Azure-docs: Add an example using the more powerful New-AzureRmVmConfig cmdlet

[Philippe-Morin]

More specifically, for people that were deploying using unmanaged VHD, there doesn't seem to be any documentation anywhere that mentions to use the Set-AzureRmVmSourceImage like the following example:

$vmConfig = Set-AzureRmVMSourceImage -vm $vmConfig -id $sourceimage.Id
$vmConfig = Set-AzureRmVMOSDisk -vm $vmConfig -Name $diskName -StorageAccountType Standard_LRS -DiskSizeInGB 128 -CreateOption FromImage -Linux

Previously, you could specify the Id (Uri) directly in the Set-AzureRmVmOsDisk cmdlet but this doesn't work with a managed image.

Old example:

$vmConfig = Set-AzureRmVMOSDisk -VM $vmConfig -Name $diskName -VhdUri $destUri -CreateOption FromImage -SourceImageUri $imageOsBlob.Uri.AbsoluteUri -Linux

Document Details

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• ID: c95cf419-74ae-f6d1-5c3e-01f988fdd9c4
• Version Independent ID: 6dfe7480-2c45-2be9-3f3d-8ee97f62cc62
• Content: Create VM from a managed image in Azure
• Content Source: articles/virtual-machines/windows/create-vm-generalized-managed.md
• Service: virtual-machines-windows
• GitHub Login: @cynthn
• Microsoft Alias: cynthn

[jason-j-MSFT]

@Philippe-Morin
Thanks for the feedback! We are currently investigating and will update you shortly.

[cynthn]

@Philippe-Morin I think what you are looking for might be this topic: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/sa-copy-generalized which is for creating an "old" non-managed image and then creating a VM from that image. If you aren't looking at using an image, you could also try this topic: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/sa-upload-generalized. Or, if you don't have a generalized VHD, you can use the "attach" method for a specialized VM: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/sa-create-vm-specialized. All three of those topics should cover non-managed disks.

[mimckitt]

Thanks @cynthn!

@Philippe-Morin I will close this for now. If you feel you need more information just let us know and we can reopen and continue.

[Philippe-Morin]

No. This describes how to deploy a VM using an unmanaged image (VHD).

I’m taking about exactly what you linked, but for a managed image created using this procedure:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/capture-image-resource

But then the next step “Use generalized image” only talks about the New-AzureRmVm cmdlet using simplified parameters which is super limited.

I’ve also submitted a change to the examples of the following document where I basically take example 3 and rewrite it using managed disk:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/azurerm.compute/set-azurermvmosdisk?view=azurermps-6.4.0

[mimckitt]

Got it.

@cynthn how would you like to proceed with this one?

[Philippe-Morin]

fyi, this is the MS blog where I finally found the answer to what I'm suggesting. See the "Syntax Difference: Managed vs. Non-Managed" section.

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/igorpag/2017/03/14/azure-managed-disks-deep-dive-lessons-learned-and-benefits/

[cynthn]

@Philippe-Morin I guess I'm still kind of confused about what you are trying to do and how. I think your initial concern was about unmanaged disks using marketplace platform images: "...for people that were deploying using unmanaged VHD, there doesn't seem to be any documentation anywhere that mentions to use the Set-AzureRmVmSourceImage".

I think what you are asking for now is creating a VM using a platform image and the full-parameter set?

Except, when I look at what you are referring to in the Cmdlet reference: "Example 3: Sets properties on a virtual machine from specialized user image" that is for a user created specialized image (which means non-generalized)... which again, isn't a platform image from the marketplace.

I suspect you are wanting to use a marketplace image and managed disks, while using the full parameter set for New-AzureRmVM - is that correct? If that is the case, I am pretty sure you are right - we no longer have a doc for creating a VM using the full parameter set and specifying a platform image. Is there a reason why you want to use the full parameter set?

Thanks!

[Philippe-Morin]

I'm sorry, I was indeed not very clear.. doing too many things at once. Let me make it hopefully clearer! Sorry for the much longer post...

For the example in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/azurerm.compute/set-azurermvmosdisk?view=azurermps-6.4.0, I meant #2 (Sets properties on a virtual machine from generalized user image) and not #3. Sorry!

Also, now that I read my original post again, I really did a poor job at explaining. Here's what I really wanted to say:

Before, when deploying a user custom image (generalized VHD hosted on a storage account), you would create a new VM config variable using the New-AzureRmVMConfig cmdlet. You would then set all your configs, one of them being the Set-AzureRmVMOSDisk cmdlet. One of the parameter for that cmdlet was -SourceImageUri which you would point to your generalized VHD uri and you'd use the -CreateOption FromImage along with it.

Now, with managed disks, using the -SourceImageUri doesn't work to point to your source generalized managed disk. I tried using the -ManagedDiskId but that was not working either. What I found was working is to create an image using New-AzureRmImage (following https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/capture-image-resource).

The only documentation I could find to create a VM from that image in Microsoft docs was https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/create-vm-generalized-managed which only gives the very limited New-AzureRmVm cmdlet using simplified parameters. It doesn't give an example of New-AzureRmVm using the more powerful New-AzureRmVMConfig VM config variable.

Which is what the MS blog I finally found showed that to use the New-AzureRmVMConfig to create a managed disk VM from that image, you need to leverage the Set-AzureRmVMSourceImage specifying the id of the image.

So I guess all that to say that I was really looking to have this added to the documentation page https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/create-vm-generalized-managed as well as the page that talks about the Set-AzureRmVmOsDisk https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/azurerm.compute/set-azurermvmosdisk?view=azurermps-6.4.0.

[Philippe-Morin]

On a side note, I just noticed that when using the Set-AzureRmVMSourceImage, you don't actually need to use the Set-AzureRmVmOsDisk or Add-AzureRmVMDataDisk, they will automatically get added even though the disk names are going to be random... so maybe only the page https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/create-vm-generalized-managed should get the example.

[cynthn]

Cool! Yep, the https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/create-vm-generalized-managed topic used to have the full syntax before the simplified parameter set was released. I think I can just pull that version out of the Git history and add it to the doc as the "using a config" or "using the extended parameters" section of the doc.

It will take me a little while before I can circle back around to updating that doc. I'm going to create a work item to track it on my side.

I'll have them close this issue. If you think of anything else, feel free to reopen the issue :)

Thanks! #please-close

[Philippe-Morin]

No sounds good, thanks for the great follow up! And sorry for the early confusion! :)

[ericcwk]

Please provide doc of " Set-AzureRmVMSourceImage" when working in this cases.
2 months passed no follow up

[cynthn]

@ericcwk thanks for the feedback! Sorry that I haven't had the time to add back in the full parameter set version of this content. There is a script available that has all the pieces. You can find it here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/scripts/virtual-machines-windows-powershell-upload-generalized-script

[Liam3851]

I'd like to second (now third) the request for the standard-parameter example (can now be replaced with Set-AzVMSourceImage for the newer Az module) to be added to the main document. The above comment finally solved by problem, but having it buried down here at the end of a hidden comment thread is no good and lost us some hours of productivity.

[coderUT]

I'll 15th the request....its absurd that Microsoft is pushing using managed disks and managed images EVERYWHERE (including in the AZ-103 certification exam), but the documentation STILL only shows how to use a custom managed image with the New-AzVM, OVER 1 year after this was supposedly "Closed".

New-AzVM to create VMs is bollocks for any decent programmer who wants full control without a single cmdlet that has frigging 100 parameters (exaggeration of course, but point made, same as what the other posters have said).

[coderUT]

There should also be a re-factoring here, its only been over 2 years.
Set-AzVMSourceImage should pretty much be JUST for platform image specification
Set-AzVMOsDisk should be refactored to add a -Image or -ImageId parameter that can be used instead of -SouceImageUri.....this is pretty obvious stuff, surprised that its not been done as of Azure Powershell 2.5