Here you can find all the sessions of Microsoft event TechEd 2013 Europe in Madrid Spain on Channel 9

More information about this Great Event is on this Microsoft TechEd site

IaaS Technical Guidance for Hosting Service Providers and Provisioning #WindowsAzure #SPF #sysctr

Service Provider Foundation (SPF) Scenario’s

“The capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, and deployed applications; and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).” => IaaS

Complete the following steps to provision services for your Windows Azure Services for Windows Server deployment

Windows Server hosting is one of the largest and fastest growing cloud services opportunities for hosting service providers (HSPs). This document provides technical guidance and key considerations for HSPs who want to provide infrastructure-as-a-service to their customers by using Windows Azure Services for Windows Server, Windows Server 2012, and System Center 2012.

Infrastructure-as-a-Service Technical Guidance for Hosting Service Providers

Overview of Microsoft #WindowsAzure #Powershell for automated #Cloud Services

Windows Azure PowerShell is a powerful scripting environment that you can use to control and automate the deployment and management of your workloads in Windows Azure. Whether you are experienced with Windows PowerShell or a new user, instructions are available to help you get started provisioning virtual machines, setting up virtual networks and cross-premises networks, and managing cloud services in Windows Azure.

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Before you can start using the cmdlets in Windows Azure PowerShell, you will need to download and import the module, as well as import and configure information that provides connectivity to Windows Azure through your subscription. For instructions, see Get Started with Windows Azure Cmdlets.

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To learn about tips that can help you use the cmdlets, such as how parameter values, inputs, and outputs are typically handled in Windows Azure PowerShell, see Use Windows Azure Cmdlets. For instructions and examples that show you how to use variables and piping to simplify your commands, see the following:

• Create or Delete Virtual Machines Using Windows Azure Cmdlets
• Manage Certificates and SSH keys Using Windows Azure Cmdlets
• Manage Virtual Machines Using Windows Azure Cmdlets
• Manage Images and Disks Using Windows Azure Cmdlets
• Set Up and Manage Virtual Networks Using Windows Azure Cmdlets
• Set Up Communication for Virtual Machines Using Windows Azure Cmdlets
• Manage Cloud Services Using Windows Azure Cmdlets

For basic instructions about using Windows PowerShell, see Using Windows PowerShell in the Windows PowerShell Getting Started Guide.

If you develop Node.js, PHP, or Python applications for Windows Azure, you can use the cmdlets in Windows Azure PowerShell to get started developing and deploying applications.

• Node.js developers should start with the how to guide on the Node.js developer center.
• PHP developers should start with the how to guide on the PHP developer center
• Python developers should start with the how to guide on the Python developer center.

For reference information about the cmdlets, see Windows Azure management cmdlets.

On Hybrid Cloud blog via Yung Chou :

One-Click Windows Azure VM (IaaS) Deployment with PowerShell User Experience

Implementing System Center Management Pack for #WindowsAzure SQL Database Monitoring #sysctr

Import the Management Pack

For more information about importing a management pack, see How to Import an Operations Manager Management Pack.

Import the Microsoft.SqlServer.Azure.mpb using the Administration pane in the Operations Console.  After running the installer the management pack is typically located on the system drive in the \Program Files\System Center Management Packs folder.

Creating Windows Azure SQL Database Run As Accounts

To monitor Windows Azure SQL Database servers first create one or more Simple or Basic authentication Run As accounts which contain the credentials for accessing the servers. To do this:

1. In SCOM Console navigate to Administration | Run As Configuration | Accounts, right-click it and select Create Run As Account…

2. On the Introduction page click Next. 

3. On the General Properties page select Simple Authentication in Run As account type combo box, populate Display name and click Next

4. On the Credentials page populate Account name and Password with the credentials that will be used to connect to Windows Azure SQL Database cloud service and click Next.

5. On the Distribution Security page select More secure option and click Create.
You can use Less secure option and skip steps 7 – 8 if your environment is secure enough. 

6. Click Close to close the window.

If you used Less secure option on step 5, you can skip next steps.

7. Right-click newly created account and select Properties.

8. Navigate to Distribution tab and add the SCOM Agent that you wish to use as a Watcher Node to monitor Windows Azure SQL Database cloud service.

See Managing Run As Accounts and Profiles for more information about Run As accounts.

Using the Windows Azure SQL Database Add Monitoring Wizard

To begin monitoring a Windows Azure SQL Database cloud service:

1. In SCOM Console navigate to Authoring | Management Pack Templates, right-click Windows Azure SQL Database and select Add Monitoring Wizard…

2. On the Monitoring Type page select Windows Azure SQL Database and click Next

3. On the General Properties page you haveto provide template Name and Description, as well as Select destination management pack where template will be stored. If you don’t have a management pack for this
purpose – you can create a new one by clicking New… button.

Note: It is recommended to use new MP for the template.

4. On the Service Details page provide Server Name (including database.windows.net) and select Run As Account containing username and password to access cloud service. Click Next.

5. On the Proxy Agent tab Browse available SCOM Agents and select one to use as Watcher Node.

Important! IP address of the proxy agent machine should be enabled through Windows Azure SQL Database firewall. Also, Run As account specified in previous step should be distributed to selected agent or Less Secure option should be used, otherwise management pack won’t work.

6. Review configuration on Summary page and click Create.

Enabling Federations Discovery

To reduce number of queries issued to the Windows Azure SQL Database, federations discovery is disabled by default. If you use federations and want to monitor them, you have to enable the discovery.

To do this:

1. In SCOM Console navigate to Authoring | Management Pack Objects | Object Discoveries and click Scope button on the toolbar or Change Scope… link if scoping is already enabled.

2. Look for Windows Azure SQL Database Federation.

3. Right-click Windows Azure SQL Database Federation Discovery and select Overrides | Override the Object Discovery | For a specific object of class: Windows Azure SQL User Database.

4. Select root database of your federation.

5. Check Enabled row and select True as Override Value. To store this override you can use the same management pack where monitoring template instance relies. Click Apply and OK.

Here you can download the Microsoft Management Pack for Windows Azure SQL Databases

#Microsoft #WindowsAzure #SQL Database Management Pack for System Center 2012 #sysctr

Overview

The Microsoft Windows Azure SQL Database Management Pack enables you to monitor the availability and performance of applications that are running on Windows Azure SQL Database.
Feature Summary After configuration, the Microsoft Windows Azure SQL Database Monitoring Management Pack offers the following functionalities:

• User-friendly wizard to discover Windows Azure SQL Database servers.
• Provides availability status of Windows Azure SQL Database server.
• Collects and monitors health of Windows Azure SQL Database databases.
  • Space monitoring:
    • Used space
    • Free space
    • Total allocated quota
  • Track the total number of databases per server
• Collects and monitors performance information:
  • Average memory per session
  • Total memory per session
  • Total CPU time per session
  • Total I/O per session
  • Number of database sessions
  • Maximum Transaction execution time
  • Maximum Transaction lock count
  • Maximum Transaction log space used
  • Network Egress/Ingress bandwidth
• Ability to define Custom thresholds for each monitor to configure the warning and critical alerts.
• Run-as profile to securely connect to Windows Azure SQL Database.
• Detailed knowledge to guide the IT operator with troubleshooting the problem
• Custom tasks to redirect the user to the Windows Azure SQL Database online portal
• Custom query support to enable application-specific availability and performance monitoring

You can download the Microsoft Windows Azure SQL Database Management Pack here

Making a TestLAB with Windows Server 2012 – System Center 2012 SP1 – #WindowsAzure – Hybrid #Cloud #sysctr

Hybrid Cloud Architecture

Making a testlab environment is important for your business innovation to do proof of concepts for example Hybrid Cloud scenario’s to see and experience the benefits for your Company.

In this Testlab we use the following Microsoft Products to get the Basis infrastructure for Hybrid Cloud :

• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition for Operating System and Hyper-V as Hypervisor.
• Microsoft System Center 2012 SP1 – Datacenter Edition – starting with Virtual Machine Manager
• Microsoft SQL 2012 Enterprise Server
• Microsoft Windows Azure Subscription.
• Microsoft Office 365 Subscription

When you make a Testlab environment start small and think always in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) :

• A physical / virtual Server on premises or virtual Server in the Cloud of Microsoft with Windows Azure ?
  Think of all the costs like hardware, power consumption, scalability, storage, etc ….
• Make the right choices for your bussiness

Get inspired by one of my favorite Microsoft employee Yung Chou :

He has a great blog site about Microsoft Hybrid Cloud : http://blogs.technet.com/b/yungchou/ with videos, E-books, and cool blog posts !

In the Next blogpost about TestLAB : How to make the basis infrastructure for Hybrid Cloud scenario’s.

#Microsoft Technet Virtual LABS #Cloud #sysctr #WindowsAzure #WS2012 #Sharepoint…..

TechNet Virtual Labs enable you to quickly evaluate and test Microsoft’s newest products and technologies through a series of guided, hands-on labs that you can complete in 90 minutes or less. There is no complex setup or installation required.

Related Resources

MSDN Virtual Labs These virtual labs for developers give you hands-on experience with Microsoft’s programming tools and technologies.

TechNet Evaluation Center Download Microsoft technical trial software and install it in your sandboxed environment, and then receive deployment guidance and other resources from the experts.

OR

Go to the Home site of Microsoft TechNet Virtual Labs

 

Installing and Configuring #WindowsAzure Backup agent part 2 of 2 Hybrid #Cloud

After we Created a self-signed certificate :

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• Download the Certificate Creation Tool (makecert.exe) from the TechNet Gallery.
• Open an elevated command prompt (with Administrator privileges) and navigate to the location where makecert.exe is stored. Then type:
  makecert.exe -r -pe -n CN=CertificateName -ss my -sr localmachine -eku 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2 -len 2048 -e 01/01/2016 CertificateName.cer
  The certificate will be created and stored in the same location.
• In the vault, click Manage Certificate to upload the .cer file that contains the public key. Note the following:
  • If you register the server you used to run makecert.exe, you can browse for the certificate using the Register Server Wizard (after installation of the agent).
  • If you want to register a server that was not used to run makecert.exe, you must export the .pfx file (containing the private key) from that server, and copy it to the server you want to register, and import it into the Personal certificate store on that server. After the import, you can browse for the certificate using the Register Server Wizard (after installation of the agent).

Upload here your Created certificate for your Windows Azure Backup Vault.

Select your Certificate and the Backup Vault of Windows Azure Backup.

Click on Generate Passphrase and enter the location.

The Windows Azure Backup Agent is registering the Server in Windows Azure Backup Vault.

Now you are ready to backup and restore for this Server to the Cloud

In the next view steps you see how we make a Backup Schedule, Backup Now and make a restore :

Here you see the step by step installation of a schedule Backup with Windows Azure Backup Agent :

Click on Next to get started.

Browse and select your data for the Backup Job.

Specify the Backup time(s)

Set your retention time, you can choose of 7, 15 or 30 Days

Confirmation of the Backup Schedule, Click on Finish.

The scheduled Backup Job is successfully Created.

You can also make a Backup NOW with the following steps :

Click on Backup

The agent is taking a snapshot

Backup is running and data is transferring to Windows Azure Backup Vault.

The recoverypoint is made in Windows Azure Backup Vault.

The most important thing of a backup is that you can restore your data

Here you have the step by step procedure of restoring your data from Windows Azure Backup Vault (Cloud) :

Specify the Server for restore.

Click Next for Browsing for Files to Select for Restore.

Select your date of the recovery point.

Select the items to recover.

Select the destination for the recovery job.

Confirmation of the recovery Job, Click on Recover.

The Recovery Job is transferring the selected data from Windows Azure Backup Vault.

The Restore Job is successfully restored and I have my Photo’s back

Installing and Configuring #WindowsAzure Backup agent part 1 of 2 Hybrid #Cloud

Download the Windows Azure Backup Agent here.

You can choose out of two agents to download.

Windows Azure Backup installer

Accept the Terms and press OK

The installer Checks if Windows Powershell is available.

Choose your installation folder and your Cache location.

The Installation is finished.

There is your Windows Azure Backup Shell and Windows Azure Backup program.

First you have to register the Server

Use proxy settings when your server is behind that proxy.

 

Windows Azure Recovery Services encompasses a set of Windows Azure vaults that
help to protect your organization from data loss, and aid in continuity of
operations. Vaults are used to store and protect information that is specified
as part of your recovery services configuration.

How to Manage and Create vault certificates for Windows Azure Backup Services you can find here

#Microsoft System Center Management Pack for #WindowsAzure Fabric – Preview #sysctr

Overview

The Management Pack for Windows Azure Fabric enables you to monitor the availability and performance of Azure fabric resources that are running on Windows Azure. The management pack runs on a specified proxy agent and then uses various Windows Azure APIs to remotely discover and collect instrumentation information about a specified Windows Azure resource, such as a Cloud Service, Storage or Virtual Machine. The Management Pack for Windows Azure Fabric provides no functionality on import. For each Windows Azure subscription that contains Azure resources you want to monitor, you must configure discovery and monitoring by first using the Windows Azure wizard in the administration section of the OM Console, then the Windows Azure Monitoring template in the authoring section of the OM Console.

You can download the System Center Management Pack for Windows Azure Fabric here