Table of Contents
Step 1: Introduction
Step 2: Prepare the ARM Template
Step 3: Log in to the Azure Portal
Step 4: Deploy the ARM Template
Step 5: Customize the Deployment
Step 6: Review and Deploy
Step 7: Access Your Virtual Machine
Step 8: Manage Your VM
Step 9: Summary

Step 1: Introduction:
Deploying a virtual machine (VM) using an Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template is a powerful way to automate the provisioning of resources in Azure. ARM templates are JSON files that define the infrastructure and configuration for your Azure solution. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 2: Prepare the ARM Template:
Before you begin, ensure you have a valid ARM template. You can use the one provided earlier or customize your own.

Step 3: Log in to the Azure Portal:
Go to https://portal.azure.com/
Sign in with your Azure account credentials.

Step 4: Deploy the ARM Template:

On the Azure Portal home page, search for "Deploy a custom template" in the search results and click on it to start the template deployment process.

You have two options for providing the ARM template:
Build your own template in the editor: You can paste your ARM template into the editor.
Load a file: If you have your template saved as a .json file, you can upload it.
Select one of these options and either paste the template or upload the file. We used the paste the template option as seen below:

Click on Save.

Step 5: Customize the Deployment
Fill in the Parameters: After saving your template, you'll be prompted to enter the required parameters, such as:

vmName: The name of the virtual machine.
adminUsername: The administrator username.
adminPassword: The administrator password (make sure it meets Azure’s password requirements).
dnsLabelPrefix: A unique DNS label prefix for the VM's public IP.
Select Resource Group: Choose an existing resource group or create a new one where the VM will be deployed.

Location: Ensure the location matches the region where you want to deploy your resources.

Step 6: Review and Deploy:

Click on Review + Create.
The portal will validate your template and parameters. If there are any issues, you’ll be prompted to correct them.
Once validated, click on Create to start the deployment process.

Step 7: Access Your Virtual Machine

After the deployment is complete, go to the Resource groups section, select your resource group, and you will see the VM listed among the deployed resources.

Click on the VM name to view its details.
To connect to your Windows VM:
In the VM's Overview page, click on Connect.

Choose RDP and download the RDP file to your local machine.
Open the RDP file, and log in using the admin credentials you specified during the deployment.

Step 8: Manage Your VM
From the VM’s page in the Azure Portal, you can start, stop, restart, or delete the VM, and configure additional settings like networking, disks, and more.

Summary
We’ve successfully deployed a Windows virtual machine using an ARM template in the Azure Portal. The process involves creating a resource group (if needed), deploying the ARM template, and monitoring the deployment. Once the VM is deployed, you can connect to it and manage it through the Azure Portal.

Deploying a Virtual Machine using ARM (Azure Resource Manager) template