What solution should be implemented to ensure that multiple Azure VMs run as a group during a failover?

Implementing a recovery plan is essential for ensuring that multiple Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) run as a group during failover events. A recovery plan allows you to specify the sequence in which VMs should be brought online, the order of operations, and any dependencies between the VMs. This coordination is vital during a failover to maintain system integrity and minimize downtime.

A recovery plan typically leverages Azure Site Recovery, which automates the process of replicating VMs to a secondary site and orchestrates their failover and failback. This ensures that in the event of a failure, the VMs can be started in the correct order and that associated resources are also managed appropriately. Such orchestration is crucial for applications that require a specific setup or configuration to function properly.

In contrast, a virtual network is essential for connecting resources and facilitating communication but does not directly manage failover processes. A configuration server is used mainly for providing the infrastructure to handle replication but doesn’t orchestrate the failover for multiple VMs. A storage account is a resource for managing storage solutions but, like the virtual network, it does not focus on the failover capabilities or the orchestration required for handling multiple VMs as a singular group during a disaster recovery scenario.