Azure Stack

Technical Articles:
Introduction to Azure Stack: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/azure-stack-overview/

Download link: http://bit.ly/1PF6b2T

Azure Stack GitHub templates https://github.com/Azure/AzureStack-QuickStart-Templates

Blog-list:
Announcing first tech preview: http://bit.ly/1SiCM3r

Setting up nested Azure Stack on Vmware Workstation: http://bit.ly/23yPII0

Azure Stack Architecture: 

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Software Requirements:

The Azure Stack POC requires the host machine to be running Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Edition Technical Preview 4 with the latest updates installed including KB 3124262.

The Azure Stack POC supports Azure Active Directory authentication only.

OS Version Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Edition Technical Preview 4 EN-US (Full Edition).
Install Method Clean install.
Domain joined? No.

Hardware Requirements: 

Component

Minimum

Recommended
Compute: CPU Dual-Socket: 12 Physical Cores Dual-Socket: 16 Physical Cores
Compute: Memory 96 GB RAM 128 GB RAM
Compute: BIOS Hyper-V Enabled (with SLAT support) Hyper-V Enabled (with SLAT support)
Network: NIC Windows Server 2012 R2 Certification required for NIC; no specialized features required Windows Server 2012 R2 Certification required for NIC; no specialized features required
Disk drives: Operating System 1 OS disk with minimum of 200 GB available for system partition (SSD or HDD) 1 OS disk with minimum of 200 GB available for system partition (SSD or HDD)
Disk drives: General Azure Stack POC Data 4 disks. Each disk provides a minimum of 140 GB of capacity (SSD or HDD). 4 disks. Each disk provides a minimum of 250 GB of capacity.
HW logo certification Certified for Windows Server 2012 R2

Storage considerations
Data disk drive configuration: All data drives must be of the same type (SAS or SATA) and capacity.  If SAS disk drives are used, the disk drives must be attached via a single path (no MPIO, multi-path support is provided)
HBA configuration options:
     1. (Preferred) Simple HBA
2. RAID HBA – Adapter must be configured in “pass through” mode
3. RAID HBA – Disks should be configured as Single-Disk, RAID-0
Supported bus and media type combinations
  •          SATA HDD
  •          SAS HDD
  •          RAID HDD
  •          RAID SSD (If the media type is unspecified/unknown*)
  •          SATA SSD + SATA HDD**
  •          SAS SSD + SAS HDD**

* RAID controllers without pass-through capability can’t recognize the media type. Such controllers will mark both HDD and SSD as Unspecified. In that case, the SSD will be used as persistent storage instead of caching devices. Therefore, you can deploy the Microsoft Azure Stack POC on those SSDs.

** For tiered storage, you must have at least 3 HDDs.
Example HBAs: LSI 9207-8i, LSI-9300-8i, or LSI-9265-8i in pass-through mode