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How to Add a Linux Server to Azure Arc: Streamlining Hybrid Cloud Management

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Published2025-10-15

Sure! Here’s the first part of the article.

Introduction to Azure Arc and Its Benefits

In today's rapidly evolving tech landscape, businesses are adopting hybrid cloud solutions to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance scalability. Azure Arc is a pivotal tool in this transition, offering a centralized platform for managing servers, Kubernetes clusters, and databases across a diverse range of environments. One of the most significant advantages of Azure Arc is its ability to bridge the gap between on-premises infrastructure and public cloud services, making it a game-changer for organizations seeking to create a unified and flexible IT ecosystem.

Azure Arc extends Azure’s management and governance capabilities to resources that are running outside of the Azure public cloud, such as on-premises data centers or other cloud platforms. By integrating a Linux server into Azure Arc, businesses can manage and monitor their Linux systems as if they were part of their Azure environment. This enables seamless deployment, simplified operations, and unified security management, even when resources are spread across multiple clouds and on-premises data centers.

If you're considering adding a Linux server to Azure Arc, the process might seem daunting at first, but it’s actually straightforward once you understand the necessary steps. In this article, we'll guide you through everything you need to know to integrate your Linux server with Azure Arc effectively.

Why Add a Linux Server to Azure Arc?

The decision to incorporate Linux servers into Azure Arc can greatly benefit organizations in several ways. These advantages stem from the ability to manage both on-premises and cloud-based systems from a single interface, regardless of where they reside. Here are some key benefits:

Unified Management Across Multiple Environments

Azure Arc enables organizations to manage Linux servers alongside other cloud resources like virtual machines (VMs), containers, and databases, all from a centralized Azure Portal. This unification reduces the complexity of handling different management tools for various systems and improves operational efficiency.

Consistent Security and Compliance

With Azure Arc, your Linux servers inherit the robust security capabilities of Azure, such as Azure Policy, role-based access control (RBAC), and monitoring through Azure Security Center. These tools help ensure that your on-premises Linux servers comply with security standards and governance policies, maintaining consistency across your hybrid cloud infrastructure.

Seamless Deployment and Updates

Managing updates and deployments for Linux servers can be time-consuming. However, with Azure Arc, you can automate these processes, ensuring that all systems receive the latest patches, configurations, and updates in a consistent and streamlined manner.

Flexible Resource Scaling

Azure Arc makes it easier to scale your Linux server resources as your needs grow. Whether you're adding new servers or managing existing ones, Azure Arc offers flexible scaling options that help meet demand, whether on-premises or in the cloud.

Cost Efficiency

By integrating your Linux servers with Azure Arc, businesses can optimize their infrastructure investments by reducing the need for additional management tools, improving resource utilization, and simplifying operational overhead. This often leads to cost savings across the board.

Pre-Requisites for Adding a Linux Server to Azure Arc

Before you begin the integration process, there are several prerequisites that you need to meet. These prerequisites ensure that the integration between your Linux server and Azure Arc goes smoothly:

Azure Subscription

You need an active Azure subscription to leverage Azure Arc services. If you don't have one, you can sign up for a free trial or use an existing subscription.

Linux Server

Your server should be running a supported Linux distribution, including popular options such as Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL, and others. Ensure that your Linux system is properly configured and up-to-date before starting the integration process.

Azure Arc Agent

The Azure Arc agent is required to enable communication between your on-premises Linux server and Azure. This agent is installed on your Linux server and helps facilitate management and monitoring through Azure.

Azure CLI and Azure Arc Extensions

The Azure Command-Line Interface (CLI) will be used to interact with your Azure account and initiate the connection to Azure Arc. You will also need to install the Azure Arc extensions for CLI.

Step-by-Step Guide: Adding a Linux Server to Azure Arc

Now that you understand the basics of Azure Arc and the prerequisites for integration, let's break down the steps to add your Linux server to Azure Arc.

Step 1: Prepare the Linux Server

Before adding your Linux server to Azure Arc, ensure it is updated and ready for the installation of the Azure Arc agent. Use your Linux system’s package manager to update all packages to their latest versions. For example, on Ubuntu, you would run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures that your server is secure and has all the latest patches.

Step 2: Install the Azure Arc Agent

To enable Azure Arc management on your Linux server, you’ll need to install the Azure Arc agent. This agent will communicate with Azure and allow you to manage the server from the Azure Portal. Here’s how you can install it:

Log in to Azure CLI

First, authenticate to Azure using the Azure CLI with the following command:

az login

This will open a browser window for you to log in to your Azure account.

Install the Azure Arc Agent

Run the following command to install the Azure Arc agent on your Linux server:

az connectedk8s connect --name --k8s-credential

Replace with a name you want to give to the server in the Azure portal and provide the path to your Kubernetes configuration file (kubeconfig).

Verify Installation

After the agent is installed, you can check the connection status to confirm that your Linux server is properly connected to Azure Arc. You can do this by running the following command:

az connectedk8s show --name

If the installation is successful, your Linux server will appear in the Azure Portal as an Azure Arc-enabled server.

Step 3: Manage Your Linux Server in Azure Arc

Once your Linux server is successfully added to Azure Arc, you can start managing it directly from the Azure Portal. Here are some key management tasks you can perform:

Monitor Server Health

You can view the health status of your Linux server, including resource utilization, performance metrics, and event logs.

Apply Azure Policies

Azure policies can be applied to your Linux server, ensuring that it meets organizational security and compliance requirements.

Deploy Applications

With Azure Arc, you can deploy applications and services to your Linux server, simplifying management and deployment.

Automate Updates and Patches

Set up automation to regularly update and patch your Linux server, ensuring it remains secure and up-to-date.

Advanced Management and Troubleshooting

In Part 2, we’ll explore advanced features of Azure Arc and provide tips for troubleshooting common issues you may encounter when adding a Linux server to Azure Arc. Stay tuned!

Kpower has delivered professional drive system solutions to over 500 enterprise clients globally with products covering various fields such as Smart Home Systems, Automatic Electronics, Robotics, Precision Agriculture, Drones, and Industrial Automation.

Update:2025-10-15

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