Azure Resource Launcher (azrez)

Azure Resource Launcher (azrez) is a console application, that aims to support those looking for quick deployments in popular Azure resources like VMs and Kubernetes Services, to encourage learning and swift environment building.

Azure Resource Launcher (azrez)

azrez is a console application for Windows Client that uses an Azure PowerShell & Azure CLI based collection of scripts to create Azure scenarios surround Azure Compute and Container Services. All scripts the application launches are openly provided in the \pwshjobs\ directory, available for the Azure community of users to review, make changes locally to fit own preferences, and improve. The console application itself is developed with .NET and C#, it is provided in the repository as an executable, though its reduced complexity leaves it easy to understand and reproduce.

What can you do with it?

Once you have met a couple of prerequisites (see below) and downloaded it to your local machine, you may open the azrez console app.

Select your scenario by writting single digit values as input and press Enter.

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The console then shows a branch of scenario options for you to choose. You may first use option 1 to perform an azure login operation to select your account and set subscription.

Then choose your scenario, for this input digits to the console. The menu will show the available scenarios, for example:

image

Once you selected your scenario, a PowerShell script will be launched from the /pwshjobs/ path with the respective deployment.

To quit the application, input “exit” and press Enter.

Prerequisites:

1) Have a Windows Client machine on which you have the .NET framework (minimum .NET 8.0) runtime or SDK installed on your system prior to running AZREZ.

To install .NET runtime 8.0.10 via elevated PowerShell:

Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/f55ed80e-ba58-4ac8-a2b3-f2227cd628de/6fabf1c613cf9386d14ddbaaca1a5eb8/dotnet-runtime-8.0.10-win-x64.exe" -Destination "$HOME/dotnet-runtime-8.0.10-win-x64.exe"
cd $HOME
.\dotnet-runtime-8.0.10-win-x64.exe

Restart the PowerShell console to continue.

2) Have Azure CLI (azcli) installed on your machine

To install Azure CLI via elevated PowerShell:

# Install az cli on windows
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://aka.ms/installazurecliwindowsx64 -OutFile .\AzureCLI.msi
.\AzureCLI.msi

Restart the PowerShell console to continue.

Get AZREZ locally

Get AZREZ ready on Windows Client using elevated PowerShell cmdlets:

# In case of any errors, retry running the commands
# Remove the package if it already exists
Remove-Item -Path C:\azrez\ -Recurse
# Download the repo contents to C:\azrez and expand the archive
Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://github.com/marianleica/azrez/archive/refs/heads/public.zip" -Destination "C:\azrez.zip"
Expand-Archive -Path "C:\azrez.zip" -DestinationPath "C:\" -Force
# Edit the path name and remove the initial compressed file
mv C:\azrez-public C:\azrez\
rmdir C:\azrez.zip
# Add to environment variables for the current PS session only
$env:Path += ";C:\azrez\"

Also available as: setup.ps1 -> https://raw.githubusercontent.com/marianleica/azrez/refs/heads/public/setup.ps1

(*) In case error “Start-BitsTransfer: The resource loader cache doesn’t have loaded MUI entry. (0x80073B01)” is thrown, just run again the commands.

Then input azrez to the console to start using the tool.

Limitations of the current release: v1.07

  • The AZREZ tool is supported only for Windows OS on Windows Client versions supported by Microsoft
  • The AZREZ tool only works in the following directory path “C:\azrez” with the backend scripts on “C:\azrez\pwshjobs”
  • All resources are by default using the ‘azrez’ resource group and the ‘uksouth’ Azure region. The job scripts are accessible for whoever wants to use a different resource group name or Azure region, as well as any alternate configurations.
  • The command $env:Path += ";C:\azrez\" only sets env variable in the current terminal session. Workaround for permanent variable is to manually add C:\azrez\ to the Path environment variables in Advanced System Settings

Feedback and feature requests

  • For any issues or questions about the tool, please submit a new github issue on the repository page with a detailed description.
  • For any feature requests or changes, please submit a github issue with the details on the repository page.

Release notes

v1.07

  • Added new scenarios: Azure VM running Ubuntu2204 Docker-ready, Private AKS cluster with Jumpbox VM, Private AKS with UDR outbound via Azure Firewall and Jumpbox VM, Upstream Kubernetes environment deployment, and Upstream Kubernetes environment with onboarding to Azure Arc-enabled Kubernetes.
  • Bug fixes and enhancements on existing scenarios

v1.06

  • Added new scenarios: AKS Windows node pool, private AKS cluster with Jumpbox VM, UDR outbound AKS private cluster with Jumpbox VM, Azure IaaS build setup ready for configuring kubeadm cluster
  • AZ CLI is now a prerequisite and the az setup function (input 1) performs Azure Login

v1.05

  • First Public Preview version.