5 articles

Author: v-thepet

articles/devtest-labs/deploy-nested-template-environments.md

@@ -1,43 +1,43 @@
 ---
-title: Deploy nested ARM template environments
-description: Learn how to nest Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates to deploy Azure DevTest Labs environments.
+title: Nested ARM templates for lab environments
+description: Learn about using nested Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates to deploy Azure DevTest Labs environments.
 ms.topic: how-to
 ms.custom: devx-track-arm-template, UpdateFrequency2
 ms.author: rosemalcolm
 author: RoseHJM
-ms.date: 09/30/2023
+ms.date: 04/02/2025
+
+#customer intent: As a DevTest labs user, I want to learn about using nested templates to deploy environments so I can take advantage of their testing, reuse, and readability benefits.
 ---
 
-# Deploy DevTest Labs environments by using nested templates
+# DevTest Labs environments with nested templates
 
-A nested deployment runs secondary Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates from within a main template. This article shows an example of nesting templates to deploy an Azure DevTest Labs environment. DevTest Labs environments contain multiple infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) virtual machines (VMs) with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) resources installed. You can provision the PaaS resources and VMs by using ARM templates.
+Azure DevTest Labs environments contain multiple infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) virtual machines (VMs) with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) resources installed. You can provision the PaaS and IaaS resources by using Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates. This article shows an example of nesting templates to deploy an Azure DevTest Labs environment.
 
-Decomposing a deployment into a set of targeted, purpose-specific templates provides testing, reuse, and readability benefits. For general information about nested templates, including code samples, see [Using linked and nested templates when deploying Azure resources](../azure-resource-manager/templates/linked-templates.md).
+A *nested deployment* runs secondary ARM templates from within a main template. Decomposing a deployment into a set of targeted, purpose-specific templates provides testing, reuse, and readability benefits. For general information about nested templates, including code samples, see [Use linked and nested templates when deploying Azure resources](/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/linked-templates).
 
+In DevTest Labs, you can store ARM templates in a Git repository that you link to a lab. When you use a linked repository template to create a new DevTest Labs environment, the deployment copies the template files into the lab's Azure Storage container.
 
 [!INCLUDE [direct-azure-deployment-environments](includes/direct-azure-deployment-environments.md)]  
 
-## Deploy nested templates with Visual Studio
-
-The Azure Resource Group project template in Visual Studio makes it easy to develop and debug ARM templates. When you add a nested template to the main *azuredeploy.json* template file, Visual Studio adds the following items to make the template more flexible:
-
-- A subfolder with the secondary template and parameters files
-- Variable names in the main template file
-- Two key parameters, `_artifactsLocation` and `_artifactsLocationSasToken`
+## Nested template deployment with Visual Studio
 
-In DevTest Labs, you store ARM templates in a Git repository that you link to the lab. When you use one of the linked repository templates to create a new environment, the deployment copies the template files into an Azure Storage container in the lab. When you add a nested template resource to the repository and main template file, Visual Studio identifies the `_artifactsLocation` and `_artifactsLocationSasToken` values, copies the subfolders to the storage container, and inserts the location and Shared Access Signature (SaS) token into the parameters files.
+The Azure Resource Group project template in Visual Studio makes it easy to develop and debug nested templates. When you add a nested template file to the lab repository and add nested template code to the main *azuredeploy.json* template file, Visual Studio automatically takes the following actions:
 
-## Nested template folder structure
+- Adds a subfolder for the secondary template and parameters files, and copies the subfolder to the lab storage container.
+- Adds variables for the nested template folder and files to the `variables` section of the main template file.
+- Adds the `_artifactsLocation` and `_artifactsLocationSasToken` parameters to the main template file.
+- Inserts the location and Shared Access Signature (SaS) token into the parameters file.
 
-In the following template example, the Git repository folder has a subfolder, *nestedtemplates*, with the nested template files *NestOne.json* and *NestOne.parameters.json*. The *azuredeploy.json* main template file builds the URI for the secondary templates by using the artifacts location, nested template folder, and nested template filename. The URI for the parameters file is the artifacts location, nested template folder, and nested template parameters file. You can add more nested template subfolders to the primary folder, but at only one level of nesting.
+In the following nested template example, the Git repository folder has a subfolder, *nestedtemplates*, that contains the nested template files *NestOne.json* and *NestOne.parameters.json*. You can add more nested template subfolders, but at only one level of nesting.
 
-The following screenshot shows the project structure in Visual Studio: 
-
-![Screenshot that shows the nested template project structure in Visual Studio.](./media/deploy-nested-template-environments/visual-studio-project-structure.png)
+:::image type="content" source="media/deploy-nested-template-environments/visual-studio-project-structure.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the nested template project structure in Visual Studio.":::
 
 ## Nested deployment example
 
-The following example shows the main *azuredeploy.json* ARM template file for the nested deployment:
+The following example *azuredeploy.json* main template file shows the code for a nested deployment. The main template file links to the nested templates.
+
+The template code builds the URI for the secondary templates by concatenating the artifacts location, nested template folder, nested template filename, and artifacts Shared Access Signature (SaS) token location. The URI for the secondary parameters file uses the artifacts location, nested template folder, nested parameter filename, and artifacts SaS token location.
 
 ```json
 
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ The following example shows the main *azuredeploy.json* ARM template file for th
 "outputs": {}
 ```
 
-## Next steps
+## Related content
 
 - For more information about DevTest Labs environments, see [Use ARM templates to create DevTest Labs environments](devtest-lab-create-environment-from-arm.md).
-- For more information about using the Visual Studio Azure Resource Group project template, including code samples, see [Creating and deploying Azure resource groups through Visual Studio](../azure-resource-manager/templates/create-visual-studio-deployment-project.md).
+- For more information about using the Visual Studio Azure Resource Group project template, including code samples, see [Create and deploy Azure resource groups through Visual Studio](/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/create-visual-studio-deployment-project).

articles/devtest-labs/devtest-lab-create-custom-image-from-vhd-using-powershell.md

@@ -4,101 +4,104 @@ description: Automate creation of a custom image in Azure DevTest Labs from a VH
 ms.topic: how-to
 ms.author: rosemalcolm
 author: RoseHJM
-ms.date: 09/30/2023
+ms.date: 04/02/2025
 ms.custom: devx-track-azurepowershell, UpdateFrequency2
+
+#customer intent: As a lab administrator, I want to create custom images from VHD files, so I can make the custom images available to lab users as bases for creating lab VMs.
 ---
 
 # Create a custom image from a VHD file with PowerShell
 
 [!INCLUDE [devtest-lab-create-custom-image-from-vhd-selector](../../includes/devtest-lab-create-custom-image-from-vhd-selector.md)]
 
+In this article, you learn how to create an Azure DevTest Labs virtual machine (VM) custom image from a virtual hard disk (VHD) file by using Azure PowerShell. You can also [use the Azure portal to create a custom image](devtest-lab-create-template.md).
+
 [!INCLUDE [devtest-lab-custom-image-definition](../../includes/devtest-lab-custom-image-definition.md)]
 
-[!INCLUDE [devtest-lab-upload-vhd-options](../../includes/devtest-lab-upload-vhd-options.md)]
+## Prerequisites
 
-[!INCLUDE [updated-for-az](~/reusable-content/ce-skilling/azure/includes/updated-for-az.md)]
+- **Owner** or **Contributor** permissions in an existing lab.
+- Azure PowerShell installed. You can use [Azure Cloud Shell](/azure/cloud-shell/quickstart) or [install PowerShell locally](/powershell/azure/install-azure-powershell).
 
-## PowerShell steps
+  - In Cloud Shell, select the **PowerShell** environment.
+  - For a local PowerShell installation, run `Update-Module -Name Az` to get the latest version of Azure PowerShell, and run [Connect-AzAccount](/powershell/module/az.accounts/connect-azaccount) to sign in to Azure.
 
-The following steps walk you through creating a custom image from a VHD file by using Azure PowerShell:
+- A VHD file uploaded to the Azure Storage account for the lab. To upload a VHD file:
 
-1. At a PowerShell command prompt, sign in to your Azure account with the **Connect-AzAccount** cmdlet:
+  1. Go to your lab storage account in the Azure portal and select **Upload**.
+  1. Browse to and select the VHD file, select the **uploads** container or create a new container named **uploads**, and then select **Upload**.
 
-   ```powershell
-   Connect-AzAccount
-   ```
+  You can also upload a VHD file by following the instructions in any of these articles:
+
+  - [Upload a VHD file by using the AzCopy command-line utility](devtest-lab-upload-vhd-using-azcopy.md)
+  - [Upload a VHD file by using Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer](devtest-lab-upload-vhd-using-storage-explorer.md)
+  - [Upload a VHD file by using PowerShell](devtest-lab-upload-vhd-using-powershell.md)
 
-1. Select your Azure subscription with the **Select-AzSubscription** cmdlet. Replace \<subscription ID> with your subscription ID GUID.
+## Create a custom image
+
+The following Azure PowerShell steps create a DevTest Labs custom image from a VHD file by using a deployment template from the public [DevTest Labs template repository](https://github.com/Azure/azure-devtestlab/tree/master/samples/DevTestLabs/QuickStartTemplates/201-dtl-create-customimage-from-vhd).
+
+1. After you sign in to Azure, select the subscription you want to use by running `Select-AzSubscription`. Replace the `<subscription ID>` placeholder with your subscription ID.
 
    ```powershell
    $subscriptionId = '<subscription ID>'
    Select-AzSubscription -SubscriptionId $subscriptionId
    ```
 
-1. Get the lab object by calling the **Get-AzResource** cmdlet. Replace the \<lab resource group name> and \<lab name> placeholders with your own resource group and lab names.
+1. Use [Get-AzResource](/powershell/module/az.resources/get-azresource) to get the lab object. Replace the `<lab resource group name>` and `<lab name>` placeholders with your own resource group and lab names, which you can get from the Azure portal.
 
    ```powershell
    $labRg = '<lab resource group name>'
    $labName = '<lab name>'
    $lab = Get-AzResource -ResourceId ('/subscriptions/' + $subscriptionId + '/resourceGroups/' + $labRg + '/providers/Microsoft.DevTestLab/labs/' + $labName)
    ```
 
-1. Replace the placeholder for the **$vhdUri** variable with the URI of your uploaded VHD file. You can get the VHD file's URI from its blob page in the lab's storage account in the Azure portal. An example VHD URI is: `https://acontosolab1234.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/myvhd.vhd`.
-
-   ```powershell
-   $vhdUri = '<VHD URI>'
-   ```
+1. Set up the parameters.
 
-1. Create the custom image by using the **New-AzResourceGroupDeployment** cmdlet. Replace the \<custom image name> and \<custom image description> placeholders with the name and description you want.
+   - Replace the `<custom image name>` and `<custom image description` placeholders with a name and description for the custom image.
+   - Replace the `<VHD URI>` placeholder with the URI of your uploaded VHD file. You can get the VHD file's URI from the Azure Storage container where you uploaded the file. An example VHD URI is: `https://acontosolab1234.blob.core.windows.net/uploads/myvhd.vhd`.
 
    ```powershell
    $customImageName = '<custom image name>'
    $customImageDescription = '<custom image description>'
+   $vhdUri = '<VHD URI>'
 
    $parameters = @{existingLabName="$($lab.Name)"; existingVhdUri=$vhdUri; imageOsType='windows'; isVhdSysPrepped=$false; imageName=$customImageName; imageDescription=$customImageDescription}
+   ```
 
+1. Use [New-AzResourceGroupDeployment](/powershell/module/az.resources/new-azresourcegroupdeployment) to create the custom image by using a template according to the parameters.
+
+   ```powershell
    New-AzResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName $lab.ResourceGroupName -Name CreateCustomImage -TemplateUri 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-devtestlab/master/samples/DevTestLabs/QuickStartTemplates/201-dtl-create-customimage-from-vhd/azuredeploy.json' -TemplateParameterObject $parameters
    ```
 
-## Complete PowerShell script
+## Use a PowerShell script
 
-Combining the preceding steps produces the following PowerShell script that creates a custom image from a VHD file. To use the script, replace the following placeholders with your own values:
-
-- \<subscription ID>
-- \<lab resource group name>
-- \<lab name>
-- \<VHD URI>
-- \<custom image name>
-- \<custom image description>
+You can combine the preceding steps to produce the following PowerShell script that creates a custom image from a VHD file. To use the script, replace the parameter values under the `# Values to change` comment with your own values.
 
 ```powershell
-# Log in to your Azure account.
-Connect-AzAccount
+# Values to change
+$subscriptionId = '<Azure subscription ID>'
+$labRg = '<Lab resource group name>'
+$labName = '<Lab name>'
+$vhdUri = '<VHD URI>'
+$customImageName = '<Name for the custom image>'
+$customImageDescription = '<Description for the custom image>'
 
 # Select the desired Azure subscription.
-$subscriptionId = '<subscription ID>'
 Select-AzSubscription -SubscriptionId $subscriptionId
 
 # Get the lab object.
-$labRg = '<lab resource group name>'
-$labName = '<lab name>'
 $lab = Get-AzResource -ResourceId ('/subscriptions/' + $subscriptionId + '/resourceGroups/' + $labRg + '/providers/Microsoft.DevTestLab/labs/' + $labName)
 
-# Set the URI of the VHD file.
-$vhdUri = '<VHD URI>'
-
-# Set the custom image name and description values.
-$customImageName = '<custom image name>'
-$customImageDescription = '<custom image description>'
-
 # Set up the parameters object.
 $parameters = @{existingLabName="$($lab.Name)"; existingVhdUri=$vhdUri; imageOsType='windows'; isVhdSysPrepped=$false; imageName=$customImageName; imageDescription=$customImageDescription}
 
 # Create the custom image.
 New-AzResourceGroupDeployment -ResourceGroupName $lab.ResourceGroupName -Name CreateCustomImage -TemplateUri 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Azure/azure-devtestlab/master/samples/DevTestLabs/QuickStartTemplates/201-dtl-create-customimage-from-vhd/azuredeploy.json' -TemplateParameterObject $parameters
 ```
 
-## Next steps
+## Related content
 
 - [Compare custom images and formulas in DevTest Labs](devtest-lab-comparing-vm-base-image-types.md)
 - [Copying Custom Images between Azure DevTest Labs](https://www.visualstudiogeeks.com/blog/DevOps/How-To-Move-CustomImages-VHD-Between-AzureDevTestLabs#copying-custom-images-between-azure-devtest-labs)