Deploy a Fully Automated Xubuntu XRDP Desktop Environment on Microsoft Azure
#Xubuntu #XRDP #Azure #Terraform #Packer #ActiveDirectory #NFS #InfrastructureAsCode
Deploy a Fully Automated Xubuntu XRDP Desktop Environment on Microsoft Azure
In this video, we build a complete cloud-hosted Linux desktop environment using Xubuntu and XRDP—fully domain-joined, backed by Azure NFS-based storage for persistent home directories, and deployed end-to-end using Terraform and Packer.
This project creates a shared development desktop on Linux that is lightweight, fast, Active Directory–integrated, and easy to redeploy or scale in Azure.
What You’ll Learn
How to build a custom Xubuntu XRDP image for Azure using Packer
How Terraform provisions Azure networking, NSGs, Mini-AD, storage, and virtual machines
Domain-joining Linux systems using Samba 4 Mini-Active Directory
Mounting Azure NFS storage for persistent user home directories
Using cloud-init (custom_data) scripts to configure XRDP, user home creation, and desktop defaults
Resources Deployed
Azure Virtual Network with subnets, route tables, and network security groups
Samba 4 Mini-AD Domain Controller (AD DS + DNS) on Ubuntu
Azure Storage Account with NFS-enabled file shares for Linux home directories
Packer-built Xubuntu XRDP image (XFCE desktop, clipboard tools, browsers, VS Code, utilities)
Linux desktop virtual machine joined to AD with NFS-backed home directories
Optional Windows Server for Active Directory administration
Terraform modules for networking, directory services, desktops, storage, and identity
GitHub
https://github.com/mamonaco1973/azure...
https://github.com/mamonaco1973/azure...
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
01:16 Prerequisites
01:48 Build the Code
03:00 Build Results
05:13 Demo
08:51 Add a New User