Setup Azure to use Azure Marketplace VM Images

Azure Marketplace is an online store that contains thousands of IT software applications and services. Skillable provides access to the Azure Marketplace Virtual Machine gallery in order to allow the use of Marketplace VM images in labs.

This document will describe how to setup Azure and Skillable Studio to enable to use of marketplace VMs.

Benefits of using Azure Marketplace VMs

• Expedite the VM provisioning process.

  • Instead of the user going through a setup process or figuring out complicated scripts, simply select a pre-configured VM image from the marketplace and deploy it, reducing the time it takes to set up new environments.

Best Practices for using Azure Marketplace VMs

• Make backup copies of production images.

Overview of steps required to setup an Azure Marketplace Virtual Machine

To get started using Azure Marketplace Images for Skillable labs, there are several required steps across the combination of Microsoft Azure and Skillable Studio. If any steps are missed or skipped, VMs created in later processes may not function as expected.

Azure Setup

Prior to using Azure Marketplace VM images within Skillable Studio, the Azure tenant must be enabled for Skillable Cloud Slice and the subscription used must have access to the Azure Marketplace.

Skillable Cloud Slice Authorization

If your subscription(s) have not been configured for Skillable Cloud Slice, setup Microsoft Azure for Cloud Slice.

Enable Marketplace Purchases

In order to add Marketplace VMs to your labs, you first need to be able to access the marketplace through your Azure tenant. This should be the same tenant used to add a subscription to the lab.

To enable marketplace purchases on your tenant, follow the process outlined here. Note that the steps are different depending on the billing account type for your tenant.

Skillable Studio Setup

Configure Subscription Pool & Subscriptions

Navigate to the subscription pool your labs will use, if you do not have one yet, create a Cloud Subscription Pool using the authentication information for your subscription in Azure.

Configure Lab Developer Permissions

In order to build labs using Azure Marketplace VMs, your lab builders will need the following permissions in Skillable Studio:

• Lab Profiles (create, edit, delete)

• Virtual Machine Profiles (create, edit, delete)

• Cloud Subscription Pools (create, edit, delete)

• Cloud Subscriptions (create, edit, delete)

If you need assistance in configuring your users, please reach out to Skillable Support

Next Steps

• Get started building labs with Azure Marketplace Virtual Machines.