Register for ACX Lab Access
This guide walks you through registering for the Adaptive Cloud Experience Lab. Registration takes about 5 minutes and provisions your accounts automatically.
Prerequisites
- A valid
@microsoft.comemail address - Microsoft FTE status (vendors require manager approval)
- A modern web browser (Edge, Chrome, or Firefox)
Step-by-Step Registration
1. Open the ACX Registration Portal
Navigate to https://aka.ms/acxlab-onboarding in your browser. You will see the lab registration landing page with an overview of available access types.
2. Enter Your Microsoft Email
Type your full @microsoft.com email address in the registration field. The portal validates that your email belongs to an active Microsoft employee account.
!!! warning "Use your @microsoft.com email only" Aliases and @ntdev.microsoft.com addresses are not supported. Use your primary @microsoft.com identity.
3. Select Access Types
Choose one or more access types based on what you need:
| Access Type | Description | Provisioning Time |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Local VMs | Windows/Linux VMs on Azure Stack HCI clusters | ~10 minutes |
| AKS Arc | Kubernetes namespaces on AKS Arc clusters | ~15 minutes |
| Azure Virtual Desktop | AVD session hosts on Azure Local | ~20 minutes |
| Azure Migrate | Migration assessment and migration tools | ~10 minutes |
| GPU Workloads | GPU-enabled VMs with NVIDIA A2/A16 | ~15 minutes (subject to availability) |
!!! tip If you're unsure what you need, start with Azure Local VMs — it's the fastest to provision and gives you a good baseline for exploring the lab.
4. Verify Your Email
After submitting the form, you'll receive a verification email at your @microsoft.com address. Click the verification link within 24 hours to confirm your registration.
5. Automatic Account Creation
Once verified, the system automatically creates two accounts for you:
- Entra ID Guest Account — Used for Azure portal access and Azure RBAC. You'll receive an invitation email from Microsoft Entra to redeem.
- On-Premises Active Directory Account — Used for RDP access to VMs, domain-joined resources, and on-prem services. Credentials are sent in a separate secure email.
!!! danger "Save your AD credentials immediately" Your on-premises AD username and password are sent to you once. Store them securely in a password manager. If you lose them, you'll need to contact the ACX Lab team for a reset.
6. Confirmation
You'll receive a final confirmation email once all accounts are provisioned. This email includes:
- Your Entra guest account UPN
- Your on-prem AD username
- Links to redeem your Entra invitation
- Links to the lab resource groups in the Azure portal
What Happens Next?
- Redeem your Entra invitation — See First Login
- Set up MFA — Required before accessing any resources
- Connect to your resources — See Connecting to Resources
Registration Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Verification email not received | Check your Junk/Clutter folder. Ensure you used your primary @microsoft.com address. |
| "Email not recognized" error | Confirm you are an active Microsoft FTE. Vendor accounts are handled separately. |
| Registration stuck in "Pending" | See Registration Stuck |
What Gets Provisioned
When you register, the system (a Node.js/Express application) automatically provisions:
- Entra ID guest account — invited to the
adaptivecloudlab.comtenant - On-premises AD account — for RDP/domain access
- Security group membership — based on your selected access types
- RBAC role assignments — scoped to your resource group
The lab infrastructure is hosted at the Toronto site on a 2-node Azure Local (HCI) cluster.
Need Help?
If you encounter issues during registration, post in the ACX Lab Teams channel or check the troubleshooting guide.