ARM template: issue with output in nested templates - azure

Question

I'm currently facing an issue with nested template.
When I'm applying my template (detail below), I get this answer from Azure:
Azure Error: InvalidTemplate
Message: Deployment template validation failed: 'The template reference 'sandbox.test.portal' is not valid: could not find template resource or resource copy with this name. Please see https://aka.ms/arm-template-expressions/#reference for usage details.'.
However, I don't really understand why I get this issue, because for the content inside the nested template, I used what they provide in the documentation here: https://github.com/Azure/azure-quickstart-templates/blob/master/101-azure-dns-new-zone/azuredeploy.json
My ARM template:
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"location": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "[resourceGroup().location]",
"metadata": {
"description": "Location for all resources."
}
},
"newZoneName": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "sandbox.test.portal",
"metadata": {
"description": "The name of the DNS zone to be created. Must have at least 2 segements, e.g. hostname.org"
}
},
"newRecordName": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "www",
"metadata": {
"description": "The name of the DNS record to be created. The name is relative to the zone, not the FQDN."
}
}
},
"variables": {
"publicIPAddressName": "[concat(resourceGroup().name, '-pip')]",
},
"resources": [
{
"apiVersion": "2015-06-15",
"type": "Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses",
"name": "[variables('publicIPAddressName')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"properties": {
"publicIPAllocationMethod": "Dynamic",
"dnsSettings": {
"domainNameLabel": "[parameters('dnsLabelPrefix')]"
}
}
},
{
"apiVersion": "2017-05-10",
"name": "nestedTemplate",
"type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
"resourceGroup": "my-rg",
"subscriptionId": "[subscription().subscriptionId]",
"properties": {
"mode": "Incremental",
"template": {
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
},
"variables": {
},
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/dnszones",
"name": "[parameters('newZoneName')]",
"apiVersion": "2016-04-01",
"location": "global",
"properties": {
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/dnszones/a",
"name": "[concat(parameters('newZoneName'), '/', parameters('newRecordName'))]",
"apiVersion": "2016-04-01",
"location": "global",
"dependsOn": [
"[parameters('newZoneName')]"
],
"properties": {
"TTL": 3600,
"ARecords": [
{
"ipv4Address": "1.2.3.4"
},
{
"ipv4Address": "1.2.3.5"
}
]
}
}
],
"outputs": {
"nameServers": {
"type": "array",
"value": "[reference(parameters('newZoneName')).nameServers]"
}
}
}
}
}
]
}

Answer 1

basically, you need to remove the outputs from the nested inline template, so remove this bit:
"outputs": {
"nameServers": {
"type": "array",
"value": "[reference(parameters('newZoneName')).nameServers]"
}
}
long story short, nested inline deployments are bad. dont use them.
alternatively move those to the parent template and do a real lookup:
reference(resourceId('Microsoft.Network/dnszones', parameters('newZoneName')))

Answer 2

You have several minor mistakes in your template:
Comma in variables '-pip')]",
Undefined parameter dnsLabelPrefix
The general mistake in nested outputs. When you use nested templates azure don't find it in your main template. Therefore you must use a reference function with identifier and API: "[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.Network/dnszones', parameters('newZoneName')), '2016-04-01').nameServers]".
I modified your template and validate in my subscription.
{
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"newZoneName": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "sandbox.test.portal",
"metadata": {
"description": "The name of the DNS zone to be created. Must have at least 2 segements, e.g. hostname.org"
}
},
"newRecordName": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "www",
"metadata": {
"description": "The name of the DNS record to be created. The name is relative to the zone, not the FQDN."
}
},
"dnsLabelPrefix": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "[concat('dns',uniqueString(resourceGroup().name))]"
},
"nestedResourceGroup": {
"type": "string",
"defaultValue": "my-rg",
"metadata": {
"description": "my-rg"
}
}
},
"variables": {
"publicIPAddressName": "[concat(resourceGroup().name, '-pip')]"
},
"resources": [
{
"apiVersion": "2015-06-15",
"type": "Microsoft.Network/publicIPAddresses",
"name": "[variables('publicIPAddressName')]",
"location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
"properties": {
"publicIPAllocationMethod": "Dynamic",
"dnsSettings": {
"domainNameLabel": "[parameters('dnsLabelPrefix')]"
}
}
},
{
"apiVersion": "2017-05-10",
"name": "nestedTemplate",
"type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
"resourceGroup": "[parameters('nestedResourceGroup')]",
"subscriptionId": "[subscription().subscriptionId]",
"properties": {
"mode": "Incremental",
"template": {
"$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
},
"variables": {
},
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/dnszones",
"name": "[parameters('newZoneName')]",
"apiVersion": "2016-04-01",
"location": "global",
"properties": {
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/dnszones/a",
"name": "[concat(parameters('newZoneName'), '/', parameters('newRecordName'))]",
"apiVersion": "2016-04-01",
"location": "global",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/dnszones', parameters('newZoneName'))]"
],
"properties": {
"TTL": 3600,
"ARecords": [
{
"ipv4Address": "1.2.3.4"
},
{
"ipv4Address": "1.2.3.5"
}
]
}
}
],
"outputs": {
"nameServers": {
"type": "array",
"value": "[reference(resourceId('Microsoft.Network/dnszones', parameters('newZoneName')), '2016-04-01').nameServers]"
}
}
}
}
}
]
}
Have a nice day!