Creating RHEL instance on Microsoft Azure

Last Updated : Mar 25, 2026 |
Prolog information
Metadata
Keywords:
Before you begin
Create an account on Microsoft Azure.
Do the following in Microsoft Azure environment:
  • Create a resource group.
    You must provide the same resource group while creating any resource in Microsoft Azure.
  • Create a storage account.
  • In the same resource group, create a vNet and create an address space in that vNet with sufficient IP addresses.
  • Using the IP address space, create:
    • Create a subnet for Main interfaces.
    • Create a subnet for duplication link interfaces.
    • Create a subnet for Gateway. For VPN Gateway, VPN gateway will internally use this subnet.
      For more information, see Microsoft Azure documentation and search for VPN Gateway.
    • Create VPN connection between your Azure Private Network and your enterprise premise by creating VPN gateway, Local Gateway, Connection, Shared Key.
      For more information, see Microsoft Azure documentation and search for relevant terms.
    • Create a Network Security group and ensure that the ports are open as per the port matrix guide of respective product.
    • Optionally, create an availability set. A pair of VM under availability set shares different hardware and power resources.
    • While deploying Duplex Communication Manager, it would be good to have both the Communication Managers in different Hardware Server.
    • Create a customized RHEL virtual machine in your environment and convert it into vhd image.
      For more information about disk partitions and size, see Disk partitioning.
      For more information about creating virtual machines and uploading them to Azure, see Microsoft Azure documentation.
    • Upload the RHEL customized instance to Microsoft Azure and use the same to create a new instance.
      While creating a virtual machine for Communication Manager, select appropriate size according to the Communication Managers footprint and HA configuration. See Avaya Aura® Communication Manager Hardware Description and Reference guide and refer to the Microsoft Azure website to select appropriate size.
    • If you want to deploy Communication Manager Duplex, then your virtual machine must have two different interfaces. At the time of launching the virtual machine, you must assign an interface from the subnet created for main network. Once your virtual machine is launched, stop the virtual machine and attach interface from the subnet created for duplication link.
Important:
Avaya recommends installing only required RPMs to the system for security and stability. Do not install complete Red Hat system.
In a software-only installation, the customer installs the Red Hat provided RPM updates. To avoid possible issues or incompatibilities with new RPMs, check the list of tested RPMs and follow the instructions in the PSN020617u that Avaya publishes periodically on the Avaya Support website.
Note:
Please note that the steps provided in this section are for reference purpose only. For the most up-to-date information, see the Microsoft Azure documentation.
  1. Log on to the Azure portal.
  2. In the search box, type virtual machine, and click Virtual machines.
  3. On the Virtual machines page, click on the + Create link and select + Virtual machine.
    STEP RESULT:
    The system displays the Create a virtual machine page.
  4. In the Basics tab, do the following:
    1. In Project details, select the Resource group.
    2. In Instance details, provide the Virtual machine name and select the Region.
    3. In Image, select Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.10 from the images list.
    4. In Size, select the required details.
      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
      Select appropriate size according to the Communication Manager footprint and HA configuration
      See Avaya Aura® Communication Manager Hardware Description and Reference guide, and also refer to the Microsoft Azure website to select appropriate size.
    5. From Administrator account, in Authentication type, select Password, and enter the required credentials.
      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
      Ensure that you select authentication type as password instead of SSH public key.
    7. Click Next: Disks.
  5. In the Disks tab, do the following:
    1. From Disk options, select the required OS disk type and Encryption type.
      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
      Caution:
      Do not use temporary disk for application configuration. It might lead to loss of data.
    2. In Data disks for 'undefined', click Create and attach a new disk.
    3. On Create a new disk page, click Change size and select 55 GiB from the list.
    4. Click OK.
      STEP RESULT:
      A new disk of size 55 GiB is created.
    5. Click Next: Networking.
  6. In the Networking tab, from Network interface select the required Virtual network, Subnet, and Public inbound ports.
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
    Select other fields on that page, if required.
  7. In the Management, Advanced, and Tags tabs, fill the details, if required.
  8. In the Review + create tab, review the details and click Create.
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
    The deployment begins. Wait till the deployment is complete.