Manage a dev box pool in Microsoft Dev Box

In this article, you learn how to manage a dev box pool in Microsoft Dev Box by using the Azure portal.

A dev box pool is a collection of dev boxes that have the same settings, such as the image and network connection. A dev box pool is associated with a Microsoft Dev Box project.

Dev box pools define the location of the dev boxes through the network connection. You can choose to deploy dev boxes to a Microsoft-hosted network or to a network that you manage. If you choose to deploy dev boxes to a network that you manage, you must first configure a network connection. Organizations that support developers in multiple geographical locations can create dev box pools for each location by specifying a nearby region.

Select a region close to your developers' physical location to ensure the lowest latency experience with dev box.

Developers that have access to the project in the dev center can create a dev box from a dev box pool.

Permissions

To manage a dev box pool, you need the following permissions:

Create a dev box pool

In Microsoft Dev Box, a dev box pool is a collection of dev boxes that you manage together. You must have at least one dev box pool before users can create a dev box. When creating a dev box pool, you can select from several image and definition types.

Understanding image and definition types

Pool properties

A dev box pool has the following properties:

The following steps show you how to create a dev box pool in a project. When creating a dev box pool, you can select a marketplace image, custom image, or dev box definition. Using images gives you the flexibility to choose the compute size and storage that best fits your needs.

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. In the search box, enter projects. In the list of results, select Projects.

3. Open the project where you want to create the dev box pool.

   

4. Select Dev box pools, then select Create.

   

5. On the Create a dev box pool pane, on the Basics tab, enter the following values:

   Setting	Value
   Display name	Enter a name for the pool. The pool name is visible to developers to select when they're creating dev boxes. The name must be unique within a project.
   Definition	Select an image definition, custom image, marketplace image, or existing dev box definition.
   Compute	When you select an image, you can specify the VM size for the dev boxes in this pool.
   Storage	When you select an image, you can specify the storage size for the dev boxes in this pool.
   Hibernation	Shows whether hibernation is supported or not.
   Region
   Network connection	1. Select Deploy to a Microsoft hosted network. 2. Select your desired deployment region for the dev boxes. Choose a region close to your expected dev box users for the optimal user experience.
   Licensing	Select this checkbox to confirm that your organization has Azure Hybrid Benefit licenses that you want to apply to the dev boxes in this pool.

   

6. On the Management tab, enter the following values:

   Setting	Value
   Roles
   Dev box Creator Privileges	Select Local Administrator or Standard User.
   Access
   Enable single sign-on (SSO)	Select to enable users to sign in to their dev boxes by using their organizational credentials.
   Headless connections	Select to enable developers to open a dev box in Visual Studio Code without a full desktop experience.
   Cost controls
   Auto-stop on schedule	Select the checkbox to enable an autostop schedule. You can also configure an autostop schedule after the pool is created.
   Stop time	Select a time to shut down all the dev boxes in the pool. Dev boxes that support hibernation will hibernate at the specified time. Dev Boxes that don't support hibernation shut down.
   Time zone	Select the time zone for the stop time.
   Hibernate on disconnect	Hibernates dev boxes that no one is connected to after a specified grace period.
   Grace period	Hibernates dev boxes that have never been connected to after a specified grace period.

   

7. Select Create.

8. Check that the new dev box pool appears in the list. You might need to refresh the screen.

The Azure portal deploys the dev box pool and runs health checks to make sure the image and network pass the validation criteria for dev boxes. The following screenshot shows four dev box pools, each with a different status.

Manage dev boxes in a pool

You can manage existing dev boxes in a dev box pool through the Azure portal. You can start, stop, or delete dev boxes.

To manage dev boxes in a pool, you must access the pool through the associated project. The following steps show you how to navigate to the pool.

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. In the search box, enter projects, in the list of results, select Projects.

3. Select the project that contains the dev box pool that you want to manage.

4. Select Dev box pools.

5. Select the pool that contains the dev box that you want to manage. The names of pools you can manage display as links. If you don't see the pool name displayed as a link, check that you're a member of the Project Admin role for this project.

   

6. Select more actions for the dev box that you want to manage.

   

7. Depending on the current state of the dev box, you can select Start, Stop, or Delete.

   

Delete a dev box pool

You can delete a dev box pool when you're no longer using it.

Deleting a dev box pool permanently deletes all existing dev boxes within the pool.

To delete a dev box pool in the Azure portal:

1. Sign in to the Azure portal.

2. In the search box, enter projects. In the list of results, select Projects.

3. Open the project from which you want to delete the dev box pool.

4. Select more actions for the dev box pool that you want to delete.

5. Select Delete.

6. In the confirmation message, confirm the deletion by entering the name of the dev box pool that you want to delete, and then select Delete.

   Select Delete to confirm.

   

Related content

• Provide access to projects for project admins
• Configure Azure Compute Gallery