Before diving into Entra ID and Intune, I tried using a free Azure 30-day/$200 credit trial to host a Windows Server 2022 VM (TestVM) for lab work. What should have been quick setup turned into hours of frustration:

The Switch: Realizing the free Azure trial lacked the integrated identity/tools for endpoint management, I pivoted to the Microsoft 365 Business Premium trial (~$22/user/month). This gave full Entra ID, Intune, and Teams integration—unlocking real hands-on with device enrollment and policies.

Issues: The MS Server 2022 TestVM wouldn’t join Azure AD (Entra ID)—dsregcmd /join failed with authentication errors, MDM enrollment hung, and Workplace Join conflicts persisted. Documentation was scattered, and free tier limits (e.g., no persistent storage for troubleshooting) made debugging a nightmare.

Effort Wasted: Spent 4+ hours on network tweaks, PsExec SYSTEM runs, and Graph API calls, only to hit trial expiration walls (e.g., no rollback snapshots).

Key Takeaway:

Free trials are great for basics, but for Azure/Entra ID labs, paid Microsoft 365 unlocks the ecosystem. Lesson learned: Start with the right stack to avoid sunk time.