# Microsoft Azure

- If you don't already have one [generate an SSH key pair](https://help.github.com/articles/generating-ssh-keys/).

- Go to the [dokku on azure deployment page](https://github.com/azure/azure-quickstart-templates/tree/master/dokku-vm) and click **Deploy to Azure**.

- You'll be prompted to enter a few parameters, including a unique storage account name and a unique name for the sub-domain used for your public IP address. For the `sshKeyData` parameter, copy and paste the contents of the **public** key file you just created. After a few minutes the Dokku instance will be deployed.

- In your browser of choice, navigate to `http://[[dnsNameForPublicIP]].[[location]].cloudapp.azure.com`. Where `[[dnsNameForPublicIP]]` and `[[location]]` are template parameters you used to deploy the template.

- Finish your dokku setup like you normally would by creating a **new** public/private key pair for your deployments using `ssh-keygen` (don't use the same one as you created in the first step). You should select 'Use Virtual Host Naming' and set the `Hostname` to a **public dns name** that you own such as one you would purchase from [namecheap](http://namecheap.com). Alternatively thanks to [xip.io]( http://xip.io/) you can just use yourAzurePublicIP.xip.io for free. For example, if your public IP is `44.44.44.44` then you would set it to `44.44.44.44.xip.io`.
