Preparing a Windows Azure Virtual Machine Image for Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Before you deploy Microsoft Dynamics NAV on Windows Azure, you must prepare images that will be used to create the virtual machines for the deployment. An image is a virtual hard drive (VHD) file that you use as a template to create new virtual machines on Windows Azure.

The end-to-end scripts Example-1VM.ps1 and Example-2VM.ps1, which are part of the Microsoft Dynamics NAV provisioning tools, automatically create the virtual machines for Microsoft Dynamics NAV based on an image that you specify when you run the scripts.

Using Windows Azure Gallery Images or Custom Images

You can use images that are available in the Windows Azure Image Gallery or you can create your own custom images. Depending on the image that you use, it must meet the requirements that are described in the next section.

We recommend that you use an image Windows Azure Image Gallery, because no preparation is needed. By default, the Set-PartnerSetting.ps1 file that is used by the Example-1VM.ps1 and Example-2VM.ps1 scripts is configured to use valid Azure Gallery images.

For information about how to create your own image, see How to: Create a Windows Azure Virtual Machine Operating System Image for Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Images Requirements

Depending on the network topology that you deploy on Windows Azure, you will need one or two images. Example-1VM.ps1 deploys Microsoft Dynamics NAV on one virtual machine and requires a single image. Example-2VM.ps1 deploys Microsoft Dynamics NAV on two virtual machines, where one virtual machine is for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server, and the other virtual machine is for SQL Server and the Microsoft Dynamics NAV database. The Example-2VM.ps1 script requires that you specify an image for each virtual machine. Depending on the script that you use, the images must meet the requirements that are described in the following table.

Deployment topology	Image requirements
One virtual machine (Example-1VM.ps1)	A supported operating system, such as Windows Server 2012. A supported version of Microsoft SQL Server, such a Microsoft SQL Server 2012. Windows PowerShell Remoting feature enabled and allowed through Windows Firewall. Note By default, Windows PowerShell Remoting is enabled on Windows Azure Gallery images.
Two virtual machines (Example-2VM.ps1)	The image for the virtual machine on which Microsoft Dynamics NAV Server and Microsoft Dynamics NAV Web Server components will be installed must include the following: Windows Server 2012 operating system. Windows PowerShell Remoting feature enabled and allowed through Windows Firewall. The image for the virtual machine on which Microsoft Dynamics NAV database components will be installed must include the following: Windows Server 2012 operating system. A supported version of Microsoft SQL Server, such a Microsoft SQL Server 2012. Windows PowerShell Remoting feature enabled and allowed through Windows Firewall. Note You can use the same image for both virtual machines as long as the image includes Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

For a complete list of supported operating systems and Microsoft SQL Server versions, see System Requirements for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2.

See Also

Concepts

Preparing for Deploying Microsoft Dynamics NAV on Windows Azure
Deploying and Managing Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 on Windows Azure
Deploying Microsoft Dynamics NAV Using the Example Scripts