Technical Blog | REBELADMIN

Learn about Active Directory and Various Azure Services

Archives for December 2019

Step-by-Step Guide: Crete Azure VM using Managed Image (PowerShell Guide)

Last Updated on December 30, 2019 by Dishan M. Francis

Each organization has different standards when it comes to server/desktop provisioning. These standards change based on the nature of the business, compliances, server/desktop role and so on. By keeping the customized OS image simplifies the provisioning process as well as prevent configuration errors. In the local environment, we can do this simply using WDS, System Centre or other 3rd party solutions. But what if need to do the same in Azure environment ?

In this blog post, I am going to demonstrate how to create a managed image in Azure and how to use it to deploy Azure VM. 

For the configuration process, I will be using PowerShell. Therefore, please make sure you have Azure PowerShell module installed. More info about it can find under https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/azure/install-az-ps?view=azps-2.6.0

Let's go ahead and start the configuration process by creating a new resource group. 

1. Launch PowerShell console and connect to Azure using Connect-AzAccount

2. Then create a new resource group using,

New-AzResourceGroup -Name REBELRG -Location "East US"

In the above, REBELRG is the resource group name and East US is the resource group location.

3. The next step is to create a new virtual network.

$vmsubnet  = New-AzVirtualNetworkSubnetConfig -Name vmsubnet -AddressPrefix "10.0.2.0/24"

New-AzVirtualNetwork -Name REBELVN1 -ResourceGroupName REBELRG -Location "East US" -AddressPrefix "10.0.0.0/16" -Subnet $vmsubnet

In the above, REBELVN1 is the new virtual network name. It has 10.0.0.0/16 address space. It also has a new subnet 10.0.2.0/24 (vmsubnet) for virtual machines. 

[Read more…] about Step-by-Step Guide: Crete Azure VM using Managed Image (PowerShell Guide)

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Move Azure VM to a different Resource Group? (PowerShell Guide)

Last Updated on December 19, 2019 by Dishan M. Francis

There are occasions where we need to move Azure Virtual Machines from one resource group to another. In this post, I am going to demonstrate how we can do that. Before start, there are a few things we should look in to.

• Not every resource can move from one resource group to another. More info about it can find under https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/azure/azure-resource-manager/move-support-resources

• If you are looking to move from one region to another, there is a separate process for that. I already wrote an article about it. You can access it using, https://www.rebeladmin.com/2019/11/step-step-guide-move-azure-vm-one-region-another/

• When you move resources, make sure to migrate all dependencies with it. 

• When a virtual machine is moved from one resource group to another, the system creates a new resource ID. If you use this value on scripts or other services, those will need to update after the move. 

• The same method also can use to move resources from one subscription to another. 

In this demo, I am going to create a new VM in one resource group and then move it to another.  

For the configuration process, I will be using PowerShell. Therefore, please make sure you have an Azure PowerShell module installed. More info about it can find under https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/azure/install-az-ps?view=azps-2.6.0

1. Launch PowerShell console and connect to Azure using Connect-AzAccount

2. Then create two new resource group using,

New-AzResourceGroup -Name REBELRG1 -Location "East US"

New-AzResourceGroup -Name REBELRG2 -Location "East US"

In the above, REBELRG1 & REBELRG2 are the resource group names and East US is the resource group location.

3. The next step is to create a new virtual network under REBELRG1 resource group.

$vmsubnet  = New-AzVirtualNetworkSubnetConfig -Name vmsubnet -AddressPrefix "10.0.2.0/24"

New-AzVirtualNetwork -Name REBELVN1 -ResourceGroupName REBELRG1 -Location "East US" -AddressPrefix "10.0.0.0/16" -Subnet $vmsubnet

In the above, REBELVN1 is the new virtual network name. It has 10.0.0.0/16 address space. It also has a new subnet 10.0.2.0/24 (vmsubnet) for virtual machines. [Read more…] about Step-by-Step Guide: How to Move Azure VM to a different Resource Group? (PowerShell Guide)

Step-by-Step Guide: How to configure Azure Private DNS? (PowerShell Guide)

Last Updated on December 12, 2019 by Dishan M. Francis

If we are in an Active Directory environment, we can use windows DNS services to manage DNS records. This allows us to connect to hosts using their FQDN. When a new host added or when host IP address updated, relevant DNS entries are get updated automatically. Also, the same DNS servers can use to create custom DNS records. 

If it is not an Active Directory environment and still wants to use DNS services, we have to use a custom DNS solution. In such a situation most of the time we need to manually add/update DNS records. 

So, what about Azure environment? Does the same apply to it? 

Azure DNS is a managed DNS solution. We can use it for public DNS records as well as for private DNS records. Using Azure private DNS, we can resolve DNS names in a virtual network. 

Azure Private DNS has following benefits, 

• No additional servers – We do not need to maintain additional servers to run DNS solution. It is a fully managed service. 

• Automatic Record Update – Similar to Active Directory DNS, we can configure Azure DNS to register/update/delete hostname records for virtual machines automatically. 

• Support common DNS records types – It supports common DNS records types such A, AAAA, MX, NS, SRV, TXT. 

• DNS resolution between virtual networks – Azure Private DNS zones can be shared between virtual networks.

In this demo, I am going to demonstrate how to create an Azure private DNS zone.

For the configuration process, I will be using PowerShell. Therefore, please make sure you have Azure PowerShell module installed. More info about it can find under https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/azure/install-az-ps?view=azps-2.6.0

Let's go ahead and start the configuration process by creating a new resource group. 

1. Launch PowerShell console and connect to Azure using Connect-AzAccount

2. Then create a new resource group using,

New-AzResourceGroup -Name REBELRG -Location "East US"

In the above, REBELRG is the resource group name and East US is the resource group location.

3. The next step is to create a new virtual network.

$vmsubnet  = New-AzVirtualNetworkSubnetConfig -Name vmsubnet -AddressPrefix "10.0.2.0/24"

New-AzVirtualNetwork -Name REBELVN1 -ResourceGroupName REBELRG -Location "East US" -AddressPrefix "10.0.0.0/16" -Subnet $vmsubnet

[Read more…] about Step-by-Step Guide: How to configure Azure Private DNS? (PowerShell Guide)