Using Azure Storage with Powershell – Initial computer setup

To be able to use Powershell to run commands, lookup file and container (folder ) lists, transfer files from your computer to your Azure storage account, you need some initial setup. This is a one time setup that uses certificates for authentication.

Azure Powershell cmdlets are part of the Azure PS module. Follow this link to get it.

Before this initial setup, if you try to use the Azure cmdlets like:

Get-AzureStorageAccount

You’ll get an error similar to:

Get-AzureStorageAccount : No current subscription has been designated. Use Select-AzureSubscription
-Current <subscriptionName> to set the current subscription.
At line:1 char:1
+ Get-AzureStorageAccount
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-AzureStorageAccount], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.Exception,Microsoft.WindowsAzure.Commands.ServiceManagement.Stor
ageServices.GetAzureStorageAccountCommand

To get started, we need a certificate. A self signed certificate is OK.

1. Follow this link to download and install SDK for Windows 8. We need this SDK because it contains the makecert.exe tool that we’ll use in the next step. Alternatively, you can make and export a certificate manually in certmgr.msc
2. Use makecert.exe tool and the following Powershell commands to create a certificate. Change the first line to reflect the certificate name of your choice:
   $certName = “SamAzure1”
   $makecertPath = “C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x64”
   Set-Location $makecertPath
   .\makecert.exe -sky exchange -r -n “CN=$certName” -pe -a sha1 -len 2048 -ss My “$certName.cer” 
3. Next, upload the resulting .cer file to your Azure account. In Azure Management Interface, click settings on the bottom left, Management Certificates tab, Upload a management certificate:
   Browse to “C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x64” folder, and the .cer file created in step 2 above. It will be named after the $certName value above.
4. Next, get your subscription name and ID, under settings:
   

5. Finally, run the following Powershell commands:
   $certName = “SamAzure1”
   $SubscriptionID = “91e711e4-1620-4e5b-a64b-92a190101010”
   $SubscriptionName = “Visual Studio Premium with MSDN”
   $Cert = Get-ChildItem -Path Cert:\CurrentUser\My | Where { $_.Subject -like “CN=$certName” }
   Set-AzureSubscription -SubscriptionName $SubscriptionName -SubscriptionId $SubscriptionID -Certificate $Cert
   Change the first 3 lines to match your subscription details. $certName must be the same name from step 2 above.

You’re done. This setup remains valid as long as your subscription is active and you haven;t deleted the certificate from your Azure account.

To test, run cmdlets like:

Get-AzureStorageAccount
Get-AzureSubscription
Get-AzureVMImage