Deploying a runner from the Azure Marketplace

CloudRadial AutomationAI runners can be deployed from the Azure Marketplace with a guided wizard, instead of downloading a setup package and running the PowerShell installer. This article covers what the Marketplace path deploys, the values you paste into the wizard, and how it differs from the script installer. It is for the technician performing the install.

We'll follow four main steps:

1. Deciding between the Marketplace and the script installer
2. Registering the runner and collecting your values
3. Completing the deploy wizard
4. Verifying the runner and keeping it updated

Step 1: Deciding Between the Marketplace and the Script Installer

Why are we doing this? Both paths deploy the same runner, but each suits a different situation.

Choose the Azure Marketplace when you want a portal-driven deployment with no local PowerShell, no Az module, and no downloaded package. It deploys a single runner instance.

Choose the Script installer when you need multi-instance runner pools or full control over the deployment parameters. See Installing a runner in your Azure subscription.

Either way, you need permission to create resources and role assignments in the target subscription: Owner, or Contributor plus User Access Administrator. See Runner prerequisites and Azure requirements.

Step 2: Registering the Runner and Collecting Your Values

Why are we doing this? The wizard needs the runner's identity, which only exists after you register it in AutomationAI.

Open Runners and select Register runner. When registration completes, choose Azure Marketplace as the deployment method. The panel then shows everything the wizard asks for:

• Region, the control-plane region to select in the wizard's dropdown
• Tenant ID, with a copy button
• Runner identity ID, with a copy button
• Runner secret, shown once at registration in the field above the deployment method

REQUIRED: Copy the runner secret before you close the panel. It is shown only once, AutomationAI stores only a hash of it, and it cannot be retrieved afterward. If it is lost, you must register a new runner.

Select Open Marketplace offer to launch the offer in the Azure portal.

Step 3: Completing the Deploy Wizard

Why are we doing this? The wizard collects the handful of settings the runner needs, then provisions everything into the resource group you choose.

Work through the wizard tabs:

• Basics, choose the subscription, resource group, and location, then select your control-plane region. The region list defaults to the United States; select the checkbox to reveal the other regions if your workspace is not in the U.S.
• Runner identity, paste the tenant ID, runner identity ID, and runner secret from the AutomationAI panel. A friendly runner name is optional
• AI provider, keep Azure AI Foundry to deploy the bundled private model, or select OpenAI and supply your own API key. See Choosing the runner AI provider (Foundry or OpenAI)
• Hosting, choose Flex Consumption (scales to zero, pay-per-use) or Premium (always warm, no cold starts), and set the poll interval. See Runner plans: Premium vs. Flex Consumption

Review and create. The deployment provisions the PowerShell, C#, Python, and Agent runner apps together with the network, secret store, and storage they need, and it publishes the runner code into the apps so they come up ready to take work. See What the runner installer deploys for the full resource list.

Step 4: Verifying the Runner and Keeping It Updated

Why are we doing this? A deployed runner is only useful once it is checking in, and runner code moves forward over time.

Return to Runners in AutomationAI. Within a poll cycle the runner reports in and its status turns healthy. If it does not, see Verifying and troubleshooting runner connectivity.

Runner code updates are pull-based. You do not redeploy from the Marketplace to move to a new version; upgrade from the Runners page instead. See Upgrading a runner to a new version.

To grow a single Marketplace-deployed runner into a multi-instance pool, switch to the script installer path. See Scaling runner instances.

If you are still having trouble, we're here to help! Submit a ticket here for assistance, and don't forget to check our status page to ensure there are no outages in your area.