Azure: How to run a command as part of deployment process?

Question

I want to deploy a redHat enterprise linux machine in azure public cloud whose packeges are all up to date.

Is there any way to run the command "yum update -y" (and maybe other 'yum install' commands as well) automatically as part of the deployment process or right after the machine's first boot?

Thanks

Are ARM templates as option? - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/deployment-script-template?tabs=CLI — Raman Sailopal, Nov 04 '20 at 17:46

sayan saha · Answer 1 · 2020-11-04T18:09:17.210

0

You can provide a cloud-init config file(in YAML format) under the custom data section when creating the VM on Azure.

#cloud-config
package_upgrade: true
packages:
  - nginx
  - nodejs
  - npm
runcmd:
  - yum update -y #same as package_upgrade: true
  - npm i express -y

documentation link

edited Nov 04 '20 at 18:09

answered Nov 04 '20 at 17:53

sayan saha

91
2
8

Hello, thank you for your answer. Unfortunately, It seem that It does not work for me.. As you suggested, Into the Custom data window, I past a short YAML config-file: #config-file package_upgrade: true runcmd: - mkdir /mydir #for sainty check None of the packages were updated and the directory "mydir" wasn't created. Do you have any idia why? Thanks – MrSonic Nov 04 '20 at 21:19

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 05 '20 at 01:43

For your purpose, I will suggest the VM extension or the CLI command az vm run-command invoke:

az vm run-command invoke -g MyResourceGroup -n MyVm --command-id RunShellScript --scripts "yum update -y"

or PowerShell command Invoke-AzVMRunCommand:

Invoke-AzVMRunCommand -ResourceGroupName 'rgname' -VMName 'vmname' -CommandId 'RunPowerShellScript' -ScriptPath 'sample.ps1' -Parameter @{param1 = "var1"; param2 = "var2"}

To update the packages in the VM, it should be after the creation of the VM, because the VM always provision the VM in that time, not update. So I don't think the cloud-init is a possible way.

Azure: How to run a command as part of deployment process?

2 Answers2