Create VM templates using VMM and Microsoft Azure Pack

As a hosting provider, you can use System Center - Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) in combination with Microsoft Azure Pack to increase the features that you offer to tenants. To help tenants create virtual machines with specific operating systems and applications already installed, you can create VM role templates. Tenants can use these templates to create VMs on-premises and in service-provider hosting environments.

Before you begin

• Learn about Microsoft Azure Pack
• Learn about how VMM manages resources in the VMM library

Download Azure Pack Gallery resources

Azure Pack Gallery Resources provide tenant offerings using standard and reusable components. The VM role gallery enables you to deploy VMs. Usually you need two packages to deploy a VM role:

• A resource definition package (*.resdefpkg) to deploy the VM. This template describes information asked to self-portal tenants about VM size, name, and so on. These parameters are used by VMM to deploy the role.
• A resource extension package (*.resextpkg) to install apps on a VM.

Each resource contains a Readme file that explains how to prepare your environment.

1. Download the Microsoft Web Platform Installer. You use this to download the gallery resources.
2. Start the installer, select the Options link at the bottom, and enter the link https://www.microsoft.com/web/webpi/partners/servicemodels.xml into Custom Feeds. Select Add Feed > OK. A Service Models tab should appear.
3. In the Service Models tab, select Gallery Resources.
4. Select the resource you want, and select Add > Install.
5. Accept the license terms if appropriate, and select Continue. A window will be opened for the folder on the local computer where the resource is downloaded.
6. The Readme file that accompanies the resource will specify whether additional software is needed. Follow the instructions as needed.

Import resource extensions to the library

For gallery resources that use Resource Extensions, you need to import the extensions into the VMM library using PowerShell. This example shows you how to install a Resource Extension Pack (MyVMRole.resextpkg) with a library shared named MSSCVMMLibrary,

1. At the command line, run the following:

$libraryShare = Get-SCLibraryShare | Where-Object {$_.Name -eq 'MSSCVMMLibrary'}
$resextpkg = $Env:SystemDrive + "\GalleryResources\My-VMRole-Pkg\MyVMRole.resextpkg"
Import-CloudResourceExtension –ResourceExtensionPath $resextpkg -SharePath $libraryShare -AllowUnencryptedTransfer

2. Verify that the import completed with the following cmdlet:

Get-CloudResourceExtension

Create and prepare a virtual hard disk

To create a template, you need a virtual hard disk file that contains an operating system that's been prepared for deployment using Sysprep.

Specify the operating system

1. When you create the hard disk, specify the required operating system in the Operating System property. For data disks, this value must be set to None.
2. Set the property using the VMM console or PowerShell. The following example shows how to set the virtual hard disk MyVirtualHardDisk to run Windows Server 2012 Datacenter. Your cmdlet with replace the disk name with one of the values in the Readme file.

$myVHD = Get-SCVirtualHardDisk | where {$_.Name –eq 'MyVirtualHardDisk.vhd'}
$WS2012Datacenter = Get-SCOperatingSystem | where { $_.name –eq '64-bit edition of Windows Server 2012 Datacenter' }
Set-scvirtualharddisk –virtualharddisk $myVHD –OperatingSystem $WS2012Datacenter

Specify the name and release

1. The Familyname and Release properties of the virtual hard disk must be set in order for the Microsoft Azure Pack portal to display the virtual hard disk as an available disk for this Gallery Resource. These values are shown in the portal dropdown list.

   • The Familyname property values should indicate the contents of the virtual hard disk, including the Windows Server release and edition. The Readme file of the Gallery Resource should include appropriate Familyname values. Release property values must conform to the Microsoft Azure versioning scheme of n.n.n.n. Examples include 1.0.0.0 and 1.0.0.1.

2. Set the property using the VMM console or PowerShell. The following example shows how to set the virtual hard disk MyVirtualHardDisk to a Familyname Windows Server 2012 Datacenter, and the Release property to 1.0.0.0. Your cmdlet will replace values with one of the values in the Readme file.

$myVHD = Get-SCVirtualHardDisk | where {$_.Name –eq 'MyVirtualHardDisk.vhd'}
$familyName = "Windows Server 2012 DataCenter"
$release = "1.0.0.0"
Set-scvirtualharddisk –virtualharddisk $myVHD –FamilyName $familyName –Release $release

Specify tags

Virtual Machine Role gallery items specify tags that must be included on an operating system disk for it to be available as an option when a user provisions the virtual machine. The Readme file of the gallery resource should include the tags that it requires.

1. When you create the hard disk, specify the required tags using PowerShell.
2. The following example shows how to set the tag WindowsServer2012R1 for the virtual hard disk MyVirtualHardDisk. Your cmdlet uses the values in the Readme file.

$myVHD = Get-SCVirtualHardDisk | where {$_.Name –eq 'MyVirtualHardDisk.vhd'}
$tags = $myVHD.Tag
if ( $tags -cnotcontains "WindowsServer2012R1" ) { $tags += @("WindowsServer2012R1") }
Set-scvirtualharddisk –virtualharddisk $myVHD –Tag $tags

Add the virtual disk to the library

After you create the virtual hard disk, you must add it to the VMM library with the values you specified. Learn more about adding file-based resources to the library.

Import the Resource Definition packages

After the Resource Extension and virtual hard disk are in the VMM library, you can import the Resource Definition package and publish the gallery item using the Service Administrator Portal in Microsoft Azure Pack. After these steps, the gallery item will be available to the tenant.

• The Gallery Resource will include one or more Resource Definition Package files.
• If it includes more than one, then the ReadMe file will specify the different configuration that each one will provide.

1. Open the Service Admin Portal.
2. Navigate to the VM Clouds workspace.
3. Select the Gallery tab > Import.
4. Select and import the Resource Definition Package file for the gallery item. This will be the file with the extension resdefpkg.

The gallery item should now be listed on the Gallery tab.

Publish the item and add to a plan

1. On the Gallery tab, select the version of the gallery item that you just imported.
2. Select the arrow next to the gallery item name. Verify the details of the gallery item. Navigate back, and select Make Public.
3. Select the Plans workspace, and select the plan to which you want to add the gallery item.
4. Select the Virtual Machine Clouds service. Scroll to the Gallery section, and select Add Gallery Items. 5 Select the gallery items that you imported, and select Save

The Virtual Machine Role is now available to the tenant as part of the selected plan.

Next steps

Learn about provisioning VMs.