Hi,

I am a newbie to Azure, am working to programatically create Virtual Machine, am getting confused why there is two things called 

1. Create VM Deployment

2. Add Role

both creates VM but what is the use of Deployment? Any pointers or links that explains this will be great.

Cheers,

Kamesh

Hi,

>>both creates VM but what is the use of Deployment?

The Add Role operation adds a Virtual Machine to a deployment of Virtual Machines. Before you run this operation, you must have an existing cloud service and deployment in Windows Azure. To create a cloud service. Refer to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/jj157186.aspx  for more information.

The Create Virtual Machine Deployment operation creates a deployment and then creates a Virtual Machine in the deployment based on the specified configuration. Refer to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/jj157194.aspx for more information.

Best Regards

Create VM Deployment is a onetime creation. It allows you to specify a list of roles (actually virtual machines, it is technically called role to be aligned with cloud services). After the deployment is created, you can use Add Role to add an additional virtual machine to the deployment.

HI

Yes it's a good question. I have the same confuse when I first read that document.

Let me explain it to you.

First there are two ways to create Azure VM in Azure portal. Qurick create, and From gallary.

Both of these ways of create Azure VM does indeed end up in a cloud service container(If you know to Azure cloud service you should know that.) You can use Azure portal quick create a VM, then click "all items", you will find there are a cloud service created for the specific VM with the same Name.

In your quick create when it asks for the DNS name (and shows the .cloudapp.net next to it) that's the Cloud Service name you are providing. (Senario 1)

When you do the create via the Gallery it is even more obvious on step 3 where is asks to create a new Cloud Service or select one that already exists.(Senario 2)

To do what you want via the REST API, you need Add role and Create Virtual Machine Deployment

Add role url request

https://management.core.windows.net/<subscription-id>/services/hostedservices/<cloudservice-name>/deployments/<deployment-name>/roles

Create Virtual Machine Deployment

https://management.core.windows.net/<subscription-id>/services/hostedservices/<cloudservice-name>/deployments

See the difference?

Create Virtual Machine Deployment don't require your Deployments Name because the deployments name=cloudservice name. That's quick create VM (Senario 1) behavior.

Add role url request

Need your deployment Name, that's (Senario 2) behavior.