| title | titleSuffix | description | services | ms.service | author | ms.author | ms.date | ms.topic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manage dev box definitions |
Microsoft Dev Box |
Microsoft Dev Box dev box definitions define a source image, compute size, and storage size for your dev boxes. Learn how to manage dev box definitions. |
dev-box |
dev-box |
RoseHJM |
rosemalcolm |
04/25/2023 |
how-to |
In this article, you learn how to manage a dev box definition by using the Azure portal. A dev box definition is a Microsoft Dev Box resource that specifies the source image, compute size, and storage size for a dev box.
Depending on their task, development teams have different software, configuration, compute, and storage requirements. You can create a new dev box definition to fulfill each team's needs. There's no limit to the number of dev box definitions that you can create, and you can use dev box definitions across multiple projects in a dev center.
To manage a dev box definition, you need the following permissions:
| Action | Permissions required |
|---|---|
| Create, delete, or update a dev box definition | Owner, Contributor, or Write permissions on the dev center in which you want to create the dev box definition. |
When you create a dev box definition, you need to select a virtual machine image. Microsoft Dev Box supports the following types of images:
- Preconfigured images from the Azure Marketplace
- Custom images stored in an Azure compute gallery
Azure Marketplace gives you quick access to various images, including images that are preconfigured with productivity tools like Microsoft Teams and provide optimal performance.
When you're selecting an Azure Marketplace image, consider using an image that has the latest version of Windows 11 Enterprise and the Microsoft 365 apps installed.
Azure Compute Gallery enables you to store and manage a collection of custom images. You can build an image to your dev team's exact requirements and store it in a compute gallery.
To use the custom image while creating a dev box definition, attach the compute gallery to your dev center in Microsoft Dev Box. Follow these steps to attach a compute gallery to a dev center.
When you select an image to use in your dev box definition, you must specify which version of the image you want to use:
- Numbered image versions: If you want a consistent dev box definition in which the base image doesn't change, use a specific, numbered version of the image. Using a numbered version ensures that all the dev boxes in the pool always use the same version of the image.
- Latest image versions: If you want a flexible dev box definition in which you can update the base image as needs change, use the latest version of the image. This choice ensures that new dev boxes use the most recent version of the image. Existing dev boxes aren't modified when an image version is updated.
In Microsoft Dev Box, you can create multiple dev box definitions to meet the needs of your developer teams. You associate dev box definitions with a dev center.
The following steps show you how to create a dev box definition by using an existing dev center. If you don't have an available dev center, follow the steps in Quickstart: Configure Microsoft Dev Box to create one.
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Sign in to the Azure portal.
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In the search box, enter dev center. In the list of results, select Dev centers.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/discover-devcenter.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows a search for dev centers from the Azure portal search box.":::
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Open the dev center in which you want to create the dev box definition, and then select Dev box definitions.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/select-dev-box-definitions.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the dev center overview page and the menu item for dev box definitions.":::
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On the Dev box definitions page, select Create.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/create-dev-box-definition.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Create button and the list of existing dev box definitions.":::
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On the Create dev box definition pane, enter the following values:
Name Value Name Enter a descriptive name for your dev box definition. You can't change the dev box definition name after it's created. Image Select the base operating system for the dev box. You can select an image from Azure Marketplace or from Azure Compute Gallery.
If you're creating a dev box definition for testing purposes, consider using the Visual Studio 2022 Enterprise on Windows 11 Enterprise + Microsoft 365 Apps 22H2 or Visual Studio 2022 Pro on Windows 11 Enterprise + Microsoft 365 Apps 22H2 image.Image version Select a specific, numbered version to ensure that all the dev boxes in the pool always use the same version of the image. Select Latest to ensure that new dev boxes use the latest image available. Compute Select the compute combination for your dev box definition. Storage Select the amount of storage for your dev box definition. :::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/recommended-test-image.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the pane for creating a dev box definition.":::
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Select Create.
Note
Dev box definitions with 4 core SKUs are no longer supported. You will need to update to an 8 core SKU or delete the dev box definition.
Over time, your needs for dev boxes can change. You might want to move from a Windows 10 base operating system to a Windows 11 base operating system, or increase the default compute specification for your dev boxes. Your initial dev box definitions might no longer be appropriate for your needs. You can update a dev box definition so that new dev boxes use the new configuration.
You can update the image, image version, compute, and storage settings for a dev box definition:
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Sign in to the Azure portal.
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In the search box, enter dev center. In the list of results, select Dev centers.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/discover-devcenter.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows a search for dev centers in the Azure portal search box.":::
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Open the dev center that contains the dev box definition that you want to update, and then select Dev box definitions.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/select-dev-box-definitions.png" alt-text="Screenshot that shows the dev center overview page and the menu option for dev box definitions.":::
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Select the dev box definitions that you want to update, and then select the edit button.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/update-dev-box-definition.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the list of existing dev box definitions and the edit button.":::
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On the page for editing a dev box definition, you can select a new image, change the image version, change the compute, or modify the available storage.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/update-dev-box-definition-page.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the page for editing a dev box definition.":::
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Select Save.
You can delete a dev box definition when you no longer want to use it. Deleting a dev box definition is permanent and can't be undone. Dev box definitions can't be deleted if one or more dev box pools are using them.
To delete a dev box definition in the Azure portal:
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Sign in to the Azure portal.
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In the search box, enter dev center. In the list of results, select Dev centers.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/discover-devcenter.png" alt-text="Screenshot of a search for dev centers from the Azure portal search box.":::
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Open the dev center from which you want to delete the dev box definition, and then select Dev box definitions.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/select-dev-box-definitions.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the dev center overview page and the menu item for dev box definitions.":::
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Select the dev box definition that you want to delete, and then select Delete.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/delete-dev-box-definition.png" alt-text="Screenshot of a selected dev box definition and the Delete button.":::
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In the warning message, select OK.
:::image type="content" source="./media/how-to-manage-dev-box-definitions/delete-warning.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the warning message about deleting a dev box definition.":::