PowerShell + Azure Automation : Deploy a Windows 10 VM (Server Tech Preview) & domain join (Script updated in Technet too)

With an awesome and exciting features being shipped in Server 2016 TP3, I am sure you are going to take a crack at it.

What better way  to deploy it n cloud in few minutes using Azure Automation Runbook. I did something similar a while back and have updated the Script to expose new parameters and by default use the Server 2016 TP3 image for now (you can override this value).


Also if you are an ITPro like me and have a test LAB running on Azure then you can pass in the arguments to -DomainName and -DomainCredName parameters and the Runbook actually retrieves the Automation Credential Asset and joins the Server 2016 TP3 VM to the AD domain you have running on Azure (make sure the VM is in a Subnet which is reachable to your DC and the DNS is configured properly for the name resolution.

If you are new to the whole Azure Automation thing, then do check out my previous post which explains how the Script is layout and how to use it:

PowerShell + Azure Automation : Deploy a Windows 10 VM (Server Tech Preview) & domain join (Script updated in Technet too)

Below is the whole script:

	workflow New-TestVM
	{
	param(
	# Sepcify the Azure Subscription Name
	[parameter(Mandatory)]
	[String]
	$AzureSubscriptionName,
	# Sepcify the Azure Storage Account Name to be used to store VM VHDs.
	[parameter(Mandatory)]
	[String]
	$StorageAccountName,
	# Mention the Azure Cloud Service
	[parameter(Mandatory)]
	[String]
	$ServiceName,
	# Specfiy the name to be given to the VM
	[parameter(Mandatory)]
	[String]
	$VMName,
	# Specify the instance size of the VM to be deployed
	[parameter()]
	[String]
	$InstanceSize = "Medium",
	# Specify the name of the Automation Credential asset for Azure Authentication
	[Parameter()]
	[String]
	$AzureCredName,
	# Specify the name of the Automation Credential asset for Local Credentials
	[Parameter()]
	[String]
	$LocalCredName,
	# Specify the name of Automation Credential asset for Domain Credentials
	[Parameter()]
	[String]
	$DomainCredName,
	# Specify the Domain name, the New VM will joined to this Domain.
	# Provided that the Credential Asset for Domain Cred
	[Parameter()]
	[String]
	$DomainName,
	# Exposing the Image Name here, so that you can deploy specific machines. [Default - Image Name for Server 2016 TP3 Core]
	[Paramter()]
	[String]
	$ImageName='a699494373c04fc0bc8f2bb1389d6106__WindowsServer_en-us_TP3_Container_VHD_Azure-20150819.vhd'
	)
	$verbosepreference = 'continue'
	#Get the Credentials to authenticate agains Azure
	Write-Verbose -Message "Getting the required Credentials"
	$Cred = Get-AutomationPSCredential -Name $AzureCredName
	$LocalCred = Get-AutomationPSCredential -Name $LocalCredName
	# Azure Credentials and Local Credentials are a must to Authenticate to Azure and then set the local Username & Password respectively
	if ((-not $cred) -or (-not $LocalCred)) {
	Throw "Azure Credential assets with either the $AzureCredName or $LocalCredName does not exist. Check again"
	}
	if ($DomainName -and $DomainCredName) {
	$DomainCred = Get-AutomationPSCredential -Name $DomainCredName
	# Check if able to retrieve the Domain Cred
	if (-not $DomainCred) {
	Write-Warning -Message "As you have specfied the -DomainName & -DomainCredName parameters, You want to add the VM to domain. Check that the VM
	is placed in a VNet which can reach your AD and also DNS Setting for the VNet."
	Throw "Azure Credential assets $DomainCredName does not exist. Check again."
	}
	}
	#Add the Account to the Workflow
	Write-Verbose -Message "Adding the $AzureCredName Credentials to Authenticate to Azure"
	Add-AzureAccount -Credential $Cred
	#select the Subscription
	Write-Verbose -Message "Selecting the $AzureSubscriptionName Subscription"
	Select-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName $AzureSubscriptionName
	#Set the Storage for the Subscrption
	Write-Verbose -Message "Setting the Storage Account for the Subscription"
	Set-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName $AzureSubscriptionName -CurrentStorageAccountName $StorageAccountName
	#use the above Image selected to build a new VM and wait for it to Boot
	$Username = $LocalCred.UserName
	$Password = $LocalCred.GetNetworkCredential().Password
	New-AzureQuickVM -Windows -ServiceName $ServiceName -Name $VMName -ImageName $imagename -Password $Password -AdminUsername $Username -SubnetNames "Rest_LAB" -InstanceSize $InstanceSize -WaitForBoot
	Write-Verbose -Message "The VM is created and booted up now..Doing a checkpoint"
	#CheckPoint the workflow
	Write-Verbose -Message "Reached CheckPoint after creating the VM"
	CheckPoint-WorkFlow
	if ($DomainName) {
	#Call the Function Connect-VM to import the Certificate and give back the WinRM uri
	$WinRMURi = Get-AzureWinRMUri -ServiceName $ServiceName -Name $VMName | Select-Object -ExpandProperty AbsoluteUri
	InlineScript
	{
	$RetryCounter = 0 # Variable to store how many times the Script tries
	do
	{
	#open a PSSession to the VM
	$Session = New-PSSession -ConnectionUri $Using:WinRMURi -Credential $Using:LocalCred -Name $using:VMName -SessionOption (New-PSSessionOption -SkipCACheck ) -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
	Write-Verbose -Message "Trying to open a PSSession to the VM $Using:VMName "
	Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
	$RetryCounter++
	if ($RetryCounter -ge 200) {
	throw " Opening PSSession failed 200 times for the VM"
	break
	} else {
	Write-Warning -Message "Opening PSSession to the VM failed $RetryCounter times. Trying again"
	}
	} While (! $Session)
	#Once the Session is opened, first step is to join the new VM to the domain
	if ($Session)
	{
	Write-Verbose -Message "Found a Session opened to VM $using:VMname. Now will try to add it to the domain"
	Invoke-command -Session $Session -ArgumentList $Using:DomainCred -ScriptBlock {
	param($cred)
	Add-Computer -DomainName $Using:DomainName -DomainCredential $cred
	Restart-Computer -Force
	}
	} # end if($session)
	} # end InlineScript
	} # end if($domainname)
	} #Workflow end

view raw New-TestVM.ps1 hosted with ❤ by GitHub