Best Azure service to match AWS Systems manager "State Associations"

rajesh.john 0

Ok, we want to install agents on our VMs in resources groups and make sure they are maintain that state (if users remove, then it should reinstall) and also provide a means to upgrade agent version when upgrades are available

Question1:

I have used Azure compute gallery, vm application definitions & version and azure policy to automate installation of agents to VMs, now what can i use to push newer version of these agents ?

Question 2:

IS VM extensions better than VM applications for do this upgrade of agents ?

Pavan Minukuri 520 Microsoft Vendor

Hi @rajesh.john
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum, Thanks for asking Question here...!
Question 1: what can I use to push newer version of these agents?
When a new agent version is available, you can update your VM application in the Azure Compute Gallery by uploading the new agent and updating the version number. After creating a new version, you can deploy it to your VMs. If your VMs are set to automatically get the latest version, they will update when deployed.

You can use Azure Policy to ensure all VMs have the latest agent version. If a VM is missing the agent, you can set up a policy to automatically reinstall or update it.

For more details, please go through attached link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/batch/batch-sig-images https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/governance/policy/
Question 2: VM Extensions vs. VM Applications for Upgrading Agents

VM Extensions: Its Primary goal is to manage the tasks related to individual VMs, especially immediate update and specifics configuration. it is suitable if the agent is critical to VM functionality and should always remain consistent. faster deployment and upgrade management compared to VM applications.

VM Applications: VM applications can be used to install and manage complex software stacks on VMs, including agent upgrades. VM applications can also be used to manage dependencies and configurations for the software stack. However, VM applications are more complex to deploy and manage than VM extensions.

Comparison table for VM Extensions and VM applications.

Feature	VM Extensions	VM Applications
Purpose	Ideal for managing configurations and tasks on VMs, such as installing agents or monitoring tools.	Focused on packaging and deploying applications across VMs efficiently.
Deployment Method	Can be deployed directly to VMs using Azure portal, CLI, or ARM templates.	Requires an application definition in a gallery; updates are managed through gallery versions.
Version Management	Extensions can be updated independently, but require manual intervention unless automated via scripts or policies.	Supports versioning through application definitions, allowing easier management of multiple versions.
Use Case	Best for scenarios where you need to configure or manage individual VMs with specific tasks (e.g., installing monitoring agents).	Better suited for scenarios where you need to deploy applications consistently across multiple VMs or scale sets.
Integration with Policies	Limited integration with Azure Policy compared to VM Applications.	Strong integration with Azure Policies for compliance and automated deployments.

For more details, please go through attached link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/extensions/overview, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/vm-applications?tabs=ubuntu

If you have any further queries, do let us know.

Pavan Minukuri 520 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-11-21T16:40:26.65+00:00

Hi rajesh.john,
We haven't heard back from you. Please reply if you have any questions in this matter and we will gladly continue the discussion. Thank You...!

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Best Azure service to match AWS Systems manager "State Associations"

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