AzSHCI - Azure Stack HCI Deployment Scripts

Welcome to AzSHCI—your comprehensive set of PowerShell scripts to deploy, configure, and manage Azure Local for testing, lab, or proof-of-concept scenarios. This repository brings together multiple scripts, each with its own purpose and structure, allowing you to spin up a fully functioning Azure Stack HCI environment quickly.

For a deeper walk-through and best practices, check out the blog post: schmitt-nieto.com/blog/azure-stack-hci-demolab/

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Repository Structure

AzSHCI/
├── scripts/
│   ├── 01Lab/
│   │   ├── 00_Infra_AzHCI.ps1
│   │   ├── 01_DC.ps1
│   │   ├── 02_Cluster.ps1
│   │   ├── 03_TroubleshootingExtensions.ps1
│   │   ├── 99_Offboarding.ps1
│   ├── 02Day2/
│   │   ├── 10_StartStopAzSHCI.ps1
│   │   ├── 11_ImageBuilderAzSHCI.ps1
│   └── 03VMDeployment/
│       ├── 20_SSHRDPArcVM.ps1
├── README.md
└── LICENSE

Each folder under scripts/ is dedicated to a specific lifecycle phase of your Azure Stack HCI environment:

• 01Lab: Infrastructure setup, cluster creation, domain configuration, and environment cleanup.
• 02Day2: Day-two operations (e.g., start/stop routines, image import/build).
• 03VMDeployment: Scripts related to deploying and managing VMs (including SSH connectivity and Azure Arc integration).

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Detailed Script Breakdown

01Lab

1. 00_Infra_AzHCI.ps1

   • Provisions virtual switches, NAT networking, and folder structures.
   • Creates the Azure Stack HCI Node VM and the Domain Controller VM.
   • Ensures TPM checks and Hyper-V prerequisites are met.

2. 01_DC.ps1

   • Configures the Domain Controller VM: network settings, time zone, Active Directory installation, and DNS setup.
   • Creates foundational OUs and prepares AD for Azure Stack HCI.

3. 02_Cluster.ps1

   • Renames and reconfigures the Node VM.
   • Installs Windows features needed for clustering and Arc integration.
   • Registers the node with Azure Arc for management.

4. 03_TroubleshootingExtensions.ps1

   • Manages Azure Connected Machine (Arc) extensions for your Azure Stack HCI environment.
   • Removes failed extensions, reinstalls them, and ensures required extensions are present.

5. 99_Offboarding.ps1

   • Cleans up the entire lab environment by removing VMs, NAT settings, virtual switches, and associated folder structures.

02Day2

1. 10_StartStopAzSHCI.ps1

   • A simple script to stop or start your entire Azure Stack HCI lab environment in an orderly sequence.
   • Ensures the Domain Controller is turned on or off before the Node, and gracefully shuts down cluster services.

2. 11_ImageBuilderAzSHCI.ps1

   • Automates downloading official Azure VM images (Windows or Linux) and storing them in your Azure Stack HCI environment.
   • Uses AzCopy for high-speed transfers, converts the retrieved VHD into VHDX, and optimizes it for deployment.

03VMDeployment

1. 20_SSHRDPArcVM.ps1
   • Searches for Azure Arc-connected VMs in a specified resource group.
   • Validates the presence of SSH extensions and, if necessary, installs them.
   • Initiates an SSH connection to your Arc-enabled VMs, enabling RDP tunneling or direct SSH.

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Prerequisites

Hardware

• TPM Chip: Required for VM-based security features (vTPM, Key Protector).
• Hyper-V Capable Processor: Essential for nested virtualization.
• Minimum 32 GB RAM (64 GB or more recommended for advanced scenarios).
• Sufficient Disk Space for VM data and ISO files.

Software

• Active Azure Subscription to register the node(s) with Azure Arc and deploy HCI.
• Windows Server 2025 Evaluation ISO (or later), placed in C:\ISO\WS2025.iso.
• Azure Stack HCI OS ISO, placed in C:\ISO\HCI23H2.iso.
• PowerShell running with administrative privileges and Execution Policy set to RemoteSigned or Bypass.

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Usage

1. Clone the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/schmittnieto/AzSHCI.git
   

2. Navigate to the Scripts Directory

   cd AzSHCI/scripts/01Lab
   

3. Set the Execution Policy (If needed)

   Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

4. Edit Script Variables

   • Update credentials: $defaultUser, $defaultPwd in each script if you use different local admin accounts.
   • Place your ISO images in C:\ISO\ or modify the paths in the scripts accordingly.

5. Run the Scripts in Order

   .\00_Infra_AzHCI.ps1      # Creates infrastructure, Node VM, DC VM
   .\01_DC.ps1               # Configures Domain Controller
   .\02_Cluster.ps1          # Sets up the cluster node & Arc registration
   .\03_TroubleshootingExtensions.ps1  # Optional troubleshooting
   # Use .\99_Offboarding.ps1 when you want to remove everything

Day-2 Operations

• Start/Stop:

  .\scripts\02Day2\10_StartStopAzSHCI.ps1

  Ensures an orderly start or shutdown of your environment.

• Image Building:

  .\scripts\02Day2\11_ImageBuilderAzSHCI.ps1

  Pulls images from Azure, converts them, and stores them as VHDX for local deployment.

VM Deployment & Arc Integration

• SSH or RDP to Arc VMs:

  .\scripts\03VMDeployment\20_SSHRDPArcVM.ps1

  Ensures the SSH extension is present on your Arc VMs and then establishes a secure connection.

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Advanced Features & Roadmap

• Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) on Azure Stack HCI: Planned integration scripts for a hybrid K8s setup.
• Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD): Future templates to deploy AVD in conjunction with Azure Stack HCI.
• Azure Arc Enhancements: Extended support for policy, monitoring, and DevOps pipelines.

Stay tuned for additional automation scripts and integration points!

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Contributing

We welcome all contributors—your insights, bug fixes, and feature requests are invaluable. Feel free to:

• Fork the repository and make pull requests.
• Open issues for suggestions or bugs.
• Contact us directly if you have specialized requirements or questions.

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License

This project is under the MIT License. Refer to the license file for usage details.

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Contact & Further Information

• Author: Cristian Schmitt Nieto
• Blog: schmitt-nieto.com/blog/azure-stack-hci-demolab/
• Issues: GitHub Issues

Thank you for using AzSHCI! We hope these scripts accelerate your Azure Stack HCI journey.