Following on from yesterday’s blog post with a pile of PowerShell to build a multiple-NIC VM in Azure, here are some more snippets of PowerShell to carry out a few build-related activities.

Setting a static IP address on a NIC

$RGName = Read-Host "Resource Group"
$VNICName = Read-Host "vNIC Name"
$VNIC=Get-AzureRmNetworkInterface -Name $VNICName -ResourceGroupName $RGName
$VNIC.IpConfigurations[0].PrivateIpAllocationMethod = "Static"
Set-AzureRmNetworkInterface -NetworkInterface $VNIC

Installing BGInfo

$RGName = Read-Host "Resource Group"
$VMName = Read-Host "Virtual Machine Name"
$Location = Read-Host "Region/Location"
Set-AzureRmVMExtension -ExtensionName BGInfo -Publisher Microsoft.Compute -Version 2.1 -ExtensionType BGInfo -Location $Location -ResourceGroupName $RGName -VMName $VMName

Installing Microsoft Antimalware

This one is a little more difficult – the script is a development of Mitesh Chauhan’s work entitled Installing Microsoft Anti Virus Extension to Azure Resource Manager VM using Set-AzureRmVMExtension

It’s worth reading Mitesh’s post for more background on the Microsoft Anti Virus Extension (IaaS Antimalware) and also taking a look at the Security Health in the Azure Portal (currently in preview), which will highlight VMs that have no protection (amongst other things).

Mitesh’s script uses a simple settings string, or for more complex configuration, it reads from a file. I tried to use a more complex setting and it just resulted in PowerShell errors, suggesting this wasn’t proper JSON (it isn’t):

$AntiMalwareSettings = @{
"AntimalwareEnabled" = $true;
"RealtimeProtectionEnabled" = $true;
"ScheduledScanSettings" = @{
"isEnabled" = $true;
"day" = 1;
"time" = 180;
"scanType" = "Full"
};
"Exclusions" = @{
"Extensions" = ".mdf;.ldf;.ndf;.bak;.trn;";
"Paths" = "D:\\Logs;E:\\Databases;C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\FTDATA";
"Processes" = "SQLServr.exe;ReportingServicesService.exe;MSMDSrv.exe"
}
}

Set-AzureRmVMExtension : Error reading JObject from JsonReader. Current JsonReader item is not an object: Null. Path”, line 1, position 4.

If I use the JSON form it’s no better:

$AntiMalwareSettings = {
"AntimalwareEnabled": true,
"RealtimeProtectionEnabled": true,
"ScheduledScanSettings": {
"isEnabled": true,
"day": 1,
"time": 180,
"scanType": "Full"
},
"Exclusions": {
"Extensions": ".mdf;.ldf;.ndf;.bak;.trn",
"Paths": "D:\\Logs;E:\\Databases;C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\FTDATA",
"Processes": "SQLServr.exe;ReportingServicesService.exe;MSMDSrv.exe"
}
}

Set-AzureRmVMExtension : Unexpected character encountered while parsing value: S. Path ”, line 0, position 0.

So the actual script I used is below:

# Install Microsoft AntiMalware client on an ARM based Azure VM
# Check note at the end to be able to open up the SCEP antimalware console on the server if there are problems.
# Author – Mitesh Chauhan – miteshc.wordpress.com (updated by Mark Wilson - markwilson.co.uk)
# For Powershell 1.0.1 and above
# See https://miteshc.wordpress.com/2016/02/18/msav-extension-on-azurearm-vm/

# Log in with credentials for subscription
# Login-AzureRmAccount

# Select your subscription if required (or default will be used)
# Select-AzureRmSubscription -SubscriptionId "Your Sub ID here"

$RGName = Read-Host "Resource Group"
$VMName = Read-Host "Virtual Machine Name"
$Location = Read-Host "Region/Location"

# Use this (-SettingString) for simple setup
# $AntiMalwareSettings = ‘{ "AntimalwareEnabled": true,"RealtimeProtectionEnabled": true}’;

# Use this (-SettingString) to configure from JSON file
$AntiMalwareSettings = Get-Content ‘.\MSAVConfig.json’ -Raw

$allVersions= (Get-AzureRmVMExtensionImage -Location $location -PublisherName "Microsoft.Azure.Security" -Type "IaaSAntimalware").Version
$typeHandlerVer = $allVersions[($allVersions.count)–1]
$typeHandlerVerMjandMn = $typeHandlerVer.split(".")
$typeHandlerVerMjandMn = $typeHandlerVerMjandMn[0] + "." + $typeHandlerVerMjandMn[1]

Write-Host "Installing Microsoft AntiMalware version" $typeHandlerVerMjandMn "to" $vmName "in" $RGName "("$location ")"
Write-Host "Configuration:"
$AntiMalwareSettings

# Specify for -SettingString parameter here which option you want, simple $settingsstring or $MSAVConfigfile to sue json file.
Set-AzureRmVMExtension -ResourceGroupName $RGName -VMName $vmName -Name "IaaSAntimalware" -Publisher "Microsoft.Azure.Security" -ExtensionType "IaaSAntimalware" -TypeHandlerVersion $typeHandlerVerMjandMn -SettingString $AntiMalwareSettings -Location $location

# To remove the AntiMalware extension
# Remove-AzureRmVMExtension -ResourceGroupName $resourceGroupName -VMName $vmName -Name "IaaSAntimalware"

# If you have error saying Admin has restricted this app, Navigate to “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client”
# Run "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\ConfigSecurityPolicy.exe cleanuppolicy.xml"
# Or simply drag the cleanuppolicy.xml file above onto the ConfigSecurityPolicy.exe to sort it and you should be in.

The MSAVconfig.json file contains the JSON version of the Anti-Malware settings:

{
"AntimalwareEnabled": true,
"RealtimeProtectionEnabled": true,
"ScheduledScanSettings": {
"isEnabled": true,
"day": 1,
"time": 180,
"scanType": "Full"
},
"Exclusions": {
"Extensions": ".mdf;.ldf;.ndf;.bak;.trn",
"Paths": "D:\\Logs;E:\\Databases;C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SQL Server\\MSSQL\\FTDATA",
"Processes": "SQLServr.exe;ReportingServicesService.exe;MSMDSrv.exe"
}
}

I recently found myself in the situation where I wanted to build a virtual machine in Microsoft Azure (Resource Manager) with multiple network interface cards (vNICs). This isn’t available from the portal, but it is possible from the command line.

My colleague Leo D’Arcy pointed me to Samir Farhat’s blog post on how to create a multiple NIC Azure virtual machine (ARM). Samir has posted his script on the TechNet Gallery but I made a few tweaks in my version:

#Variables
$VMName = Read-Host "Virtual Machine Name"
$RGName = Read-Host "Resource Group where to deploy the VM"
$Region = Read-Host "Region/Location"
$SAName = Read-Host "Storage Account Name"
$VMSize = Read-Host "Virtual Machine Size"
$AvailabilitySet = Read-Host "Availability Set ID (use Get-AzureRMAvailabilitySet to find this)"
$VNETName = Read-Host "Virtual Network Name"
$Subnet01Name = Read-Host "Subnet 01 Name"
$Subnet02Name = Read-Host "Subnet 02 Name"
$cred=Get-Credential -Message "Name and password for the local Administrator account"
 
# Getting the Network
$VNET = Get-AzureRMvirtualNetwork | where {$_.Name -eq $VNETName}
$SUBNET01 = Get-AzureRmVirtualNetworkSubnetConfig -Name $Subnet01Name -VirtualNetwork $VNET
$SUBNET02 = Get-AzureRmVirtualNetworkSubnetConfig -Name $Subnet02Name -VirtualNetwork $VNET
 
# Create the NICs
$NIC01Name = $VMName+'-NIC-01'
$NIC02Name = $VMName+'-NIC-02'
Write-Host "Creating" $NIC01Name
$VNIC01 = New-AzureRmNetworkInterface -Name $NIC01Name -ResourceGroupName $RGName -Location $Region -SubnetId $SUBNET01.Id

Write-Host "Creating" $NIC02Name
$VNIC02 = New-AzureRmNetworkInterface -Name $NIC02Name -ResourceGroupName $RGName -Location $Region -SubnetId $SUBNET02.Id
 
# Create the VM config
Write-Host "Creating the VM Configuration"
$VM = New-AzureRmVMConfig -VMName $VMName -VMSize $VMSize -AvailabilitySetId $AvailabilitySet
$pubName="MicrosoftWindowsServer"
$offerName="WindowsServer"
$skuName="2012-R2-Datacenter"
Write-Host " - Setting the operating system"
$VM = Set-AzureRmVMOperatingSystem -VM $vm -Windows -ComputerName $vmName -Credential $cred -ProvisionVMAgent -EnableAutoUpdate
Write-Host " - Setting the source image"
$VM = Set-AzureRmVMSourceImage -VM $vm -PublisherName $pubName -Offer $offerName -Skus $skuName -Version "latest"
#Adding the VNICs to the config, you should always choose a Primary NIC
Write-Host " - Adding vNIC 1"
$VM = Add-AzureRmVMNetworkInterface -VM $VM -Id $VNIC01.Id -Primary
Write-Host " - Adding vNIC 2"
$VM = Add-AzureRmVMNetworkInterface -VM $VM -Id $VNIC02.Id
 
# Specify the OS disk name and create the VM
$DiskName=$VMName+'-OSDisk'
Write-Host " - Getting the storage account details"
$SA = Get-AzureRmStorageAccount | where { $_.StorageAccountName -eq $SAName}
$OSDiskUri = $SA.PrimaryEndpoints.Blob.ToString() + "vhds/" + $vmName+"-OSDisk.vhd"
Write-Host " - Setting up the OS disk"
$VM = Set-AzureRmVMOSDisk -VM $VM -Name $DiskName -VhdUri $osDiskUri -CreateOption fromImage
Write-Host "Creating the virtual machine"
New-AzureRmVM -ResourceGroupName $RGName -Location $Region -VM $VM