Web App, and eventually declare some settings as 'Slot setting' to stick it to your new slot.
Successful deployment process
Now that you implement the Blue-Green deployments through Azure Web App Deployment Slots, you resolved almost all issues listed before.
The last one left is that your deployment may fail if a file is currently locked by a process on the Web App. To ensure that this will not happen, it seems safer to stop the Web server before deploying and start it again just after. As you are deploying on a staging slot, there is no drawback doing this!
So, the whole successful deployment process comes down to:
- Stop the staging slot
- Deploy to the staging slot
- Start the staging slot
- Swap the staging slot with the production one
You may leave the staging slot running after the deployment process, to let you swap it back in case of any issues.
Deploy from Visual Studio Team Services
Update: there is an easier way to deploy from VSTS now: learn how!
Implementing this deployment process in a VSTS Build or Release definition could be a little bit challenging: as you have a default build task to deploy your application to an Azure Web App, even to a specific slot, you can't stop, swap or start slots.
Fortunately, you can run PowerShell scripts, and even get them to use an Azure connection configured for your Team Project thanks to the Azure Powershell task.
You then just have to write three PowerShell scripts using the PowerShell Modules for Azure.
Stop Azure Web App Slot
Create a new PowerShell script named StopSlot.ps1, write the following content, and publish it to your source repository:
Start Azure Web App Slot
Create a new PowerShell script named StartSlot.ps1, write the following content, and publish it to your source repository:
Swap Azure Web App Slots
Create a new PowerShell script named SwapSlots.ps1, write the following content, and publish it to your source repository:
Add PowerShell scripts to your build definition
You are now ready to edit your Build or Release definition in VSTS to support your successful Azure Web App deployment process:
- Add the three Azure Powershell tasks, one before your Azure Web App Deployment task and two just after
- Configure your tasks
- Azure Connection Type: Azure Classic
- Azure Classic Subscription: Select your configured Azure Classic service (you should have this already configured if you deployed your application to Azure, otherwise learn how to configure it on the VSTS documentation)
- Script Path: Select the path to your script (from sources for a Build, or artifacts for a Release)
- Scripts Arguments: Should match the parameters declared in your scripts, like
-WebAppName 'slots-article' -SlotName 'staging'
You have now a real successful Azure Web App deployment process, automated from Visual Studio Team Services, without downtime or cold start, strong and safe!
Updated: change screenshots to match VSTS and Azure new UIs, add a link to an easier successful Azure Web App deployment process from VSTS
Introduction to Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Arizona slot machine casino gambling consists of 25 American Indian tribal casinos offering slot machines, video poker, video blackjack, and video keno.
I’ve dedicated this weekly series to slot enthusiasts such as yourself as you master casino slots and win your way to success by using this State-By-State Online Resource to improve your slots gambling performance by reviewing your state’s slots gaming industry.
Keep Reading … Or Watch Instead!
Or … Listen Instead!
Subscribe to my Professor Slots podcast at Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Amazon Audible Gaana Stitcher Pandora iHeart Radio Tune-In SoundCloud RadioPublic Deezer RSS and everywhere else you find your podcasts!
Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Arizona*
The minimum legal gambling age in Arizona depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21
- Poker Rooms: 21
- Bingo and Pull-Tabs: 18
- Lottery: 21
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 21
In 1993, 21 tribes established an approved gaming compact with Arizona. Much later, in 2017, the Hopi tribe obtained an approved gaming compact.
These gaming compacts limit the total number of Vegas-style gaming machines to 20,576 in the state, occasionally adjusted for population growth. At the time of this writing, there are about 15,600 gaming machines in operation.
The maximum bet on gaming machines is $25.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Arizona
It is legal to own a slot machine privately in Arizona.
Gaming Control Board in Arizona
In 1995, due to the growth of tribal gaming in Arizona, the state legislature created the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) a few years after the successful negotiation of tribal-state gaming compacts.
ADG’s purpose is as an independent regulatory body with expertise in gaming. This tribal gaming oversight is in partnership with Arizona’s 22 American Indian tribes with tribal-state compacts.
In 2015, ADG’s responsibilities expanded to include oversight of pari-mutuel wagering, racing, boxing, and mixed martial arts events conducted in Arizona.
Casinos in Arizona
Arizona has 25 American Indian tribal casinos and non-tribal pari-mutuel wagering without slot machines.
The largest casino in Arizona is Casino Del Sol having over 1300 gaming machines.
The second-largest casino is Desert Diamond Casino – West Valley Resort having 1,136 gaming machines.
Commercial Casinos in Arizona
Pari-mutuel wagering of races is available in Arizona, but these facilities do not offer slot machines.
Tribal Casinos in Arizona
The 25 American Indian tribal casinos in Arizona are:
- Apache Gold Casino Resort in San Carlos, 90 miles east of Phoenix.
- Apache Sky Casino in Winkelman, 70 miles north of Tucson.
- BlueWater Resort & Casino in Parker, 160 miles west of Phoenix.
- Bucky’s Casino in Prescott, 91 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
- Casino Arizona in Scottsdale, 15 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Casino Del Sol in Tucson.
- Casino of the Sun in Tucson.
- Cliff Castle Casino Hotel in Camp Verde, 50 miles south of Flagstaff.
- Cocopah Casino & Resort in Somerton, 13 miles southwest of Yuma.
- Desert Diamond Casino – Sahuarita, 20 miles south of Tucson.
- Desert Diamond Casino – Tucson.
- Desert Diamond Casino – West Valley Resort in Glendale, a northwestern suburb of Phoenix.
- Desert Diamond Casino – Why in Ajo, 125 miles southwest of Phoenix.
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Lone Butte in Chandler, 10 miles southwest of Phoenix.
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Vee Quiva in Laveen, 10 miles southwest of Phoenix.
- Gila River Hotels & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, 25 miles southeast of Phoenix.
- Harrah’s Ak Chin Casino Resort in Maricopa, 25 miles south of Phoenix.
- Hon-Dah Resort Casino in Pinetop, 190 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Mazatzal Hotel & Casino in Payson, 90 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Paradise Casino Arizona in Yuma, 244 miles west of Tucson.
- Spirit Mountain Casino in Mohave Valley, 120 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
- Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, 15 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort, 40 miles east of Flagstaff.
- Wekopa Casino Resort in Fountain Hills, 25 miles northeast of Phoenix.
- Yavapai Casino in Prescott, 91 miles southwest of Flagstaff.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Arizona slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Arizona is:
- North: Utah Slots
- East: New Mexico Slots
- South: Mexico’s states of Sonora and Baja California
- West: California Slots and Nevada Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Arizona.
Az Web App Slots App
Our Arizona Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Arizona? If so, join our Arizona slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group community.
There, you can meet online and privately share your slots experiences with local slots enthusiasts about playing slot machines in Arizona. Join us!
Payouts and Returns in Arizona
The tribal-state gaming compacts between Arizona and its tribes have placed limits on theoretical payouts for gaming machines based on the type of game.
The minimum theoretical payout limits for Class III machines, during the expected lifetime of the game and including bonus games, are:
- Games-of-chance (Vegas-style slot machines): 80%
- Games-of-skill (video blackjack and video poker): 83%
- Video keno: 75%
Return statistics are not publicly available.
Summary of Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Arizona slot machine casino gambling consists of 25 tribal casinos with 15,600 Vegas-style gaming machines offering slots, video poker, video blackjack, and video keno.
Annual Progress in Arizona Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Over the last year, Harrah’s Phoenix Ak-Chin Casino Resort has fallen to the third-largest casino in Arizona with 1,135 slot machines, with Casino Del Sol Resort now taking second-place with one more slot machine than Harrah’s Ak-Chin in Phoenix.
Web App Ea Sports
Otherwise, the Fort McDowell Casino in Fountain Hills has re-opened as the Wekopa Casino Resort.
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- Previous: American Samoa Slot Machine Casino Gambling
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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC