Automatically start lab VMs with auto-start in Azure DevTest Labs

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09/30/2023

This article shows how to configure and apply an auto-start policy for Azure DevTest Labs virtual machines (VMs). Auto-start automatically starts up lab VMs at specified times and days.

To implement auto-start, you configure an auto-start policy for the lab first. Then, you can enable the policy for individual lab VMs. Requiring individual VMs to enable auto-start helps prevent unnecessary startups that could increase costs.

You can also configure auto-shutdown policies for lab VMs. For more information, see Manage auto shutdown policies for a lab in Azure DevTest Labs.

Prerequisites

None

Configure auto-start for the lab

To configure auto-start policy for a lab, follow these steps. After configuring the policy, enable auto-start for each VM that you want to auto-start.

On your lab Overview page, select Configuration and policies under Settings in the left navigation.
On the Configuration and policies page, select Auto-start under Schedules in the left navigation.
Select Yes for Allow auto-start.
Enter a Scheduled start time, select a Time zone, and select the checkboxes next to the Days of the week that you want to apply the schedule.
Select Save.

Add VMs to the auto-start schedule

After you configure the auto-start policy, follow these steps for each VM that you want to auto-start.

On your lab Overview page, select the VM under My virtual machines.
On the VM's Overview page, select Auto-start under Operations in the left navigation.
On the Auto-start page, select Yes for Allow this virtual machine to be scheduled for automatic start, and then select Save.
On the VM Overview page, your VM shows Opted-in status for auto-start.

You can also see the auto-start status for the VM on the lab Overview page.