Monitor Azure virtual servers via VM extension

Add a monitor via VM extension in Azure and view all your critical metrics in the Site24x7 dashboard. Azure users can now add a Windows or a Linux monitor in a more simplified way without the need to download the agent.

You can add a server monitor via VM extension using one of the three ways:

• Adding a VM extension using the Azure UI portal
• Adding a VM extension via PowerShell
  • Using Classic model
  • Using Azure Resource Manager (ARM) model
• Adding a VM extension via Azure CLI (Command Line Interface)

Add a VM extension using the Azure UI portal:

1. Login to Azure portal
2. If you are creating a new VM, navigate to New > Virtual Machines > select any of the Windows/Linux Server apps listed for adding a Windows/Linux monitor
   
   
   You can also add a new VM by navigating to Resource Groups > Add (+) > Select any of the Windows Server apps listed
3. In case you already have an existing VM in Azure, navigate to Virtual Machines > select the VM to which you want to add the extension
4. Choose deployment model (Classic/Resource) > click Create
   
5. Configure basic settings, size of the VM, and other optional features
6. Under Settings blade, go to Extensions > Add Extension (+) > Server Monitoring for Windows/Linux - Site24x7
   
   
   
7. To authenticate the Windows/Linux agent, a device key is required. Login to Site24x7 and navigate to Admin > Developer > Device Key in your Site24x7 client. Sign Up if you are a new user.
8. Click Create
9. Enter the obtained device key in the field provided. Click OK
   
10. You can now view your monitor in the Site24x7 dashboard and start monitoring your critical metrics

Add a VM extension via PowerShell:

Prerequisite:

Make sure the Azure PowerShell SDK is installed and supported from version 2.6 and above

Using Classic model:

1. Login to Microsoft Azure portal by entering the command
   

   Login-AzAccount

2. After logging in, execute the command
   For Linux server,
    

   Set-AzVMExtension -Publisher Site24x7 -ExtensionType Site24x7LinuxServerExtn -ResourceGroupName <ResourceGroupName> 
   -VMName <VMName> -Name Site24x7LinuxServerExtn -ProtectedSettingString '{"site24x7AgentType":"azurevmextnlinuxserver" , 
   "site24x7LicenseKey":"enter your licensekey"}'
   

   For Windows server,
    

   Set-AzVMExtension -Publisher Site24x7 -ExtensionType Site24x7WindowsServerExtn -ResourceGroupName <ResourceGroupName> 
   -VMName <VMName> -Name Site24x7WindowsServerExtn -ProtectedSettingString '{"site24x7AgentType":"azurevmextnwindowsserver" , 
   "site24x7LicenseKey":"enter your licensekey"}' 
   

Using Azure Resource Manager (ARM):

Please follow the below steps to add a VM extension via PowerShell using ARM:

1. Log in to Microsoft Azure portal by entering the command
   

   Login-AzureRmAccount

2. After logging in, execute the command
   For Linux server,

   Set-AzureRmVMExtension -ProtectedSettingString '{"site24x7LicenseKey":"enter your licensekey"}' -Publisher Site24x7 
    -ExtensionType Site24x7LinuxServerExtn -Version 1.5  -Name <Any extension name> -ResourceGroupName <resourcegroup name> -Location <location> -VMName <vm name>

   For Windows server,

   Set-AzureRmVMExtension -ProtectedSettingString '{"site24x7AgentType":"azurevmextnwindowsserver" , "site24x7LicenseKey":"enter your licensekey"}' -Publisher Site24x7 -ExtensionType Site24x7WindowsServerExtn -Version 1.5 -Name <Any extension name> -ResourceGroupName <resourcegroup name> -Location <location> -VMName <vm name>

For both Classic and ARM models,

Get version and other properties of the extension by executing the following commands:

Get-AzureVMAvailableExtension -ExtensionName Site24x7LinuxServerExtn

Get-AzureVMAvailableExtension -ExtensionName Site24x7WindowsServerExtn

Get the list of locations:

Get-AzureLocation

Remove an extension:

For Linux server,

Remove-AzureRmVMExtension -VMName <vm name> -Name Site24x7LinuxServerExtn 
-ResourceGroupName <resourcegroup name>

For Windows server,

Remove-AzureRmVMExtension -VMName <vm name> -Name Site24x7WindowsServerExtn -ResourceGroupName <resourcegroup name>

Adding a VM extension via Azure CLI (Command Line Interface):

[Available only for Linux platform]

1. For Azure CLI version 1.0, login to Microsoft Azure portal and execute the following command:
   

   azure login

   azure vm extension set -g <resource-group-name> --vm-name <vm-name> --version 1.5 --publisher-name Site24x7 -n Site24x7LinuxServerExtn --private-config "{\"site24x7LicenseKey\":\"ab_9868f27c8a45b2fc76088c8ecec7bd7305f59661\"}" --public-config "{\"site24x7AgentType\":\"azurevmextnlinuxserver\"}"

2. For Azure CLI version 2.0, use the following commands to login and install the vm extension:

   az login

   az vm extension set --publisher Site24x7 -n Site24x7LinuxServerExtn -g <resource-group-name> --vm-name <vm-name> --version 1.5 --protected-settings "{\"site24x7LicenseKey\":\"ab_9868f27c8a45b2fc76088c8ecec7bd7305f59661\"}" --settings "{\"site24x7AgentType\":\"azurevmextnlinuxserver\"}"