Step-by-Step Guide – Robert Smit MVP Blog

Introduction

Azure Arc enables you to manage your on-premises Windows Servers as if they were native Azure resources.
With Azure Arc, you can apply policies, deploy extensions, and monitor systems — all through the Azure portal.
This guide is designed for system administrators and IT professionals looking to onboard their Windows Servers into Azure.

Prerequisites

• Windows Server 2012 R2 or higher
• Internet access (direct or via proxy)
• An active Azure subscription
• Azure CLI or PowerShell installed
• Local admin rights on the server
• TLS 1.2 enabled

Step 1: Register the Azure Resource Provider

az login
az provider register --namespace Microsoft.HybridCompute
az provider register --namespace Microsoft.GuestConfiguration

Step 2: Download the Azure Arc Onboarding Script

1. Go to Azure Arc > Servers in the Azure Portal.
2. Click Add and select Generate script.
3. Choose your subscription and resource group.
4. Set the region and OS type.
5. Download the generated PowerShell script.

Step 3: Run the Script on Your Windows Server

Transfer the script to your server and run in PowerShell as Administrator:

.\OnboardingScript.ps1

This installs the Azure Connected Machine agent and registers the server.

Step 4: Verify Registration

In the Azure Portal:

• Navigate to Azure Arc > Servers
• Confirm your server appears with the correct name and status

On the server:

Get-Service -Name "himds"

Common Issues

• Script fails: Ensure TLS 1.2 is enabled and script execution is allowed.
• DNS errors: Check outbound connectivity to Azure.
• Proxy issues: Configure proxy before running the script.

Tips for Management

• Apply baselines with Azure Policy
• Enable monitoring via Log Analytics agent
• Use Update Management in Azure Automation

Conclusion

With Azure Arc, your on-prem Windows Server becomes a first-class Azure resource.
This improves manageability, compliance, and scalability in hybrid environments.
For advanced scenarios, consult the
official Microsoft documentation.

Author: Robert Smit – Microsoft MVP Hybrid Cloud & Azure

For more tutorials, visit robertsmit.wordpress.com