Efficient storage management is a key aspect of optimizing virtual machines in Azure. In this first part of our Azure VM Scale Set series, we’ll guide you through connecting to a Windows VM and adding a data disk to expand its storage capacity. This straightforward process is essential for scaling workloads and ensuring your VMs are ready for growing data demands.

What is Virtual Machine Scale Set (VMSS)?

A Virtual Machine Scale Set (VMSS) is an Azure compute service designed to deploy and manage a group of identical, load-balanced (distributed traffic among) virtual machines (VMs). It enables you to build large-scale services for applications by automatically scaling the number of VMs up or down based on demand or predefined rules. This makes it ideal for workloads that need high availability, scalability, and flexibility.

Let’s get started and transform the way you manage and scale your virtual machines in Azure!

Part 1: How to Connect and Add a Data Disk to the Windows VM

Step 1: Create a windows Virtual Machine (VM)

• Install a Webserver (select http while creating the VM so as to test the VM)
• RDP into the VM.

Note: All the steps needed to do this have been covered in a previous article; make sure to go through that before moving on.

Creating a Windows VM on Azure and Installing Windows Server (IIS) on it

Step 2: Add a Data Disk

• Go to the Disk section under the Settings menu of the VM

• Select Create and attach a new disk
  

• Give your disk a name in the Disk name section

• Select the best option under Storage type

• Give the disk a Size(GiB)

• Select Apply to save
  

Step 3: Initialize the disk and make it usable

• Connect to the Virtual Machine (VM)
  

• Search and select Disk management in the VM
  

• Click on Ok in the Initialize disk pop_up
  

• Right-click the disk created and open the New simple volume wizard
  

• Navigate to the Format patition section
  

• Give the Volume label a name

• Select Next
  

• Notice the disk says Healthy now
  

CONTINUE TO THE NEXT PART
Azure VM Scale Set #Part 2: How to Capture the image of a VM with Azure Compute Gallery
Azure VM Scale Set #Part 3: How to Create a Virtual Machine scale set in Azure

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