This article describes how Azure DevTest Labs administrators can manage lab policies to control lab costs, minimize waste, and improve manageability. Lab policies you can set include:

• Allowed virtual machine (VM) sizes
• Maximum VMs per user
• Maximum VMs per lab
• Autoshutdown schedule
• Autostart schedule
• Autoshutdown policy

Prerequisites

Contributor orOwner level permissions in the lab.

Set lab policies

To set lab policies:

1. On your lab page in theAzure portal, selectConfiguration and policies from the left navigation menu.

   

2. On theConfiguration and policies page, select the policy you want to configure from theSettings andSchedules sections of the left navigation menu.

   

Allowed virtual machine sizes

This policy limits the VM sizes that users can create in the lab. The default policy setting isAll sizes.

1. On the lab'sConfiguration and policies page, selectAllowed virtual machines sizes from the left navigation menu.
2. On theAllowed virtual machines sizes page, selectAll sizes orSelected sizes.
3. If you selectSelected sizes, select the VM sizes to allow users to create in the lab.
4. SelectSave.

Virtual machines per user

These two policies specify the maximum number of VMs and VMs using premium disks that an individual lab user can claim or create. The default setting for both policies isOff.

1. On the lab'sConfiguration and policies page, selectVirtual machines per user from the left navigation menu.
2. On theVirtual machines per user page, underLimit the number of virtual machines, selectOn orOff to enable or disable the policy.
3. If you selectOn, underWhat is the limit, enter the maximum number of VMs that a user can claim or create.
4. UnderLimit the number of virtual machines using premium OS disks, selectOn orOff to enable or disable the policy.
5. If you selectOn, enter the maximum number of VMs using premium solid-state disks (SSDs) that a user can claim or create. This number applies only to Premium SSDs, not Standard SSDs.
6. SelectSave.

If a user tries to create or claim a VM after the user limit is met, an error message indicates that the user can't exceed their VM limit.

Virtual machines per lab

These two policies specify the maximum number of VMs and VMs using premium disks that all users can create in the current lab. The default setting for both policies isOff.

1. On the lab'sConfiguration and policies page, selectVirtual machines per lab from the left navigation menu.
2. On theVirtual machines per lab page, underLimit the number of virtual machines, selectOn orOff to enable or disable the policy.
3. If you selectOn, underWhat is the limit, enter the maximum number of VMs that can be created in the lab.
4. UnderLimit the number of virtual machines using premium OS disks, selectOn orOff to enable or disable the policy.
5. If you selectedOn, enter the maximum number of VMs in the lab that can use premium SSDs.
6. SelectSave.

If a user tries to create a VM after the lab limit is met, an error message indicates that the VM can't be created.

Autoshutdown

Autoshutdown helps minimize lab waste by shutting down lab VMs at a specific time of day. The default policy setting isOff.

1. On the lab'sConfiguration and policies page, selectAuto-shutdown from the left navigation menu.
2. On theAuto-shutdown page, selectOn orOff to enable or disable the policy.
3. If you selectOn, forScheduled shutdown andTime zone, specify the time and time zone to shut down all lab VMs.
4. ForSend notification before auto-shutdown, selectYes orNo for the option to send a notification before the specified autoshutdown time.
5. If you chooseYes, enter a webhook URL endpoint underWebhook URL or semicolon-separated email addresses underEmail address to post or send the notification.
6. SelectSave.

By default, the autoshutdown schedule applies to all lab VMs. If allowed byautoshutdown policy, lab users can override lab autoshutdown settings for their own individual VMs. To set a shutdown schedule for an individual VM:

1. Select the VM fromMy virtual machines on the labOverview page.
2. On the home page for the VM, selectAuto-shutdown from theOperations section of the left navigation menu, and configure the autoshutdown settings the same way as for a lab.

For more information about autoshutdown and sending notifications, seeConfigure autoshutdown for labs and VMs in DevTest Labs.

Autostart

Autostart policy helps you minimize waste by specifying a specific time of day and days of the week to start up lab VMs. The default policy setting isNo.

1. On the lab'sConfiguration and policies page, selectAuto-start from the left navigation menu.
2. SelectYes orNo to enable or disable the policy.
3. If you selectYes, specify theScheduled start,Time zone, andDays of the week to start up the lab VMs.
4. SelectSave.

For more information and details about autostart policy, seeStart up lab virtual machines automatically.

Autoshutdown policy

If you set an autoshutdown schedule for lab VMs, you can also set a policy to let lab users override the lab autoshutdown settings for their own VMs. You can set autoshutdown policy to allow lab users full control, partial control, or no control over their own VMs' autoshutdown activity.

1. On the lab'sConfiguration and policies page, selectAuto shutdown policy from the left navigation.

2. Select one of the following options:

   • User sets a schedule and can opt out: Lab users can override or opt out of lab autoshutdown. Lab users can override the lab autoshutdown schedule time, or set no autoshutdown for their VMs. This setting is the default.
   • User sets a schedule and cannot opt out: Lab users can set the shutdown time for their own VMs, but they can't opt out of autoshutdown entirely. This option ensures that every VM in the lab is on some autoshutdown schedule.
   • User has no control over the schedule set by lab administrator: Lab users can't override or opt out of the lab autoshutdown schedule. They can set up autoshutdown notifications for their own VMs.

3. SelectSave.

   

For more information and details about autoshutdown policy, seeConfigure lab autoshutdown policy.

Related content

Besides setting policies, here are more ways to control and manage DevTest Labs costs:

• Set a VM expiration date when you create the VM.
• Delete labs or lab VMs when you're finished with them.
• View and manage lab costs, trends, and targets.