NVIDIA GPU Resource Setup and Driver Installation - Remote RTX Workstation

Overview: This document describes the setup of an Azure Virtual Machine (VM) configuration that includes Moonlight to stream from an NVIDIA RTX server using Sunshine. It outlines the services created, costs involved, and details of the streaming process.

Login to Azure Portal

https://portal.azure.com/

1. Quota Increase

You need to get a quota increase for the following NVIDIA GPU resources in your Region:

Request a quota increase to 50 cores for both series through Microsoft support or via support@mail.support.microsoft.com

2. VM Size Selection

After receiving the quota increase, initially encountered an issue where the size was not available in the selected zone.

Changed the Availability options from "Availability zone" to "No infrastructure redundancy required", which allowed the selection of:

VM Specifications:

3. Enable Network Ports

Enable these Virtual Network (inbound) ports in your virtual machine Network Settings. This is important to allow you for your low-latency streaming setup.

            
            $ports = @{
                '47984' = 'Tcp'
                '47989' = 'Tcp'
                '47990' = 'Tcp'
                '48010' = 'Tcp'
                '47998' = 'Udp'
                '47999' = 'Udp'
                '48000' = 'Udp'
                '443' = 'Tcp'
                '5000' = 'Tcp'
                '22' = 'Tcp'
                '80' = 'Tcp'
            }

4. Login via RDS

The Remote Desktop Solution enables streaming between the remote host and your client device (PC or Mac). However, it lacks support for low-latency applications like video games or 3D programs and does not provide apps for Android, iOS, or other platforms. We will use it only to log in and set up the required software.

5. Install Low-Latency Streaming

After creating the virtual machine, the NVIDIA GPU drivers have to be installed for low latency streaming as the default RDS doesn't support it. We are going to use Sunshine (host) with Moonlight (client) so apps like video games or 3D software can run.

Install On Host:

To stream from remote host to your client using Moonlight, download the appropriate client for your device:

Install On Client:

On NvidiaRTX Windows10: Run installed sunshine.exe and visit https://localhost:47990/pin and enter the client PIN to connect (this can also be done via an API).

Make sure you enable inbound ports on the virtual machine.

6. Moonlight iOS Installation

7. VM Specifications and Additional Steps

Standard NV6ads A10 v5

8. Summary

The setup allows for efficient GPU utilization on Azure, enabling high-performance workloads such as gaming and 3D applications. By following the outlined steps, the environment is fully prepared for remote access and streaming using Moonlight and Sunshine, supported by the necessary drivers and configurations.

9. Azure GPU Quota Management

To manage GPU quotas effectively in Azure, it is essential to monitor usage and request increases well in advance. This involves:

For large deployments, consider implementing a quota management strategy to avoid disruptions in service due to insufficient resources.

10. Set Sunshine Applications For Windows Commands

Sunshine can be configured to trigger certain apps to launch from Moonlight. This can be any program, but Restart and ForceQuit can come handy when you need to reset your remote workstation.

  • Restart Windows
  • Do Command: cmd /c
  • Undo Command: shutdown -r -t 0 -f
  • Image Path Example: "C:/Users/source/Documents/restart.png"
  • Force Quit Windows
  • Do Command: cmd /c taskkill /F /FI "STATUS eq RUNNING"
  • Undo Command:
  • Image Path Example: "C:/Users/source/Documents/forcequit.png"