🚀 Azure Hyper-V Lab

Welcome to the Azure Hyper-V Lab! This project provides an Azure IaaS VM Deployment Template for Windows Server 2025 Datacenter Edition with the Hyper-V Role enabled. Whether you're experimenting, learning, developing proofs of concept, or setting up a staging environment, this template simplifies the process and empowers you to leverage Hyper-V in Azure.

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🌟 What's Included?

Infrastructure:

• Virtual Network (VNet) with a single Subnet
• Static Public IP (Standard SKU)
• Network Security Group (NSG) configured for Remote Desktop access
• Virtual Machine with Nested Virtualization capabilities (Learn more)
• Premium SSD Disks:
  • 127GB for the Operating System
  • 512GB for storing Virtual Machines

Server Roles:

• Hyper-V
• DHCP Server
• RSAT Tools
• Containers

Pre-Installed Software:

• Azure Az PowerShell Module
• Azure CLI
• Azure Storage Explorer
• AzCopy Utility
• PowerShell Core
• Windows Admin Center
• 7-Zip
• Chocolatey Package Manager
• Evaluation copy of Windows Server 2025

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🚀 Get Started

1. Deploy the Template

Click the button below to deploy the template directly in the Azure Portal:

2. Fill in the Required Information

Provide the necessary details in the Azure Portal.

3. Sit Back and Relax ☕

The deployment takes approximately 30 minutes.

4. Connect to Your Hyper-V VM

Use Remote Desktop to connect to the newly deployed VM.

5. Manage Hyper-V Server

Start managing Hyper-V using Hyper-V Manager or Windows Admin Center.

6. Spin up Guest OS

Start creating Windows Server 2025 Guest OSes using the ISO file stored under F:\VMS\ISO.

📝 General Notes

• A wide range of VM sizes is pre-configured in the template to avoid deployment errors.
• The VM uses Azure Spot Instances with an eviction policy set to deallocate.
• Use the Microsoft Evaluation Center desktop shortcut to evaluate Microsoft software and operating systems.
• Learn how to deploy VMs using Azure Marketplace Images on my blog.
• Default Paths:
  • VM configuration files: F:\VMS
  • VM disks: F:\VMS\Disks
• Enhanced Session Mode is enabled.
• A DHCP Scope is configured to provide network addressing for VMs.
• An Internal Hyper-V Switch with NAT enabled is included.
• The data disk (Volume F) is formatted with ReFS and a unit size of 64KB.
• Both JSON and Bicep Templates are available in this repository.
• Configuration Files:
  • DSC Configuration File
  • Host Configuration File

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📚 Learn More About Hyper-V

• Windows Server Hyper-V and Virtualization Learning Path on Microsoft Learn
• Markou.me Hyper-V Blog
• Virtualization Blog
• MSLab GitHub Project