title: How to clone an Azure VM
body: <p>Is there a simple method of cloning an Azure VM? So far I have found that you can "Deprovision" a VM, run "Sysprep" on it, and then "capture" an image. <a href="http://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/virtual-machines-capture-image-windows-server/" rel="nofollow">More on that here</a>. It requires you to shutdown the Virtual Machine.</p>
  
  <p>What I had been hoping for was a simple "Clone VM" that doesn't require a machine shutdown or (if it does require a shutdown) will at least do it via an automated process, automatically bringing the VM back up as soon as the "capture" is complete. Is there a way to do this, preferably via the Azure management console?</p>