Deploy the Cisco Catalyst 8000V VM using PowerShell | Install Cisco Catalyst 8000V in Azure Local | Cisco Catalyst 8000V Edge Software Installation And Configuration Guide

Provides all the details you need to deploy the Cisco Catalyst 8000V VM using PowerShell.

This section describes how to create and manage VMs on Azure Local using Windows PowerShell. The following table outlines the high-level steps involved to create and manage the VM. It also provides the link to the respective Azure Local documentation. To learn about the PowerShell commands used in detail. refer to this PowerShell Command page.

Review the detailed Azure Local documentation for each step.
Refer to the PowerShell command reference for syntax and usage examples.


Action	PowerShell command and description	Link to the Azure PowerShell documentation
Create the VM	`New-VM` Creates a new VM.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-local/manage/vm-powershell?view=azloc-2604#create-a-vm
Create a disk	`New-VHD` Creates one or more new virtual hard disks.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/new-vhd?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Add a hard disk	`Add-VMHardDiskDrive` Adds a hard disk drive to a virtual machine.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/add-vmharddiskdrive?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Configure the VM settings	`Set-VMProcessor` Configures settings for the virtual processors of a virtual machine. Settings are applied uniformly to all virtual processors belonging to the virtual machine.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/set-vmprocessor?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Configure the memory	`Set-VMMemory` Configures the memory of a virtual machine.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/set-vmmemory?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Connect the switch and the VLAN	`Connect-VMNetworkAdapter` Connects a virtual network adapter to a virtual switch.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/connect-vmnetworkadapter?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Configure the firmware of the VM	`Set-VMFirmware` Sets the firmware configuration of a virtual machine.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/set-vmfirmware?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Configure a virtual DVD Drive	`Set-VMDvdDrive` Configures a virtual DVD drive.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/set-vmdvddrive?view=windowsserver2025-ps
Start the VM	`Start-VM` Starts the virtual machine.	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/hyper-v/start-vm?view=windowsserver2025-ps

VM deployment workflow

This section provides a sample end-to-end workflow to create a Cisco Catalyst 8000V VM and deploy the instance in Azure Local using PowerShell commands.

PS C:\Users\azs-admin>

Procedure

Set the required parameters.

Example:

$HostName    = "hostname.com" 
$VMName      = "vm-name" 
  
$VMPath      = "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V" 
$CpuCount    = 4 
$MemoryGB    = 8 
  
$SwitchName  = "ConvergedSwitch(compute_management)" 
$VlanId      = 3309 
  
$NewDiskGB   = 16 
  
$OsIsoPath   = "C:\ClusterStorage\UserStorage_6\c8000v-universalk9_vga.2026-01-05_14.36_xyz.iso" 
$Day0IsoPath = "C:\ClusterStorage\UserStorage_6\day0_2ctrl.iso" 
  
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $HostName -ScriptBlock { 
param( 
    [string]$VMName, 
    [string]$VMPath, 
    [int]$CpuCount, 
    [int]$MemoryGB, 
    [string]$SwitchName, 
    [int]$VlanId, 
    [int]$NewDiskGB, 
    [string]$OsIsoPath, 
    [string]$Day0IsoPath 
) 
  
$vmFolder = Join-Path $VMPath $VMName 
$vhdPath  = Join-Path $vmFolder "$VMName.vhdx" 
  
# Ensure folder exists (on the HOST, not your local machine) 
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $vmFolder -Force | Out-Null

Create a disk.

Example:

if (-not (Test-Path $vhdPath)) { 
    New-VHD -Path $vhdPath -SizeBytes ($NewDiskGB * 1GB) -Dynamic | Out-Null 
}

Create the VM (Gen2).

Example:

if (-not (Get-VM -Name $VMName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) { 
    New-VM -Name $VMName -Generation 2 -Path $vmFolder -MemoryStartupBytes ($MemoryGB * 1GB) | Out-Null 
}

Attach a disk (if not already attached).

Example:

$hasDisk = (Get-VMHardDiskDrive -VMName $VMName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Where-Object { $_.Path -eq $vhdPath }) 
if (-not $hasDisk) { 
    Add-VMHardDiskDrive -VMName $VMName -Path $vhdPath | Out-Null 
}

Set a CPU.

Example:

Set-VMProcessor -VMName $VMName -Count $CpuCount | Out-Null

Set memory as force static (disable dynamic).

Example:

Set-VMMemory -VMName $VMName -DynamicMemoryEnabled $false -StartupBytes ($MemoryGB * 1GB) | Out-Null

Configure switch and VLAN settings.

Example:

# (If NIC exists but not connected, connect it; otherwise just set VLAN) 
Connect-VMNetworkAdapter -VMName $VMName -SwitchName $SwitchName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null 
Set-VMNetworkAdapterVlan -VMName $VMName -Access -VlanId $VlanId | Out-Null 

$nic = Get-VMNetworkAdapter -VMName $VMName 
# 1. Bandwidth Settings $bf = Get-VMSystemSwitchExtensionPortFeature ` -FeatureName "Ethernet Switch Port Bandwidth Settings" Add-VMSwitchExtensionPortFeature -VMNetworkAdapter $nic ` -VMSwitchExtensionFeature $bf | Out-Null 

# 2. Security Settings $sf = Get-VMSystemSwitchExtensionPortFeature ` -FeatureName "Ethernet Switch Port Security Settings" Add-VMSwitchExtensionPortFeature -VMNetworkAdapter $nic ` -VMSwitchExtensionFeature $sf | Out-Null 

# 3. Profile Settings $pf = Get-VMSystemSwitchExtensionPortFeature ` -FeatureName "Ethernet Switch Port Profile Settings" $pf.SettingData.ProfileId = "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}" $pf.SettingData.ProfileData = 2 $pf.SettingData.ProfileName = "Testprofile" $pf.SettingData.VendorId = "{1FA41B39-B444-4E43-B35A-E1F7985FD548}" $pf.SettingData.VendorName = "NetworkController" $pf.SettingData.NetCfgInstanceId = "{56785678-a0e5-4a26-bc9b-c0cba27311a3}" $pf.SettingData.CdnLabelId = 1111 $pf.SettingData.CdnLabelString = "TestCdn" Add-VMSwitchExtensionPortFeature -VMNetworkAdapter $nic ` -VMSwitchExtensionFeature $pf | Out-Null

Enable Secure Boot off.
Example:

Set-VMFirmware -VMName $VMName -EnableSecureBoot Off | Out-Null
Note
Secure Boot is disabled here for simplicity. Cisco Catalyst 8000V also supports Secure Boot with the Microsoft UEFI Certificate Authority template if your security policy requires it:
Set-VMFirmware -VMName $VMName -EnableSecureBoot On -SecureBootTemplate "MicrosoftUEFICertificateAuthority"
Note

Do not use the default "MicrosoftWindows" Secure Boot template. Doing so will prevent the Cisco Catalyst 8000V from booting.

Configure DVD 1: OS ISO

Example:

$dvdDrives = Get-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue 
if (-not $dvdDrives) { 
    Add-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName -Path $OsIsoPath | Out-Null 
} else { 
    Set-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName -ControllerNumber $dvdDrives[0].ControllerNumber -ControllerLocation $dvdDrives[0].ControllerLocation -Path $OsIsoPath | Out-Null 
}

Configure DVD 2: Day0 ISO

Example:

$dvdDrives = Get-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName 
if ($dvdDrives.Count -lt 2) { 
    Add-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName -Path $Day0IsoPath | Out-Null 
} else { 
    Set-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName -ControllerNumber $dvdDrives[1].ControllerNumber -ControllerLocation $dvdDrives[1].ControllerLocation -Path $Day0IsoPath | Out-Null 
}

Set the first boot from DVD.

Example:

$dvd = (Get-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName | Select-Object -First 1) 
Set-VMFirmware -VMName $VMName -FirstBootDevice $dvd | Out-Null

Start the VM.

Example:

Start-VM -Name $VMName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Out-Null

Set VHDX as first boot device.

Example:

$VMName   = "vm-name”
$HVHost   = "HOST1" 
  
$hdd = Get-VMHardDiskDrive -ComputerName $HVHost -VMName $VMName | Select-Object -First 1 
Set-VMFirmware -ComputerName $HVHost -VMName $VMName -FirstBootDevice $hdd

Connect to VM.

Example:

PS C:\Users\azs-admin> & "C:\Windows\System32\vmconnect.exe" HOST "c8000v-name"

Delete the VM using PowerShell.

Example:

# Delete VM including VHD files
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $HostName -Credential $cred -ScriptBlock {
param($VMName)

# Stop VM
Stop-VM -Name $VMName -Force -TurnOff -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Start-Sleep -Seconds 3

# Get VHD paths before removing VM
$vhds = Get-VMHardDiskDrive -VMName $VMName | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Path
$vmPath = (Get-VM -Name $VMName).Path

# Remove VM
Remove-VM -Name $VMName -Force

# Delete VHD files
foreach ($vhd in $vhds) {
if (Test-Path $vhd) {
Remove-Item $vhd -Force
Write-Host "Deleted VHD: $vhd" -ForegroundColor Green
}
}

# Delete VM folder
if ($vmPath -and (Test-Path $vmPath)) {
Remove-Item $vmPath -Recurse -Force
Write-Host "Deleted VM folder: $vmPath" -ForegroundColor Green
}

Write-Host "VM '$VMName' deleted successfully." -ForegroundColor Cyan
} -ArgumentList $VMName

Note

Make sure to note the VHD paths before running the Remove-VM command. After the VM is deleted, its disk paths can no longer be queried.

Update the VM settings.

Example:

Note

For some update operations, you must stop the VM first.

To update VM processor, use these commands.
Example:
```
$NewCpu   = 8 
Set-VMProcessor -ComputerName $HostName -VMName $VMName -Count $NewCpu 
```

Configure network settings

This section outlines the network settings configuration.

Procedure

To get the VM, use this command:

Example:

Get-VMNetworkAdapter -ComputerName $HostName -VMName $VMName | 
Select Name, SwitchName, MacAddress, DynamicMacAddressEnabled 
  
Name            SwitchName                          MacAddress   DynamicMacAddressEnabled 
----            ----------                          ----------   ------------------------ 
Network Adapter ConvergedSwitch(compute_management) 00155D1F0931                    False

To set the existing NIC to static MAC, use this command:

Example:

$HostName  = "hostname.com" 
$VMName    = "vm-name" 
$Mac       = "00155D1F0931" 
  
Set-VMNetworkAdapter ` 
  -ComputerName $HostName ` 
  -VMName $VMName ` 
  -Name "Network Adapter" ` 
  -StaticMacAddress $Mac

To add a network adapter, use this command:

Example:

 $HostName   = " hostname.com" 
$VMName     = " vm-name" 
$SwitchName = "ConvergedSwitch(compute_management)" 
$NicName    = "mgmtnicname" 
  
Add-VMNetworkAdapter ` 
  -ComputerName $HostName ` 
  -VMName $VMName ` 
  -SwitchName $SwitchName ` 
  -Name $NicName

To assign a VLAN, use this command:

Example:

 VLAN 3311 (access mode) 
Set-VMNetworkAdapterVlan ` 
  -ComputerName $HostName ` 
  -VMName $VMName ` 
  -VMNetworkAdapterName $NicName ` 
  -Access ` 
  -VlanId 3311

Example:

Note

Additional NICs may require the same extension port feature sequence as the primary NIC.