Deploy a cluster using Azure portal

Step 1: Basics

1. Specify the Resource group and Cluster name.

   A new Key vault name must be created.

2. Click Create a new key vault.
   Note: If a previously created key vault for a decommissioned cluster exists with the same name, it must be deleted and purged first.
   
   
3. Click Create.
4. Select and validate the servers that will be cluster nodes. After successful server validation a green checkbox will appear next to the Validated selected servers button.
5. Click Next: Configuration.

Following is an example for a cluster with four nodes:

To create a key vault, click Create.

Select and validate the servers that will be cluster nodes. After successful server validation a green checkbox will appear next to the Validate selected servers button.

For more information, see Start the wizard and fill out the basics.

Step 2: Configuration

1. To provide details for the cluster, select New Configuration.

   For more information, see Specify the deployment settings.

2. Click Next: Networking.

Step 3: Networking

In this step, specify the network settings. Choose No switch for storage for a switchless network topology.

Group management and compute traffic: This option lets you configure network topology with storage traffic on physical network adapters.

Example of deploying a network configuration with storage traffic on physical network adapters:

Provide details for the network intents or network adapters.

Click Customize network settings on each network intent and, if applicable, network adapter to update Data Center Bridging setting and Adapter properties like Jumbo frame size and RDMA protocol.

For management network intents, Dell recommends disabling RDMA.

Following are examples of setting customized network values for network values:

Then, provide IP address pool for the system and services:

For more information, see Specify network settings.

Click Next: Management.

Step 4: Management

Specify the custom location name to identify this system when creating resources, Active Directory and Deployment account details:

For a 2-node cluster you have to create a storage account. To create a new storage account, click Create New.

Select a storage account name, region, and redundancy. To create a storage account, click Create. Continue to specify Active Directory and Deployment account details.

For more information on this step, see Specify management settings.

Click Next: Security.

Step 5: Security

This option lets you configure security settings.

Recommended security settings: Sets the highest security settings.

Customized security settings: Lets you turn off security settings.

For highest security, choose recommended security settings. Then click Next: Advanced.

For more information, see Set the security level.

Step 6: Advanced

Choose Create workload volumes and required infrastructure volumes.

For more information, see Optionally change advanced settings and apply tags.

Step 7 (optional): Tags

Enter tag information, this step is optional. Click Validation.

Step 8: Validation

This step creates Azure Stack HCI cluster resource object and its components. Then it validates the system readiness for cluster deploy.

For more information, see Validate and deploy the system.

Click Next: Review + create.

Step 9: Review + create

This step shows all the configuration information that you have selected so far for creating the cluster. You have an option to go back to previous steps and modify any settings, if needed.

Once the settings are verified, click Review + create and your cluster deployment will get started.

For more information, see Validate and deploy the system.

The deployment progress can be viewed in the Azure portal, navigate to <cluster name> > Deployments. Press refresh to get the latest update.

Once the deployment is complete, the status for all the tasks will show Success.

Enable remote desktop to access your cluster remotely or from Windows Admin Center.