{"id":11326,"date":"2026-05-24T07:18:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T12:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stevepedwards.today\/DebianAdmin\/?p=11326"},"modified":"2026-05-24T13:19:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T18:19:06","slug":"saving-and-uploading-bicep-templates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stevepedwards.today\/DebianAdmin\/saving-and-uploading-bicep-templates\/","title":{"rendered":"Saving and Uploading Bicep Templates – 2 Peered VMs Code, add Private DNS"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Saving and Uploading Bicep Templates:<\/p>\n

Step 1: Export the Template from your Resource Group<\/strong><\/p>\n

Instead of exporting individual VMs, you want to capture the entire Resource Group so it links the VNets, the Peering, the Bastion host, and the VMs together in one blueprint.<\/p>\n

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  1. In the main Azure search bar, type Resource groups<\/strong> and select the specific resource group holding your lab.<\/li>\n
  2. In the left-hand menu, scroll all the way down to the Automation<\/strong> section.<\/li>\n
  3. Click on Export template or Copy the code and Paste into VS Studio etc<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    You can check for relevant recent code additions with Ctrl F, eg. Search DNS above etc<\/p>\n

    Step 2: Switch the Output to Bicep<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Microsoft integrated native Bicep conversion directly into this blade!<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. At the top of the code window, look at the language tabs. Click the tab that says Bicep<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    2. The code will instantly transform from ugly, complicated JSON into clean, readable Bicep syntax.<\/li>\n
    3. Click the Download<\/strong> button at the top menu bar. This will download a zip file containing your complete infrastructure code (usually named template.bicep and parameters.json) straight to your local computer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      ?? Crucial AZ-700 \"Gotchas\" to Fix Before Re-uploading<\/strong><\/p>\n

      While the Export tool is incredible, Azure's automation leaves a few traps in the code that will cause errors if you just try to upload it blindly later. Open your downloaded template.bicep file in Notepad or VS Code and check for these three things:<\/p>\n

      1. The VNet Peering Missing Link<\/strong><\/p>\n

      When you export a template, Azure exports the state<\/em> of the objects. VNet Peering requires a bidirectional handshake. The exported code will absolutely include the definitions for hub-to-spoke and spoke-to-hub, but sometimes the portal's exporter strips out the underlying nested link references. Look at the code block containing Microsoft.Network\/virtualNetworks\/virtualNetworkPeerings to make sure both directions are explicitly defined in the resource loops.<\/p>\n

      2. Clear Out the Internal VM Passwords<\/strong><\/p>\n

      For security, Azure will never export the admin passwords<\/strong> you typed in for your Windows 11 VMs. In your Bicep file, you will see a parameter or property under the VM resource called adminPassword. It will either be completely blank or say something like null.<\/p>\n