Deploying an Azure VMware Solution (AVS) private cloud involves several key steps to ensure a seamless integration with your existing infrastructure. Below is a detailed, step-by-step guide to assist you through the process:

1. Prerequisites

• Administrative Rights: Ensure you have at least contributor-level permissions in your Azure subscription to create and manage resources.
• Subscription Eligibility: Your Azure subscription should be associated with a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA), a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Azure plan, or a Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA).
• Resource Provider Registration: Register the Microsoft.AVS resource provider in your Azure subscription:

 # az provider register -n Microsoft.AVS --subscription <your_subscription_ID>

2. Planning Your Deployment

• Resource Group: Decide whether to use an existing resource group or create a new one for your AVS resources.
• Region Selection: Choose an Azure region that supports AVS and is closest to your operational base to minimize latency.
• Private Cloud Name: Assign a descriptive name to your private cloud, ensuring it does not exceed 40 characters.
• Host Size and Quantity: Select the appropriate host SKU (e.g., AV36, AV36P, AV52) and determine the number of hosts, keeping in mind that the minimum is three hosts per cluster.
• Networking: Identify a unique /22 CIDR IP address block for the private cloud management network to avoid overlaps with existing networks.

3. Deploying the Private Cloud

• Using the Azure Portal:
  1. Sign in to the Azure portal.
  2. Navigate to “Create a resource” and search for “Azure VMware Solution”.
  3. Click “Create” and fill in the required details:
     • Subscription: Select your Azure subscription.
     • Resource Group: Choose your designated resource group.
     • Resource Name: Enter your private cloud’s name.
     • Region: Select the appropriate Azure region.
     • Size of Host: Choose the host SKU.
     • Number of Hosts: Specify the initial number of hosts (minimum of three).
     • Address Block: Provide the /22 CIDR IP address block.
  4. Review your configurations and click “Create” to initiate the deployment. This process may take several hours.

4. Configuring Networking

• Virtual Network Creation:
  1. In the Azure portal, go to your AVS private cloud resource.
  2. Under “Manage,” select “Connectivity,” then the “Azure VNet connect” tab.
  3. Choose to create a new virtual network or select an existing one. Ensure the address space does not overlap with your AVS management network.
• ExpressRoute Circuit:
  1. Request an ExpressRoute authorization key from the “ExpressRoute” tab within your AVS private cloud resource.
  2. Navigate to your virtual network gateway and add a new connection using the authorization key and peer circuit URI obtained earlier.

5. Accessing vCenter Server

• Jump Box Setup:
  1. Within your resource group, create a Windows virtual machine (VM) to serve as a jump box.
  2. Ensure this VM is connected to the same virtual network as your AVS private cloud.
• Connecting to vCenter:
  1. From the jump box VM, open a web browser and navigate to the vCenter Server URL provided in your AVS resource details.
  2. Log in using the cloudadmin@vsphere.local credentials.

6. Creating an NSX-T Network Segment

• NSX-T Manager Access:
  1. From the jump box VM, access the NSX Manager URL.
  2. Log in with your NSX-T credentials.
• Network Segment Creation:
  1. In the NSX-T Manager interface, navigate to “Networking” > “Segments.”
  2. Click “Add Segment” and configure the necessary parameters, such as segment name, VLAN ID, and gateway address.
  3. Ensure the segment is attached to the appropriate Tier-1 gateway.

7. Scaling the Cluster

• Adding Hosts:
  1. In the Azure portal, go to your AVS private cloud resource.
  2. Under “Settings,” select “Clusters,” then choose your cluster.
  3. Click “Add” to include additional hosts, specifying the desired number.
  4. Confirm and initiate the scaling operation.