How to enable and connect to RDP on a Windows Azure Web Role Instance?

Posted by Enrique Lima on Geeks with Blogs See other posts from Geeks with Blogs or by Enrique Lima
Published on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:07:48 GMT Indexed on 2011/02/27 15:25 UTC
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We all know there have been some updates to Windows Azure, and one of the biggest I would say is the capability of being able to remote into the “OS level” of the image running a role. And I am not talking about VM Role, I am talking about a Web Role for example.

As developers we use Visual Studio, and when we are getting ready to deploy a project, we have the option of enabling this.

Here is how:

1. We publish our Project

2. On the Deployment dialog, provide all the details for your account, and before clicking OK, click on Configure Remote Desktop connections.

3. Enable connections and the rest of the configuration. Now, here is where there is an extra set of steps. The first thing to know: The certificate used here is different from the other certs you have in place. I created a new one, the went into certmgr.msc, then to Personal, then I selected the cert I just created. Did a right-click, then All Tasks > Export. Because what is needed is a pfx package, make sure when exporting you select to export the private key.

4. Click OK, on the Remote Desktop Configuration screen, now before you click OK on the Deployment, you will need to visit the Azure Portal.
And perform the following:

Go to your hosted services.

Then with the service available, select the Certificates folder location.

Then, select Add Certificate from the toolbar (more like Azure Portal Ribbon)

Provide the details to upload the recently create pfx file.

That will create the Certificate.

Click OK on the deployment dialog, this kick off the deployment process.

5. Now, we need to go to the Windows Azure Portal. Here we will select the Web Role deployed and Configure RDP.

6. Time to test. Click on the Instance (not the role), this will make the Remote Access Connect Button available. A file will start the process to be downloaded too