Merge pull request #269693 from dennispadia/dp-vmssportalupdate

Include Azure portal instructions and FAQs article update

Author: prmerger-automator[bot]

articles/sap/workloads/virtual-machine-scale-set-sap-deployment-guide.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ ms.service: sap-on-azure
 ms.subservice: sap-vm-workloads
 ms.topic: conceptual
 ms.custom: devx-track-azurepowershell
-ms.date: 09/25/2023
+ms.date: 03/20/2024
 ---
 
 # Virtual Machine Scale Sets for SAP workload
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ In Azure, [Virtual machine scale sets](../../virtual-machine-scale-sets/overview
 2. For SAP workloads, flexible orchestration of virtual machine scale sets is supported only with FD=1. Currently regional deployment with FD>1 isn't supported for SAP workload.
 3. Deploy each SAP system in a separate flexible scale set.
 4. For SAP NetWeaver, it's recommended to deploy all components of a single SAP system within a single flexible scale set. These components include the database, SAP ASCS/ERS, and SAP application servers.
-5. Different VM SKUs, such as D-Series, E-Series, M-Series, and operating systems, including Windows and various Linux distributions, can be included within a single virtual machine scale set with flexible orchestration.
+5. Different virtual machine (VM) SKUs, such as D-Series, E-Series, M-Series, and operating systems, including Windows and various Linux distributions, can be included within a single virtual machine scale set with flexible orchestration.
 6. When setting up a flexible scale set for SAP workload, `platformFaultDomainCount` can be set to a maximum value of 1. As a result, the virtual machine instances associated with the scale set would be distributed across multiple fault domains on a best effort basis.
 7. You can configure flexible virtual machine scale sets with or without a scaling profile. However, it's recommended to create a flexible virtual machine scale set without a scaling profile.
 8. The standard load balancer is the only supported load balancer for virtual machines deployed in flexible scale set.
@@ -58,8 +58,22 @@ For SBD devices, VMs are manually deployed in each availability zone within the
 
 For SAP workloads, it's recommended to create a flexible virtual machine scale set without a scaling profile. To create a flexible scale set across availability zones, set the fault domain count to 1 and specify the desired zones.
 
+### [Azure portal](#tab/scaleset-portal)
+
+To set up a virtual machine scale set without scaling profile using Azure portal, proceed as follows -
+
+1. Sign in to [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com).
+1. Search for **Virtual machine scale set** and select **create** on the corresponding page.
+1. In the basics tab, provide the necessary details:
+    1. Under project details, verify the correct **subscription** and choose **my-resource-group** from the resource group dropdown.
+    1. For scale set details, name your scale set **myVmssFlex**, choose the appropriate **region**, and specify **availability zone** (For example, zone1, zone2, zone3) for your deployment.
+1. Select the **flexible** orchestration mode.
+1. Under the scaling section, select **no scaling profile**.
+1. For the allocation policy, select **max spreading**.
+1. Select **create**.
+
 > [!NOTE]
-> It's not possible to create flexible virtual machine scale set without a scaling profile through the Azure Portal. However, you can use an alternative client to [create a scale set without a scaling profile](../../virtual-machine-scale-sets/virtual-machine-scale-sets-scaling-profile.md?tabs=cli#create-a-scale-set-without-a-scaling-profile).
+> For SAP workload only flexible scale set with FD=1 is supported. So, do not configure scale set with "fixed spreading" as the allocation policy.
 
 ### [Azure CLI](#tab/scaleset-cli)
 

articles/sap/workloads/virtual-machine-scale-set-sap-faq.md

@@ -7,19 +7,15 @@ ms.author: depadia
 ms.service: sap-on-azure
 ms.subservice: sap-vm-workloads
 ms.topic: conceptual
-ms.date: 06/01/2023
+ms.date: 03/20/2024
 ---
 
 # FAQs for Virtual Machine Scale Set for SAP workload
 
-Get answers to frequently asked questions about Virtual Machine Scale Sets for SAP workload
+Get answers to frequently asked questions about Virtual Machine Scale Sets for SAP workload.
 
 ## SAP workload deployment
 
-### How to create flexible virtual machine scale set without a scaling profile from Azure portal?
-
-Currently, it's not possible to create flexible virtual machine scale set without a scaling profile through the Azure portal. However, you can use an alternative client to [create a scale set without a scaling profile](./virtual-machine-scale-set-sap-deployment-guide.md#configuration-of-flexible-virtual-machine-scale-set-without-a-scaling-profile).
-
 ### Can I create flexible scale set with scaling or scaling profile for SAP workload to use autoscaling feature for SAP application servers?
 
 Use of flexible scale set with scaling profile isn't recommended, as the scaling feature doesn't work out-of-the-box for SAP workload. Currently, virtual machines scale set with flexible orchestration can only be used as a deployment framework for SAP workload.
@@ -54,10 +50,14 @@ You can enable managed system identity at the VM level after a VM is manually de
 
 ### How can I migrate my current Availability set or Availability zone deployment of SAP workload to flexible scale set with zonal deployment (FD=1)?
 
-To migrate SAP VMs to a flexible scale set, you need to re-create the VMs and the disks with zone constraints (if required) from existing resources. There is no direct way to migrate SAP workloads deployed in availability sets or availability zones to flexible scale with FD=1. An [open-source project](https://github.com/Azure/SAP-on-Azure-Scripts-and-Utilities/tree/main/Move-VM-from-AvSet-to-AvZone/Move-Regional-SAP-HA-To-Zonal-SAP-HA-WhitePaper) includes PowerShell functions that you can use as a sample, and a [blog post](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/running-sap-applications-on-the/how-to-easily-migrate-an-existing-sap-system-vms-to-flexible/ba-p/3833548) shows you how to modify a HA or non-HA SAP system deployed in availability set or availability zone to flexible scale set with FD=1.
+To migrate SAP VMs to a flexible scale set, you need to re-create the VMs and the disks with zone constraints (if necessary) from existing resources. There's no direct way to migrate SAP workloads deployed in availability sets or availability zones to flexible scale with FD=1. An [open-source project](https://github.com/Azure/SAP-on-Azure-Scripts-and-Utilities/tree/main/Move-VM-from-AvSet-to-AvZone/Move-Regional-SAP-HA-To-Zonal-SAP-HA-WhitePaper) includes PowerShell functions that you can use as a sample, and a [blog post](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/running-sap-applications-on-the/how-to-easily-migrate-an-existing-sap-system-vms-to-flexible/ba-p/3833548) shows you how to modify a HA or non-HA SAP system deployed in availability set or availability zone to flexible scale set with FD=1.
 
 ### How can an existing deployment of SAP HANA, which is [pinned](../../azure-netapp-files/application-volume-group-considerations.md#best-practices-about-proximity-placement-groups) to Azure NetApp Files, be migrated to flexible scale set with FD=1?
 
 To move an existing SAP HANA deployment that is currently pinned with Azure NetApp Files to zonal deployment with flexible scale set (FD=1), you must redeploy or migrate the SAP HANA VMs with flexible scale set (FD=1). Additionally, you would need to configure Azure NetApp Files with the [availability zones volume placement feature](../../azure-netapp-files/manage-availability-zone-volume-placement.md) and transfer data to new volumes using backup/restore.
 
 Keep in mind that the availability zone volume placement feature is still in preview. Therefore, it's essential to thoroughly review the documentation on [managing availability zone volume placement for Azure NetApp Files](../../azure-netapp-files/use-availability-zones.md) for additional consideration.
+
+### How to configure SAP HANA using Azure NetApp Files (ANF) Application Volume Groups (AVG) in a specific availability zone?
+
+You can create new volumes in your preferred logical availability zone as described in [availability zones volume placement feature](../../azure-netapp-files/manage-availability-zone-volume-placement.md) guide. For configuring AVG for SAP HANA, follow the steps described in the article [Configuring Azure NetApp Files (ANF) Application Volume Group (AVG) for zonal SAP HANA deployment](https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/running-sap-applications-on-the/configuring-azure-netapp-files-anf-application-volume-group-avg/ba-p/3943801).