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 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 and Virtual Machine generations.

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.

   

5. Specify the VM username, ensure it meet’s the Azure VM Username Requirements.

6. Specify the VM password, ensure it meet’s the Azure VM Password Requirements.

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.