Automatically migrate PowerShell scripts from AzureRM to the Az PowerShell module

In this article, you'll learn how to use the Az.Tools.Migration PowerShell module to automatically upgrade your PowerShell scripts and script modules from AzureRM to the Az PowerShell module. For additional migration options, see Migrate Azure PowerShell from AzureRM to Az.

Warning

The AzureRM PowerShell module has been officially deprecated as of February 29, 2024. Users are advised to migrate from AzureRM to the Az PowerShell module to ensure continued support and updates.

Although the AzureRM module may still function, it's no longer maintained or supported, placing any continued use at the user's discretion and risk. Please refer to our migration resources for guidance on transitioning to the Az module.

Requirements

  • Update your existing PowerShell scripts to the latest version of the AzureRM PowerShell module (6.13.1).

  • Install the Az.Tools.Migration PowerShell module.

    Install-Module -Name Az.Tools.Migration
    

Step 1: Generate an upgrade plan

You use the New-AzUpgradeModulePlan cmdlet to generate an upgrade plan for migrating your scripts and modules to the Az PowerShell module. This cmdlet doesn’t make any changes to your existing scripts. Use the FilePath parameter for targeting a specific script or the DirectoryPath parameter for targeting all scripts in a specific folder.

Note

The New-AzUpgradeModulePlan cmdlet doesn't execute the plan, it only generates the upgrade steps.

The following example generates a plan for all the scripts in the C:\Scripts folder. The OutVariable parameter is specified so the results are returned and simultaneously stored in a variable named Plan.

# Generate an upgrade plan for all the scripts and module files in the specified folder and save it to a variable.
New-AzUpgradeModulePlan -FromAzureRmVersion 6.13.1 -ToAzVersion latest -DirectoryPath 'C:\Scripts' -OutVariable Plan

As shown in the following output, the upgrade plan details the specific file and offset points that require changes when moving from AzureRM to the Az PowerShell cmdlets.

Order Location                                                   UpgradeType     PlanResult             Original
----- --------                                                   -----------     ----------             --------
1     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:59:24                        CmdletParameter ReadyToUpgrade         ExtensionName
2     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:59:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         Set-AzureRmVM...
3     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:54:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmVM
4     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:51:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         Add-AzureRmVM...
5     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:47:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         Add-AzureRmVM...
6     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:46:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         Set-AzureRmVM...
7     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:45:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         Set-AzureRmVM...
8     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:44:13                        Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmVM...
9     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:40:8                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmNe...
10    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:36:8                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmNe...
11    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:31:16                        Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmNe...
12    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:26:15                        Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmNe...
13    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:22:8                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmPu...
14    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:18:9                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmVi...
15    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:15:17                        Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmVi...
16    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:12:1                         Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmRe...
17    compute-create-windowsvm-quick.ps1:18:3                    CmdletParameter ReadyToUpgrade         ImageName
18    compute-create-windowsvm-quick.ps1:14:1                    Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmVM
19    compute-create-windowsvm-quick.ps1:11:1                    Cmdlet          ReadyToUpgrade         New-AzureRmRe...
20    compute-create-wordpress-mysql.ps1:59:24                   CmdletParameter ReadyToUpgrade         ExtensionName
...

Before performing the upgrade, you need to view the results of the plan for problems. The following example returns a list of scripts and the items in those scripts that will prevent them from being upgraded automatically.

# Filter plan results to only warnings and errors
$Plan | Where-Object PlanResult -ne ReadyToUpgrade | Format-List

The items shown in the following output won't be upgraded automatically without manually correcting the issues first.

Order                  : 42
UpgradeType            : CmdletParameter
PlanResult             : ErrorParameterNotFound
PlanSeverity           : Error
PlanResultReason       : Parameter was not found in Get-AzResource or it's aliases.
SourceCommand          : CommandReference
SourceCommandParameter : CommandReferenceParameter
Location               : devtestlab-add-marketplace-image-to-lab.ps1:14:74
FullPath               : C:\Scripts\devtestlab-add-marketplace-image-to-lab.ps1
StartOffset            : 556
Original               : ResourceNameEquals
Replacement            :

Step 2: Perform the upgrade

Caution

There is no undo operation. Always ensure that you have a backup copy of your PowerShell scripts and modules that you're attempting to upgrade.

After you’re satisfied with the plan, the upgrade is performed with the Invoke-AzUpgradeModulePlan cmdlet. Specify SaveChangesToNewFiles for the FileEditMode parameter value to prevent changes from being made to your original scripts. When using this mode, the upgrade is performed by creating a copy of each script targeted with _az_upgraded appended to the filenames.

Warning

The Invoke-AzUpgradeModulePlan cmdlet is destructive when the -FileEditMode ModifyExistingFiles option is specified! It modifies your scripts and functions in place according to the module upgrade plan generated by the New-AzUpgradeModulePlan cmdlet. For the non-destructive option specify -FileEditMode SaveChangesToNewFiles instead.

# Execute the automatic upgrade plan and save the results to a variable.
Invoke-AzUpgradeModulePlan -Plan $Plan -FileEditMode SaveChangesToNewFiles -OutVariable Results
Order Location                                                   UpgradeType     UpgradeResult    Original
----- --------                                                   -----------     -------------    --------
1     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:59:24                        CmdletParameter UpgradeCompleted ExtensionName
2     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:59:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted Set-AzureRmVMExtens...
3     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:54:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmVM
4     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:51:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted Add-AzureRmVMSshPub...
5     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:47:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted Add-AzureRmVMNetwor...
6     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:46:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted Set-AzureRmVMSource...
7     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:45:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted Set-AzureRmVMOperat...
8     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:44:13                        Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmVMConfig
9     compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:40:8                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmNetworkI...
10    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:36:8                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmNetworkS...
11    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:31:16                        Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmNetworkS...
12    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:26:15                        Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmNetworkS...
13    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:22:8                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmPublicIp...
14    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:18:9                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmVirtualN...
15    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:15:17                        Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmVirtualN...
16    compute-create-dockerhost.ps1:12:1                         Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmResource...
17    compute-create-windowsvm-quick.ps1:18:3                    CmdletParameter UpgradeCompleted ImageName
18    compute-create-windowsvm-quick.ps1:14:1                    Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmVM
19    compute-create-windowsvm-quick.ps1:11:1                    Cmdlet          UpgradeCompleted New-AzureRmResource...
20    compute-create-wordpress-mysql.ps1:59:24                   CmdletParameter UpgradeCompleted ExtensionName
...

If any errors are returned, you can take a closer look at the error results with the following command:

# Filter results to show only errors
$Results | Where-Object UpgradeResult -ne UpgradeCompleted | Format-List
Order                  : 42
UpgradeType            : CmdletParameter
UpgradeResult          : UnableToUpgrade
UpgradeSeverity        : Error
UpgradeResultReason    : Parameter was not found in Get-AzResource or it's aliases.
SourceCommand          : CommandReference
SourceCommandParameter : CommandReferenceParameter
Location               : devtestlab-add-marketplace-image-to-lab.ps1:14:74
FullPath               : C:\Scripts\devtestlab-add-marketplace-image-to-lab.ps1
StartOffset            : 556
Original               : ResourceNameEquals
Replacement            :

Limitations

  • File I/O operations use default encoding. Unusual file encoding situations may cause problems.
  • AzureRM cmdlets passed as arguments to Pester unit test mock statements aren't detected.

How to report issues

Report feedback and issues about the Az.Tools.Migration PowerShell module via a GitHub issue in the azure-powershell-migration repository.

Next steps

To learn more about the Az PowerShell module, see the Azure PowerShell documentation