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Azure SQL Virtual Machine Checklist

This checklist outlines the steps and configurations required to setup an Azure sql virtual machine. This document will guide you through the process using Microsoft Technet as a primary source and include additional configurations based on previous experiences

Below we have a short list with checkboxes you can use to keep track of this checlist. The checked boxes will reset on refresh

  • 1: Configure Windows server
  • 2: Install SQL server
  • 3: Create deployment folder

Step 1: Configure Windows server

  1. Install Necessary Updates:
    • Run Windows update and verify if the latest version of fslogix is installed
  2. (If V6+ is used) Setup temp disk initilization:
    • Download the powershell script from the devops repo
    • Create a scripts folder on the C disk of the VM, for example: C:\Stollify\Scripts
    • Place the script in this folder and create a task in the task scheduler
      • Run as System
      • Run on System startup
    • Test the script by deallocating the VM en restarting. You should now have a TempDisk on D:
  3. (If the VM will be entra-joined)Enable Microsoft Cloud Kerberos
    • This feature is used in intune-managed or hybrid-joined scenario's to retrieve kerberos tokens from Microsoft 365
    • Run reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Kerberos\Parameters /v CloudKerberosTicketRetrievalEnabled /t REG_DWORD /d 1 in CMD

Step 2: Install SQL server

Skip this step if you've used the Microsoft template that includes the SQL Server installation

  1. Download sql server installer:
  2. Enable mixed-mode authentication
    • Enable this feature to retain some sort of back-door incase something happens with the server or domain
  3. Specify the data directories:
    • Install SQL server on the default C Drive
    • Also retain this location for the root data directory, this will make use that the system databases are all installed on the C drive
    • Modify the user data,log,backup directories
      • Usually you will split the data and log drives in 2 seperate managed disks
      • Create the folders SQLData, SQLLog and SQLBackup on these 2 disks
      • Data and Backup can be used on the same drive, Log can be used on a different disk
    • Modify the temp disk directory
      • If you have used the script from step 1, you will have a D drive with the required folders for Data and Log
      • Set the tempdb to the temporary disk on D:

Step 3: Create Deployment Folder

  1. Create the Folder:
    • Open File Explorer and create a new folder named C:\Deployment.
  2. Copy deployment files:
    • Download the deployment files from the Azure DevOps repo into this folder.