Deploying infrastructure at the edge has always been challenging.
Whether it’s retail stores, factories, branch offices, or remote sites, getting servers racked, configured, and ready for workloads often require skilled IT staff on-site. That process is slow, expensive, and error-prone, especially when deployments need to happen at scale.
To address this, we’re introducing Public Preview of Simplified Machine Provisioning for Azure Local - a new way to provision Azure Local hardware with minimal onsite interaction, while maintaining centralized control through Azure. This new approach enables customers to provision hardware by racking, powering on, and letting Azure do the rest.
New Machine Provisioning
Simplified machine provisioning shifts configuration to Azure, reducing the need for technical expertise on-site.
Instead of manually configuring each server locally, IT teams can now:
- Define provisioning configuration centrally in Azure
- Securely complete provisioning remotely with minimal steps
- Automate provisioning workflows using ARM templates and ensure consistency across sites
Built on Open Standards
Simplified machine provisioning on Azure Local is based on the FIDO Device Onboarding (FDO) specification, an industry-standard approach for securely onboarding devices at scale.
FDO enables:
- Secure device identity and ownership transfer protecting machines with zero trust supply chain security
- A consistent onboarding model across device classes, this foundation can extend beyond servers to broader edge scenarios.
Centralized Site-Based Configuration in Azure Arc
The new machine provisioning flow uses Azure Arc Site, allowing customers to define configuration once and apply it consistently across multiple machines.
In Azure Arc, a site represents a physical business location (store/factory/campus) and the set of resources associated with it. It enables targeted operations and configuration at a per‑site level (or across many sites) for consistent management at scale.
With site-based configuration, customers can:
- Create and manage machine provisioning settings centrally in the Azure portal
- Define networking and environment configuration at the site level
- Reuse the same configuration as new machines are added
Minimal Onsite Interaction
Simplified provisioning is designed to minimize onsite effort. The on-site staff only rack and power on the hardware and insert the prepared USB. No deep infrastructure or Azure expertise required. After exporting the ownership voucher and sharing it with IT, the remaining provisioning is completed remotely by IT teams through Azure.
The prepared USB is created using a first‑party Microsoft USB Preparation Tool that comes with the maintenance environment* package available through the Azure portal, enabling consistent, repeatable creation of bootable installation media.
*Maintenance environment - a lightweight bootstrap OS that connects the machine to Azure, installs required Azure Arc extensions, and then downloads and installs the Azure Local operating system.
End-to-End visibility into Deployment
Customers get visibility into deployment progress which helps in quickly identifying where a deployment is in the process and respond faster when issues arise. They can look into the status using Provisioning experience in Azure portal or using Configurator app.
Seamless Transition to Cluster Creation and Workloads
Once provisioning is complete, machines created through this flow are ready for Azure Local cluster creation. Customers can proceed with cluster setup and workload deployment.
How it works?
At a high level, this simpler way of machine provisioning looks like this:
Minimal onsite setup
- Prepare a USB drive using machine provisioning software
- Insert the prepared USB drive & boot the machine
- Share the machine ownership voucher with IT team.
Provision remotely
- Create an Azure Arc site
- Configure networking, subscription, and deployment settings
- Download provisioning artifacts from the Azure portal
Deploy Azure Local cluster using existing flows in Azure Arc.
- Once provisioning is complete, the environment is ready for cluster creation and workload deployment on Azure Local.
Status and progress are visible in both the Azure portal, and the Configurator app. IT teams can monitor, troubleshoot, and complete provisioning remotely.
Available Now in Public Preview
This new experience empowers organizations to deploy Azure Local infrastructure faster, more consistently, and at scale, while minimizing on-site complexity.
We invite customers and partners to explore the preview and help us shape the future of edge infrastructure deployment.
Try it at https://aka.ms/provision/tryit. Refer documentation for more details.
Microsoft