---
title: "Build Labs using Azure Marketplace Virtual Machines"
slug: "build-labs-using-azure-marketplace-virtual-machines"
updated: 2024-09-06T15:24:01Z
published: 2024-09-06T15:24:01Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.skillable.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build Labs using Azure Marketplace Virtual Machines

This article will describe how to build labs using Azure Marketplace Virtual Machines. Some setup and configuration is required in order to begin building labs with these VMs.

## Overview of Steps Required to Build Labs using Azure Marketplace Virtual Machines

Once an Azure Subscription & Skillable Subscription Pool have been configured for Azure Marketplace Images, you are ready to start building custom images and labs based on those images!

### Pre-requisites

Ensure the [Azure setup](/v1/docs/setup-azure-for-deploying-skillable-vms) process has been completed. If any steps were missed or skipped, VMs created using this guide may not function as expected.

### Create A Virtual Machine Profile

Create a virtual machine profile that can be assigned to a Lab Profile.

1. Select **Azure** as the **Virtualization Platform**
2. Select **Use Azure Marketplace Image.**
3. Select a**Machine Type**that aligns with the**SKU for the Marketplace VM**you wish to use**.**For more information read Microsoft’s documentation about [Virtual Machine sizes](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/overview?tabs=breakdownseries,generalsizelist,computesizelist,memorysizelist,storagesizelist,gpusizelist,fpgasizelist,hpcsizelist) and [Virtual Machine generations](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/generation-2).
4. Enter the **Publisher ID**, **Product ID**, and **Plan ID** in the fields provided. This information is found on the VM image in the Azure Marketplace. If the **Plan ID** has a suffix of **-ARM**, this needs to be removed. For example if the **Plan ID** was “2022-datacenter-ARM” then enter “2022-datacenter” into the **Plan ID**field.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/a298db04-a0fe-47e0-bfe3-c52d6f9d7c8c/Images/Documentation/image(127).png)
5. Specify the VM **username**, ensure it meet’s the [Azure VM Username Requirements](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/faq#what-are-the-username-requirements-when-creating-a-vm-).
6. Specify the VM **password**, ensure it meet’s the [Azure VM Password Requirements](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/faq#what-are-the-password-requirements-when-creating-a-vm-).

### Associate VM Profile with Lab Profile

Create or edit a lab profile to deploy the virtual machine in Azure.

1. Configure the lab for cloud slice as normal, setting **Azure** as the virtualization platform on the **Basic Information** tab.
2. Add the **VM profile** to your lab profile.
3. Configure the **Network** tab
4. Configure the **Cloud** tab
5. On the Virtual Machines tab, select the **Network** and **Resource Group** that the VM will use.

### Install Integration Services

To utilized advanced Skillable capabilities cases like Automated Activities and Life Cycle Action targeted at the virtual machine, you will need to install the Skillable Integration services within the VM. To do so, complete the following:

1. On the lab profile, add a Life Cycle Action with the following properties:
  1. **Name:** Install Skillable Integration Services
  2. **Action:** Execute Script in Cloud Platform
  3. **Event:**Post-Build
2. In the script editor, select **Choose from Script Library**.
3. Search for and select the **Install Skillable Integration Services in Azure VM** script template.
4. After the script has been added, read the **How to use this script** section to modify it accordingly.

Activities are configured in the instructions editor and represented in the lab instructions by a replacement token. Activities fall into two broad categories: Questions and Automated.

- Questions are multiple choice or short answer questions.
- Automated Activities interact with the lab environment (Virtual Machine/Container/Cloud Platform).

With Life Cycle Actions, Skillable Studio is able to execute actions when specific events occur during the lab instance life cycle.