Tensorflow meets C# Azure function

Tensorflow meets C# Azure function and … . In this post I would like to show how to deploy tensorflow model with C# Azure function. I will use the TensorflowSharp the .NET bindings to the tensorflow library. The InterceptionInterface will be involved to create http endpoint which will recognize the images.

Code

I will start with creating .net core class library and adding TensorFlowSharp package:

dotnet new classlib
dotnet add package TensorFlowSharp -v 1.9.0

Then create file TensorflowImageClassification.cs:

Here I have defined the http entrypoint for the AzureFunction (Run method). The q query parameter is taken from the url and used as a url of the image which will be recognized.

The solution will analyze the image using the convolutional neural network arranged with the Interception architecture.

The function will automatically download the trained interception model thus the function first run will take little bit longer. The model will be saved to the D:\home\site\wwwroot\.

The convolutional neural network graph will be kept in the memory (graphCache) thus the function don’t have to read the model every request. On the other hand the input image tensor has to be prepared and preprocessed every time (ConstructGraphToNormalizeImage).

Finally I can run command:

dotnet publish

which will create the package for the function deployment.

Azure function

To deploy the code I will create the Azure Function (Consumption) with the http trigger. Additionally I will set the function entry point, the function.json will be defined as:

The kudu will be used to deploy the already prepared package. Additionally I have to deploy the libtensorflow.dll from /runtimes/win7-x64/native (otherwise the Azure Functions won’t load it). The bin directory should look like:

Finally I can test the azure function:

The function recognize the image and returns the label with the highest probability.