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- azure.md: "What you'll do" -> "What you will do" - standing-orders.md: "Don't" -> "Avoid" Per CLAUDE.md: avoid em dashes and apostrophes in headings because they break Mintlify anchor links.
312 lines
9.8 KiB
Markdown
312 lines
9.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "Run OpenClaw Gateway 24/7 on an Azure Linux VM with durable state"
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read_when:
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- You want OpenClaw running 24/7 on Azure with Network Security Group hardening
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- You want a production-grade, always-on OpenClaw Gateway on your own Azure Linux VM
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- You want secure administration with Azure Bastion SSH
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title: "Azure"
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---
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# OpenClaw on Azure Linux VM
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This guide sets up an Azure Linux VM with the Azure CLI, applies Network Security Group (NSG) hardening, configures Azure Bastion for SSH access, and installs OpenClaw.
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## What you will do
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- Create Azure networking (VNet, subnets, NSG) and compute resources with the Azure CLI
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- Apply Network Security Group rules so VM SSH is allowed only from Azure Bastion
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- Use Azure Bastion for SSH access (no public IP on the VM)
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- Install OpenClaw with the installer script
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- Verify the Gateway
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## What you need
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- An Azure subscription with permission to create compute and network resources
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- Azure CLI installed (see [Azure CLI install steps](https://learn.microsoft.com/cli/azure/install-azure-cli) if needed)
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- An SSH key pair (the guide covers generating one if needed)
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- ~20-30 minutes
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## Configure deployment
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<Steps>
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<Step title="Sign in to Azure CLI">
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```bash
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az login
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az extension add -n ssh
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```
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The `ssh` extension is required for Azure Bastion native SSH tunneling.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Register required resource providers (one-time)">
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```bash
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az provider register --namespace Microsoft.Compute
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az provider register --namespace Microsoft.Network
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```
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Verify registration. Wait until both show `Registered`.
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```bash
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az provider show --namespace Microsoft.Compute --query registrationState -o tsv
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az provider show --namespace Microsoft.Network --query registrationState -o tsv
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```
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</Step>
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<Step title="Set deployment variables">
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```bash
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RG="rg-openclaw"
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LOCATION="westus2"
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VNET_NAME="vnet-openclaw"
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VNET_PREFIX="10.40.0.0/16"
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VM_SUBNET_NAME="snet-openclaw-vm"
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VM_SUBNET_PREFIX="10.40.2.0/24"
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BASTION_SUBNET_PREFIX="10.40.1.0/26"
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NSG_NAME="nsg-openclaw-vm"
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VM_NAME="vm-openclaw"
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ADMIN_USERNAME="openclaw"
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BASTION_NAME="bas-openclaw"
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BASTION_PIP_NAME="pip-openclaw-bastion"
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```
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Adjust names and CIDR ranges to fit your environment. The Bastion subnet must be at least `/26`.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Select SSH key">
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Use your existing public key if you have one:
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```bash
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SSH_PUB_KEY="$(cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub)"
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```
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If you don't have an SSH key yet, generate one:
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```bash
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ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -a 100 -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 -C "you@example.com"
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SSH_PUB_KEY="$(cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub)"
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```
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</Step>
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<Step title="Select VM size and OS disk size">
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```bash
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VM_SIZE="Standard_B2as_v2"
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OS_DISK_SIZE_GB=64
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```
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Choose a VM size and OS disk size available in your subscription and region:
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- Start smaller for light usage and scale up later
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- Use more vCPU/RAM/disk for heavier automation, more channels, or larger model/tool workloads
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- If a VM size is unavailable in your region or subscription quota, pick the closest available SKU
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List VM sizes available in your target region:
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```bash
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az vm list-skus --location "${LOCATION}" --resource-type virtualMachines -o table
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```
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Check your current vCPU and disk usage/quota:
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```bash
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az vm list-usage --location "${LOCATION}" -o table
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```
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</Step>
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</Steps>
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## Deploy Azure resources
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<Steps>
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<Step title="Create the resource group">
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```bash
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az group create -n "${RG}" -l "${LOCATION}"
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```
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</Step>
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<Step title="Create the network security group">
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Create the NSG and add rules so only the Bastion subnet can SSH into the VM.
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```bash
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az network nsg create \
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-g "${RG}" -n "${NSG_NAME}" -l "${LOCATION}"
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# Allow SSH from the Bastion subnet only
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az network nsg rule create \
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-g "${RG}" --nsg-name "${NSG_NAME}" \
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-n AllowSshFromBastionSubnet --priority 100 \
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--access Allow --direction Inbound --protocol Tcp \
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--source-address-prefixes "${BASTION_SUBNET_PREFIX}" \
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--destination-port-ranges 22
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# Deny SSH from the public internet
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az network nsg rule create \
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-g "${RG}" --nsg-name "${NSG_NAME}" \
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-n DenyInternetSsh --priority 110 \
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--access Deny --direction Inbound --protocol Tcp \
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--source-address-prefixes Internet \
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--destination-port-ranges 22
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# Deny SSH from other VNet sources
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az network nsg rule create \
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-g "${RG}" --nsg-name "${NSG_NAME}" \
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-n DenyVnetSsh --priority 120 \
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--access Deny --direction Inbound --protocol Tcp \
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--source-address-prefixes VirtualNetwork \
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--destination-port-ranges 22
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```
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The rules are evaluated by priority (lowest number first): Bastion traffic is allowed at 100, then all other SSH is blocked at 110 and 120.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Create the virtual network and subnets">
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Create the VNet with the VM subnet (NSG attached), then add the Bastion subnet.
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```bash
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az network vnet create \
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-g "${RG}" -n "${VNET_NAME}" -l "${LOCATION}" \
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--address-prefixes "${VNET_PREFIX}" \
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--subnet-name "${VM_SUBNET_NAME}" \
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--subnet-prefixes "${VM_SUBNET_PREFIX}"
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# Attach the NSG to the VM subnet
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az network vnet subnet update \
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-g "${RG}" --vnet-name "${VNET_NAME}" \
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-n "${VM_SUBNET_NAME}" --nsg "${NSG_NAME}"
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# AzureBastionSubnet — name is required by Azure
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az network vnet subnet create \
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-g "${RG}" --vnet-name "${VNET_NAME}" \
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-n AzureBastionSubnet \
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--address-prefixes "${BASTION_SUBNET_PREFIX}"
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```
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</Step>
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<Step title="Create the VM">
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The VM has no public IP. SSH access is exclusively through Azure Bastion.
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```bash
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az vm create \
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-g "${RG}" -n "${VM_NAME}" -l "${LOCATION}" \
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--image "Canonical:ubuntu-24_04-lts:server:latest" \
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--size "${VM_SIZE}" \
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--os-disk-size-gb "${OS_DISK_SIZE_GB}" \
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--storage-sku StandardSSD_LRS \
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--admin-username "${ADMIN_USERNAME}" \
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--ssh-key-values "${SSH_PUB_KEY}" \
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--vnet-name "${VNET_NAME}" \
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--subnet "${VM_SUBNET_NAME}" \
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--public-ip-address "" \
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--nsg ""
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```
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`--public-ip-address ""` prevents a public IP from being assigned. `--nsg ""` skips creating a per-NIC NSG (the subnet-level NSG handles security).
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**Reproducibility:** The command above uses `latest` for the Ubuntu image. To pin a specific version, list available versions and replace `latest`:
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```bash
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az vm image list \
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--publisher Canonical --offer ubuntu-24_04-lts \
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--sku server --all -o table
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```
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</Step>
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<Step title="Create Azure Bastion">
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Azure Bastion provides managed SSH access to the VM without exposing a public IP. Standard SKU with tunneling is required for CLI-based `az network bastion ssh`.
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```bash
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az network public-ip create \
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-g "${RG}" -n "${BASTION_PIP_NAME}" -l "${LOCATION}" \
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--sku Standard --allocation-method Static
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az network bastion create \
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-g "${RG}" -n "${BASTION_NAME}" -l "${LOCATION}" \
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--vnet-name "${VNET_NAME}" \
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--public-ip-address "${BASTION_PIP_NAME}" \
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--sku Standard --enable-tunneling true
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```
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Bastion provisioning typically takes 5-10 minutes but can take up to 15-30 minutes in some regions.
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</Step>
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</Steps>
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## Install OpenClaw
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<Steps>
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<Step title="SSH into the VM through Azure Bastion">
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```bash
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VM_ID="$(az vm show -g "${RG}" -n "${VM_NAME}" --query id -o tsv)"
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az network bastion ssh \
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--name "${BASTION_NAME}" \
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--resource-group "${RG}" \
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--target-resource-id "${VM_ID}" \
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--auth-type ssh-key \
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--username "${ADMIN_USERNAME}" \
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--ssh-key ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
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```
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</Step>
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<Step title="Install OpenClaw (in the VM shell)">
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```bash
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curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh -o /tmp/install.sh
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bash /tmp/install.sh
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rm -f /tmp/install.sh
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```
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The installer installs Node LTS and dependencies if not already present, installs OpenClaw, and launches the onboarding wizard. See [Install](/install) for details.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Verify the Gateway">
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After onboarding completes:
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```bash
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openclaw gateway status
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```
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Most enterprise Azure teams already have GitHub Copilot licenses. If that is your case, we recommend choosing the GitHub Copilot provider in the OpenClaw onboarding wizard. See [GitHub Copilot provider](/providers/github-copilot).
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</Step>
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</Steps>
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## Cost considerations
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Azure Bastion Standard SKU runs approximately **\$140/month** and the VM (Standard_B2as_v2) runs approximately **\$55/month**.
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To reduce costs:
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- **Deallocate the VM** when not in use (stops compute billing; disk charges remain). The OpenClaw Gateway will not be reachable while the VM is deallocated — restart it when you need it live again:
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```bash
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az vm deallocate -g "${RG}" -n "${VM_NAME}"
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az vm start -g "${RG}" -n "${VM_NAME}" # restart later
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```
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- **Delete Bastion when not needed** and recreate it when you need SSH access. Bastion is the largest cost component and takes only a few minutes to provision.
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- **Use the Basic Bastion SKU** (~\$38/month) if you only need Portal-based SSH and don't require CLI tunneling (`az network bastion ssh`).
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## Cleanup
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To delete all resources created by this guide:
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```bash
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az group delete -n "${RG}" --yes --no-wait
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```
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This removes the resource group and everything inside it (VM, VNet, NSG, Bastion, public IP).
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## Next steps
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- Set up messaging channels: [Channels](/channels)
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- Pair local devices as nodes: [Nodes](/nodes)
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- Configure the Gateway: [Gateway configuration](/gateway/configuration)
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- For more details on OpenClaw Azure deployment with the GitHub Copilot model provider: [OpenClaw on Azure with GitHub Copilot](https://github.com/johnsonshi/openclaw-azure-github-copilot)
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