SharePoint 2013 - Setting up SharePoint 2013 Server VM on Windows Azure

Following are the steps for Setting up SharePoint 2013 Server VM on Windows Azure. I have mentioned the word "Sample" in most of the configuration setting. You can replace this word with your own  configuration parameters.

1) Login into your Windows Azure Management Portal
Login to you windows azure portal (https://manage.windowsazure.com/). Check this link to know more about windows azure.

2) Define a new Windows Azure Affinity Group
Follow the steps in Creating a new Windows Azure Affinity Group. Define a new Windows Azure Affinity Group with following details.
Affinity Group: Sample-affinity-group
Region: Region close to your country

3) Create a new Windows Azure Storage Account
Follow the steps in Creating a new Windows Azure Storage Account. Using the affinity group created in the previous step create a new Windows Azure Storage Account.
URL: Sample_Store
Affinity Group: Sample-affinity-group

4) Register a DNS Server in Windows Azure
Follow the steps in Registering a new DNS Server. Register a new DNS Server with the following details.
DNS Name: Sample-DNS Server
DNS Server IP Address: 10.0.0.4

5) Define a Virtual Network in Windows Azure
Follow the steps in Creating a Virtual Network. Define a Virtual Network with the following details.
Virtual Network Name: Sample-net
Affinity Group: Sample-affinity-group
DNS Name: Sample-DNS Server
DNS Server IP Address: 10.0.0.4

6) Configure Windows Server Active Directory in a Windows Azure VM
Follow the steps in Windows Azure - Creating and Configure a Windows Server Active Directory VM. Create a Windows Server Active Directory VM with the following details.
a) Virtual Machine Configuration
- Version Release Date: Select the latest version release date.
- Virtual Machine Name: Sample-AD
- New User Name: Choose a secure local Administrator user account to provision.
- New Password and Confirm Password fields: Choose and confirm a new local Administrator password.
- Size: Small (1 core, 1.75GB Memory)

b) Virtual Machine Mode page
- Standalone Virtual Machine: Selected
- DNS Name: sample-ad.cloudapp.net
- Storage Account: Sample_Store
- Virtual Network: Sample-net

c) Active Directory
- Active Directory Forest name: Sample.com

d) User Accounts
- Sample\sp_farm – SharePoint Farm Data Access Account
- Sample\sp_serviceapps – SharePoint Farm Service Applications Account

7) Configure SQL Server 2012 in a Windows Azure VM
Follow the steps in Creating and Configuring a Windows Server Active Directory VM. Create a Windows Server Active Directory VM with the following details.

a) Virtual Machine Configuration
- Version Release Date: Select the latest version release date.
- Virtual Machine Name: Sample-DB
- New User Name: Choose a secure local Administrator user account to provision.
- New Password and Confirm Password fields: Choose and confirm a new local Administrator password.
- Size: Small (1 core, 1.75GB Memory)

b) Virtual Machine Mode page
- Standalone Virtual Machine: Selected
- DNS Name: sample-db.cloudapp.net
- Storage Account: Sample_Store
- Virtual Network: Sample-net

c) Domain
- Domain Name: Sample.com

d) Server Role
- Sysadmin – Sample\Administrator

8) Create SharePoint Server 2013 VM in a Windows Azure
Follow the steps in Creating a SharePoint Server 2013 VM in Windows Azure. Create a SharePoint Server 2013 Virtual Machine in Windows Azure with the following details.
a) Virtual Machine Configuration
- Version Release Date: Select the latest version release date.
- Virtual Machine Name: Sample-SP
- New User Name: Choose a secure local Administrator user account to provision.
- New Password and Confirm Password fields: Choose and confirm a new local Administrator password.
- Size: Small (1 core, 1.75GB Memory)

b) Virtual Machine Mode page
- Standalone Virtual Machine: Selected
- DNS Name: sample-sp.cloudapp.net
- Storage Account: Sample_Store
- Virtual Network: Sample-net

c) Domain
- Domain Name: Sample.com

9) Configure SharePoint Server 2013 in a Windows Azure VM
Follow the steps in Configuring SharePoint Server 2013 in Windows Azure VM. Configure the SharePoint Server 2013 in Windows Azure VM with the following details.
a) Domain
- Domain Name: Sample.com

b) Central Product Configuration Wizard
- Database Server: Sample-DB
- Username: Sample\sp_farm
- Password: Type the password specified when the sp_farm domain user account was created.
- Passphrase: Any password of your choice.
- Port Number: Any number of your choice between 1 and 65535.
- Service Account: Sample\sp_serviceapps.


References
1) http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2013/04/17/step-by-step-build-a-free-sharepoint-2013-lab-in-the-cloud-with-windows-azure-31-days-of-servers-in-the-cloud-part-7-of-31.aspx#.UYhItrVHLzx