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Connect to a lab VM in Azure Lab Services

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In this article, you learn how to connect to a lab virtual machine (VM) in Azure Lab Services. Depending on the operating system (OS) and your local machine, you can use different mechanisms, such as secure shell (SSH) or remote desktop (RDP), to connect to your VM.

To connect to a lab VM, the VM must be running. Learn more about how to start and stop a lab VM.

Connect to a Windows lab VM

Follow these instructions to connect to a Windows-based lab VM. Choose the instructions that match your local machine's operating system.

Client OS Instructions
Windows Connect to a VM using RDP on Windows.
Mac Connect to a VM using RDP on a Mac.
Chromebook Connect to a VM using RDP on a Chromebook.

Connect to a Linux lab VM

To connect to a Linux-based lab VM, you can use the secure shell protocol (SSH), remote desktop protocol (RDP), or X2Go.

Azure Lab Services automatically configures SSH for Linux VMs. Both lab users and lab creators can use SSH with Linux VMs without more setup. If you want to connect to a VM with a Linux graphical user interface (GUI) desktop, the lab creator or educator might need to do extra setup on the template VM.

Connect to a Linux lab VM using RDP

Before you can connect to a Linux VM using RDP, the lab creator first needs to enable the Client connection (RDP) setting and ensure that a GUI desktop and RDP are installed. For more information on steps that the lab creator needs to complete, see the example that shows how to set up GNOME and RDP.

To connect to a Linux VM using RDP, follow the instructions based on the type of OS.

Client OS Instructions
Windows Connect to a VM using RDP on Windows.
Mac Connect to a VM using RDP on a Mac.
Chromebook Connect to a VM using RDP on a Chromebook.

Connect to a Linux lab VM Using X2Go

Another option for connecting to a Linux VM that has a GUI desktop installed, is to use X2Go. For more information on steps that the lab creator needs to complete, see examples to set up X2Go with XFCE, xUbuntu, and MATE.

For instructions to connect to a Linux VM using X2Go, see Connect to a VM using X2Go.

Connect to a Linux lab VM using SSH

By default Linux VMs have SSH installed. To connect to a Linux VM using SSH:

  1. If you're using a Windows machine to connect to the lab VM, ensure you have SSH client software on your machine.

    The latest version of Windows 10 and Windows 11 include a built-in SSH client. Learn how you can use the access the built-in SSH client.

    Alternately, you can download an SSH client, such as PuTTY or enable OpenSSH in Windows.

  2. If the lab VM isn't running, go to the Azure Lab Services website, and then start the lab VM.

  3. After the VM is running, select the Connect icon > Connect via SSH to get the SSH command string.

    The connection command looks like the following sample:

    ssh -p 12345 student@ml-lab-00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000.eastus2.cloudapp.azure.com

  4. Copy the command.

  5. Go to your command prompt or terminal, paste in the command, and then select Enter.

  6. Enter the password to sign in to the lab VM.

Next step

As a student, stop the VM