The resource is not defined in the template

Question

Deploying below template:

https://gist.github.com/rnkhouse/aea0a8fd395da37b19466348b919d620

Error:

"Deployment failed with status code: 400 and message: Deployment template validation failed: 'The resource 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks/mtes-dev-VNET' is not defined in the template. Please see https://aka.ms/arm-template for usage details.'."

I have already created Virtual Network in other template and using same resource group here. But, still I am getting above error. Please advice!

Answer 1

Remove dependsOn the Vnet in your code, it is only needed if that resource is part of the template, not if its already deployed.

Answer 2

For anyone else ending up here from a search for 'The resource is not defined in the template', another possible reason for this error message is a reference of the form:

reference('<some complete id outside this template>')

or

listkeys('<some complete id outside this template>')

The error message doesn't tell you but you need to include the API version when referencing a resource defined outside the current template.

e.g.

reference('<some complete id outside this template>', '2018-03-01')

Answer 3

I came across this question searching for the same error code. I had a different problem though: I was referencing child resources of another resource within the template. I guess those are considered outside of the current template.

e.g.

{
    "$schema": "http://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "resources": [    
        {
            "type": "Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks",
            "name": "vnetName",
            "location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
            "apiVersion": "2018-11-01",
            "properties": {
                ...
                }
            },
            "resources": [
                {
                    "type": "subnets",
                    "apiVersion": "2018-11-01",
                    "name": "subnetName",
                    "dependsOn": [
                        "[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks', vnetName)]"
                    ],
                    "properties": {
                        ...
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "apiVersion": "2016-02-01",
            "name": "deploymentName",
            "type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
            "dependsOn": [
                "[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks.subnets', vnetName, subnetName)]"
            ],
        }
    ]
}

There the fix is to put the parent resource into a deployment and depend on that.

e.g.

{
    "$schema": "http://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "resources": [    
        {
            "apiVersion": "2016-02-01",
            "name": "deployment1",
            "type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
            "resources": [
                {
                    "type": "Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks",
                    "name": "vnetName",
                    "location": "[resourceGroup().location]",
                    "apiVersion": "2018-11-01",
                    "properties": {
                        ...
                    },
                    "resources": [
                        {
                            "type": "subnets",
                            "apiVersion": "2018-11-01",
                            "name": "subnetName",
                            "dependsOn": [
                                "[resourceId('Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks', vnetName)]"
                            ],
                            "properties": {
                                ...
                            }
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "apiVersion": "2016-02-01",
            "name": "deployment2",
            "type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
            "dependsOn": [
                "deployment1"
            ],
        }
    ]
}