Which Azure resource is used to manage inbound and outbound port access to Azure Virtual Machines?

The Azure resource used to manage inbound and outbound port access to Azure Virtual Machines is the Network Security Group. This resource allows users to define security rules that control the flow of traffic to and from their virtual machines. By configuring rules in a Network Security Group, you can specify which traffic is allowed or denied, based on factors like source IP address, destination IP address, port number, and protocol.

Network Security Groups are crucial in establishing a secure network environment for your virtual machines. They can be associated with individual network interfaces, subnets, or both, providing flexibility in managing access based on the needs of your cloud infrastructure. This capability is essential for protecting VMs from unauthorized access while allowing legitimate traffic.

The other resources listed do not specifically serve this purpose. The IoT Edge configuration file is related to managing configurations for IoT devices and does not deal with VM port access. A Virtual Network provides the foundational connectivity for Azure resources but does not control traffic rules at the granular port level. Azure Firewall is a more comprehensive security service that can manage traffic across multiple resources and networks, but specifically for managing VM access, the Network Security Group is the appropriate choice.