Create multiple Azure VMs using the copy object - azure

Question

I've got an ARM Template and Parameter file which successfully deploys a domain-joined VM in Azure.
Virtual Machine
NIC
OS Disk
It needs updated to deploy 500 VMs incrementing name suffix -01, -02, -03 etc. I'm trying to use copy object in the resources section of my template but running into issues so I wish to review how I'm approaching this.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-resource-manager/templates/create-multiple-instances
Snippet from original ARM Template
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces",
"name": "[variables('nicName')]",
"apiVersion": "[variables('apiVersion')]",
"tags": "[parameters('tag')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"properties": {
"ipConfigurations": [
{
"name": "ipconfig",
"properties": {
"privateIPAllocationMethod": "Dynamic",
"subnet": {
"id": "[parameters('subnetID')]"
}
}
}
]
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines",
"name": "[variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix]",
"apiVersion": "2017-03-30",
"tags": "[parameters('tag')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"properties": {
"hardwareProfile": {
"vmSize": "[parameters('vmSize')]"
},
"osProfile": {
"computerName": "[variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix]",
"adminUsername": "[variables('vmSettings').adminUserName]",
"adminPassword": "[variables('vmSettings').adminPassword]"
},
"storageProfile": {
"imageReference": "[variables('imageReference')]",
"osDisk": {
"name": "[concat(parameters('dnsLabelPrefix'), '-os')]",
"caching": "ReadWrite",
"createOption": "FromImage"
},
"dataDisks": [ ]
},
"networkProfile": {
"networkInterfaces": [
{
"id": "[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces', variables('nicName'))]"
}
]
}
},
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces', variables('nicName'))]"
]
},
Do I simply use copy on VM or have to add this as well on NIC and OS Disk?
One of the syntax I've tried. Sample syntax I could retry would be useful.
"name": "[concat(variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix), copyIndex()]"
EDIT:
Updated the ARM Template added missing right parentheses ")" and hardcoding "count" value 3 for now to simplify testing. Latest version is
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces",
"name": "[concat(variables('nicName'), '-', copyIndex())]",
"apiVersion": "[variables('apiVersion')]",
"tags": "[parameters('tag')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"copy": {
"name": "nicLoop",
"count": 3
},
"properties": {
"ipConfigurations": [
{
"name": "ipconfig",
"properties": {
"privateIPAllocationMethod": "Dynamic",
"subnet": {
"id": "[parameters('subnetID')]"
}
}
}
]
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines",
"name": "[concat(variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix, '-', copyIndex())]",
"apiVersion": "2017-03-30",
"tags": "[parameters('tag')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"copy": {
"name": "vmLoop",
"count": 3
},
"properties": {
"hardwareProfile": {
"vmSize": "[parameters('vmSize')]"
},
"osProfile": {
"computerName": "[variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix]",
"adminUsername": "[variables('vmSettings').adminUserName]",
"adminPassword": "[variables('vmSettings').adminPassword]"
},
"storageProfile": {
"imageReference": "[variables('imageReference')]",
"osDisk": {
"name": "[concat(parameters('dnsLabelPrefix'), '-os')]",
"caching": "ReadWrite",
"createOption": "FromImage"
},
"dataDisks": [ ]
},
"networkProfile": {
"networkInterfaces": [
{
"id": "[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces', concat(variables('nicName'), '-', copyIndex()))]"
}
]
}
},
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces', concat(variables('nicName'), '-', copyIndex()))]"
]
},
Latest error:
New-AzResourceGroupDeployment : 9:41:51 PM - Error: Code=InvalidTemplate; Message=Deployment template validation failed: 'The resource 'Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines/vmname' is not defined in the template. Please see https://aka.ms/arm-template for usage details.'.
Parameter file has this variable
"dnsLabelPrefix": { "value": "vmname" },

Answer 1

A1. You need to add the copy both in VM and the NIC, not the OS Disk.
A2. I suggest you just use the VM name suffix with the copy index, not like 01, 02 and etc. You can see the function copyIndex(). Then you can change the template for the Nic and VM that you provided like this:
"resources": [
{
"type": "Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces",
"name": "[concat(variables('nicName'), '-', copyIndex())]",
"apiVersion": "[variables('apiVersion')]",
"tags": "[parameters('tag')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"copy": {
"name": "nicLoop",
"count": "[parameters('numberOfInstances')]"
},
"properties": {
"ipConfigurations": [
{
"name": "ipconfig",
"properties": {
"privateIPAllocationMethod": "Dynamic",
"subnet": {
"id": "[parameters('subnetID')]"
}
}
}
]
}
},
{
"type": "Microsoft.Compute/virtualMachines",
"name": "[concat(variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix, '-', copyIndex()]",
"apiVersion": "2017-03-30",
"tags": "[parameters('tag')]",
"location": "[parameters('location')]",
"copy": {
"name": "vmLoop",
"count": "[parameters('numberOfInstances')]"
},
"properties": {
"hardwareProfile": {
"vmSize": "[parameters('vmSize')]"
},
"osProfile": {
"computerName": "[variables('vmSettings').vmNamePrefix]",
"adminUsername": "[variables('vmSettings').adminUserName]",
"adminPassword": "[variables('vmSettings').adminPassword]"
},
"storageProfile": {
"imageReference": "[variables('imageReference')]",
"osDisk": {
"name": "[concat(parameters('dnsLabelPrefix'), '-os')]",
"caching": "ReadWrite",
"createOption": "FromImage"
},
"dataDisks": [ ]
},
"networkProfile": {
"networkInterfaces": [
{
"id": "[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces', concat(variables('nicName'), '-', copyIndex())]"
}
]
}
},
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/networkInterfaces', variables('nicName'), '-', copyIndex())]"
]
},