Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure in Azure IaaS | SCCM | MEMCM

You can easily set up a ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure in Azure IaaS. In this post, I will try to help you set up an SCCM LAB in Azure (Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure).

It would help if you had a valid Azure subscription to build the EndPoint Manager LAB environment in Azure.

The architecture of SCCM | ConfigMgr LAB in Azure

I think this is the best representation of my SCCM LAB architecture. I have built the following components:

  • Resource Group
  • Virtual Networks
  • MEMCM Subnet
  • Domain Server, SQL Server, SCCM Server, and Windows 10 Clients
  • Azure Bastion Subnet for the Remote access for SCCM LAB Infra
Architecture of SCCM | ConfigMgr LAB - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
The architecture of SCCM | ConfigMgr LAB – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 1

Prerequisites

There are some prerequisites (Of course!) before you can start building ConfigMgr LAB infrastructure in Azure.

Patch My PC
  • Valid Azure Subscription with appropriate credits or pay as you go!
  • Appropriate Access Rights on Subscription – Add the admin user as Co-Administrator is one of the options to provide reasonable access
Co-Administrator - Access Control (IAM) - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Co-Administrator – Access Control (IAM) – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 2
  • SCCM Prerequisites mentioned in the following blog post to setup SCCM LAB Infrastructure (Releasing Soon)

Create Resource Group

A resource group is a container that holds related resources for an Azure solution. The Azure resource group includes those resources that you want to manage as a group. See more details about Resource groups.

  • Login to Azure Portal
  • Search for “Resource Group
Create Resource Group - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Create Resource Group – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 3

Click on ADD button to create the resource group.

Create Resource Group - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Create Resource Group – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 4
  • Select Azure Region ==> (US) East US 2
  • Project Details
    • Select the Azure Subscription
    • Resource Group Name => MEMCM
  • Resource Details
    • Region => (US) East US 2
  • Click on Review + Create
    • Validation passed
  • Click on Create
MEMCM Resource Group - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
MEMCM Resource Group – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 5

Successfully created Resource Group

Resource Group Creation Completed Successfully - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Resource Group Creation Completed Successfully – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 6

Create Virtual Networks & Subnet

Azure Virtual Network (VNet) is the fundamental building block for your private network in Azure. VNet enables many types of Azure resources.

Adaptiva
  • Create Virtual Networks for Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
  • Search for Virtual Networks
  • Click on Virtual Networks
Click on Virtual Networks - Setup SCCM LAB Infrastructure
Click on Virtual Networks – Setup SCCM LAB Infrastructure 7

Click +Add

New Virtual Networks for SCCM Lab Environment
New Virtual Networks for SCCM Lab Environment 8
  1. Name of the Virtual Networks – Enter MEMCMNet.
  2. Address space – Enter 10.1.0.0/16.
  3. Subscription – Select the Azure Subscription you want to use.
  4. Resource group – Select MEMCM from the drop-down option.
  5. Location – Select East US 2.
  6. Subnet Name – Enter MEMCM.
  7. Subnet – Address range- Enter 10.1.0.0/24.
  8. DDoS protection – Select Basic
  9. Service Endpoints – Select Disabled
  10. FirewallDisabled (You can enable it as per your requirements)
  11. Click on Create button to start the creation process of Azure Virtual Networks for Setting up ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure.
 Azure Virtual Networks for Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Azure Virtual Networks for Setting up ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 9
  • Successfully created the Virtual Network Azure
created the Virtual Network in Azure
created the Virtual Network in Azure 10

Build Virtual Machines

Let’s build Domain, SQL, and SCCM servers in Azure IaaS. Microsoft Documentation for creating and managing Windows virtual machines in Azure.

  • Search “Virtual Machines” from Azure Portal
  • Click on Virtual click Machines
 click Virtual Machines - Build Domain, SQL, SCCM Servers
Click Virtual Machines – Build Domain, SQL, SCCM Servers 11
  • Click on +Add to create new Windows VMs
+Add to create new Windows VMs
+Add to develop new Windows VMs 12

Basic Configuration of Virtual Machine

  • Subscription – Select the Azure Subscription you want
    • Resource Group – Select the Resource Group Name we created – MEMCM
  • Instance Details
    • Virtual Machine Name – Enter the AD Server Name – ADMEMCM
    • Region – Select the Region as (US) East US 2
    • Availability Options – No Infrastructure redundancy is required
    • Image – Select the Operating System Image as Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
    • Azure Spot Instance – Select the option NO
    • Size – Select the best-preferred size for you – Standard DS1 v2
    • Administrator Account
      • Username – DomainUser
      • Password
      • Confirm Password
    • Inbound port rules – Select the virtual machine network ports accessible from the public internet.
      • Public inbound ports – Select the option called None
  • Save Money
    • Already have a Windows Server License – Select the option – NO
  • Click NextDisks >
Create a virtual machine - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Create a virtual machine – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 13

Disk Configurations

Let’s configure the Disk for the virtual machine. For your SQL and SCCM virtual servers, adding additional disks to install SQL and SCCM on other Disks is recommended.

  • Disk Options
    • OS Disk Type – Select Premium SSD for better performance
      • Enable Ultra Disk compatibility – Select NO
        • Ultra Disk compatibility is not available for this VM size and location.
  • Data disks – Add Additional Data Disks – You can add and configure additional data disks for your virtual machine or attach existing disks. This VM also comes with a temporary disk.
    • Click to Create and Attach a New Disk
Disk Configurations - For Virtual Machines
Disk Configurations – For Virtual Machines 14
  • Create a new disk
    • Create a new disk to store applications and data on your VM. Disk pricing varies based on disk size, storage type, and the number of transactions. Learn more about Azure Managed Disks
    • Name – Enter the name of the Data Disk – ADMEMCM_DataDisk_0
    • Source Type – Select None (Empty Disk)
    • Size – Select the size of the data disk 64 GiB
      • Premium SSD
    • Click OK to continue
    • Click on Next: Networking>
Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure in Azure IaaS | SCCM | MEMCM 1
New Data Disk Configuration – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 15

Select Network Configuration

Define network connectivity for your virtual machine by configuring network interface card (NIC) settings. You can control ports and inbound and outbound connectivity with security group rules or place them behind an existing load balancing solution. Learn more
Network interface.

  • Network interface
    • Virtual Network – Select the virtual network – MEMCM
    • Subnet – Select the Subnet where all the other virtual machines of SCCM LAB shall be part of – MEMCM (10.1.0.0/24)
    • Public IP – Select the option NONE
    • NIC network security group – Select the option None
    • Public inbound ports – Select the option None
    • Accelerated networking – Select the option Off
      • The selected VM size does not support accelerated networking.
  • Load balancing
    • You can place this virtual machine in the backend pool of an existing Azure load balancing solution. Learn more
    • Place this virtual machine behind an existing load balancing solution? – Select the NO option
  • Click on the Next: Management button to continue.
Configure Network interface - Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
Configure Network interface – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 16

Virtual Server Management Options

The following are the management configuration I prefer for SCCM | ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure. You can customize all these settings as per the requirements.

  • Monitoring
    • Boot diagnostics – Select the option On
    • OS guest diagnostics – Select the option Off
  • Identity
    • System assigned managed identity – Select the option – Off
  • Azure Active Directory
    • Login with AAD credentials (Preview) – Off
  • Auto-shutdown
    • Enable auto-shutdown – Select ON if you want to save some money
  • Backup
    • Enable backup – Select the option – OFF
  • Click on Next: Advanced to continue
Virtual Sever Management Options
Virtual Server Management Options 17

Advanced and Tags

I have selected the default options for the Advanced and Tags tab during the virtual machine configuration options.

  • Click on Next: Tags
  • Click on the Review + Create button to review the virtual machine’s configuration.
  • Once the Validation is Passed
  • Click on CREATE button to launch the build process
Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure - Create Virtual Machine
Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure – Create Virtual Machine 18

Successfully Created VM

  • Domain Server is created successfully.
  • Repeat the above steps mentioned under the “Build Virtual Machines” section to create virtual machines for SQL and SCCM servers.
Build Completed successfully - ADMEMCM
Build Completed successfully – ADMEMCM 19

Tips

You might need to change the DNS configuration of Virtual Networks to get domain join working for SQL and SCCM servers. Make sure DNS configuration is as follows:

  • Open Virtual Networks – MECMNet
  • Click on DNS Servers
  • Click on Custom
  • Add 10.1.0.4 – Internal DNS Server IP
  • Add Azure DNS IP – 168.63.129.16
DNS Server Settings for Azure Virtual Networks -  Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure
DNS Server Settings for Azure Virtual Networks – Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure 20

Resources

12 thoughts on “Setup ConfigMgr LAB Infrastructure in Azure IaaS | SCCM | MEMCM”

      • We want to setup MEMCM on Azure and wanted to do patch deployment and compliance report only for servers machines. can you please suggest a link where we can setup MEMCM on Azure step by step

      • OK so since your initial setup ,I’ll assume its been a few months now ,after your free month, how much approx is this costing you per month ?Is just a case of de-allocating VM’s whilst not is use to save money ?and only spin them whilst testing ?

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