To configure Microsoft Azure you have two options
for most things, the Management Portal and the PowerShell Cmdlets. Obviously as
Azure matures the likelesshood is more complex configurations will require
PowerShell.
If you are using a Windows laptop to administer
Azure you must download and install the Software Development Kit (SDK), in
order to make a remote PowerShell connection to your Azure tenancy.
It can be downloed from here http://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/downloads/
Once the Azure SDK is installed (it's a Next,
Next, Finish install), you must launch the Microsoft Azure PowerShell as an
Administrator. I have also seen some problems with it that means the PowerShell
box needs resized to make the text readable.
From the
Azure PowerShell window type Add-AzureAccount and hit
Enter.
You will then be prompted to enter the Global Administrator credentials for your Azure tenancy.
Once you
have been authenticated and the connection has been made you will be able to
use Azure PowerShell Cmdlets to configure items in your tenancy.