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Azure VPS setup notes » History » Version 61

Jon Goldberg, 12/05/2025 07:28 PM

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# Microsoft Azure - Initial Setup
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Hi there!  Microsoft frequently changes their interface, so sometimes the instructions don't match up exactly.  Feel free to ask me if you run into trouble! -Jon
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[**NOTE**: Most of Microsoft's pages break with an ad blocker enabled.]
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### Get a Sponsorship
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* [Go to the Nonprofit Microsoft Getting Started page](https://nonprofit.microsoft.com/en-us/getting-started).  Fill out the paperwork to be approved as a 501c3.  Approval can take 1 day or 3-4 weeks - I've seen both multiple times.
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* Once approved, go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/nonprofits/azure to claim credits (or go directly to [Claiming Your Credits](https://nonprofit.microsoft.com/en-us/offers/azure).
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* You'll know you're successful because you'll see a sponsorship listed on the [Sponsorship Page](https://www.microsoftazuresponsorships.com/Balance).
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### Create a Subscription
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* Check that you have credits in your sponsored account: https://www.microsoftazuresponsorships.com/Balance
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* Visit the [Azure Portal](https://portal.azure.com).  
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* Click the **Subscriptions** icon.
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* Click the **Add** button.
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* Add a subscription of type "Microsoft Azure Sponsorship" from the Azure portal. You will likely need to select **Show other subscription types** to see it.
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 * **Note**: Even sponsored subscriptions require a credit card, make sure you have one available.
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### Grant access to other users
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Microsoft has made recent changes to this system, so these are experimental instructions.  I may ask you to take additional steps!
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#### Create a user
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* Log in to https://entra.microsoft.com.
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* Select **Users** from the left navigation menu.
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* Click **New User » Invite External User**.
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* Add my email (jon@megaphonetech.com) and display name (Jon Goldberg).
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* On the *Assignments* tab, click **Add Role**, then grant me the **Global Administrator** role.
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* Go to the *Review and Invite* tab, and click **Invite** at the bottom of the screen.
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#### Grant access to the subscription
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* Go back to https://portal.azure.com
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* Open the new subscription by clicking on it from the Subscriptions page.
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* Click Access Control (IAM) in the left navigation bar.
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* At the top, press Add » Add role 
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* On the Role tab, go to the Privileged administrator roles subtab.
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* Click Owner and press Next.
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* On the Members tab, set Assign Access to User, group, or service principal, and click Select Members.
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* In the Search by name or email address box, put the email of the new user and press Select. Press Next.
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* On the Conditions tab, select Allow user to assign all roles except privileged administrator roles Owner, UAA, RBAC (Recommended).
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* Click Review and Assign, then click Review and Assign again. At this point, they'll receive an email to either log in with an existing Microsoft account or to create a new one.
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### On Renewals
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You will need to renew every year.  Instructions for this are incomplete - but you should go to your [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com) and click the **Subscriptions** button (see screenshot 1 below).  Find the subscription ID (screenshot 2) - it's a string of numbers and letters.  Then go to https://www.microsoftazuresponsorships.com/Balance and assign your new credits to the existing subscription.
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If you did not do this in time, you should be able to open a support ticket with Microsoft to request a refund.
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**Screenshot 1**
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![Azure portal toolbar, "Subscriptions" is circled](Selection_2157.png)
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**Screenshot 2**
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![Azure portal Subscriptions screen, a red arrow points to the Subscription ID](Selection_2158.png)