I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year 2024!
Thank you for all your support in the Community.
Join these Free LinkedIn Community Groups during the Holidays and keep up-to-date 😉
Microsoft Azure Monitor & Security for Hybrid IT
Windows Admin Center Community
Azure Copilot and Security Copilot (NEW)
Windows Server Insider Preview Downloads
With Microsoft Prerelease Software like Windows Server Insider Preview Builds, you can experience and test the new features in your Test environment before it’s GA and in your production datacenter(s). First you have to register for the Windows Server Insider program here
Then you can download the Windows Server Insider Preview Build.
I’m updating my mvplab.local domain.
With this you can Build your own test environment and experience the new features in Windows Server Insider Preview Builds.
The Microsoft Windows Server Insider Team is also on Microsoft Tech Community.
Keys: Keys are valid for preview builds only
Expiration: This Windows Server Preview will expire September 15, 2023.
Installing Windows Server Insider Preview Build 25314
For the Microsoft Product Group it’s important to give your feedback when you have ideas or experience some issues with these Windows Server Insider Preview Builds. Here you find more information about the Feedback Hub.
With this you can build great Hybrid Solutions with Windows Server Insider Preview Build Clusters which is connected with
Microsoft Azure Arc Services for Azure Hybrid IT Solutions. In this way you can test new experiences before you go into production and learn a lot of what you can do! Here you can read more about Azure Arc enabled Servers
My Domain Controller is Up-to-date with the Newest Windows Server Insider Preview Build 25314 for now 😉
Here you find Microsoft Comparison of Standard, Datacenter, and Datacenter: Azure Edition editions of Windows Server 2022
With Windows Server Insider Preview Build you can make your own environment, with your own domain, Clusters, Hybrid Servers or build your environment for Containers. You can experience and test for example Windows Server Insider Preview Azure edition with
Hot Patching feature on. Start today with Microsoft Windows Server Insider Preview Builds and Share your feedback with Microsoft.
I like to thank you Community for Supporting, Sharing and Reading New Microsoft technologies on my Blog, Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn Community Groups 💗 I wish you all happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year 2023 may the Best Wishes comes true ! 🎄🥂
I’m very proud and Honored on the Microsoft Global MVP Awards 2022-2023 !
Thank you Microsoft Product Groups, MVP Award Program, Windows Insider Team, Azure Hybrid Team, Windows Server and Azure Stack HCI Team for all your support, NDA PGI sessions, and for the Awesome software, Features, solutions you are building 🙂
Wish you all Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year 2023 may the Best Wishes comes true ! 🎄🥂
JOIN these LinkedIn Community Groups for free and Share New Microsoft Technologies Together:
Windows Admin Center Community Group
Containers in the Cloud Community Group
Microsoft Azure Monitor & Security for Hybrid IT Community Group
What I really love is the Microsoft Tech Community platform
For Microsoft Azure Hybrid:
Azure Hybrid and Multi Cloud documentation
Microsoft Azure Arc Community monthly Meetup (GitHub)
Follow on Twitter for Azure Hybrid:
Microsoft Windows Insiders Blog
Windows Insider Team on YouTube
The Windows Insider Program Team is really active on Twitter:
@WindowsInsider
Get started with the Windows Server Insider program
What’s New in Windows Server 2022
Overview of Windows Admin Center
Windows Admin Center runs in a web browser and can manage :
This goes with the locally Windows Admin Center gateway installed on Windows Server or domain-joined Windows 10 /11.
Windows Admin Center Architecture.
Here you find more information about the Install options of Windows Admin Center
I’m working with Windows Admin Center every day to manage our datacenter and to mange my MVP LAB. When you have to install Windows Server Core
or Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Operating system, then Windows Admin Center is the right tool for you as an Administrator. You can use all the Server Manager tools via WAC
and you don’t have to work with Command-line tools only like CMD and PowerShell.
You can download Microsoft Windows Admin Center here
In my MVP LAB I have a Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Datacenter Edition Hyper-V Host, and I like to make a Docker Host Server for my Containers.
With Windows Admin Center it’s easy to roll out a Docker host Server for your Containers.
In the following steps I will Install a Docker Host Server on Windows Server 2022.
Open Windows Admin Center and connect to your Server.
I Have Container Extension installed version 1.150.0
Click on Containers and Click on Install
Windows Admin Center will Restart your Server for the Docker Installation!
Hang on while Docker Host will be Installed on Windows Server 2022.
Docker Host Installed Successfully.
Docker Host Container Overview Screen on Windows Server 2022.
From here you can Pull containers images to the Docker Host.
This is what I did but…..
Instead of pulling a Container Image you can also Create your Own Container Image.
Here I’m Pulling a ASP.NET Container Image from Microsoft.
Pulled Container Image Successfully.
The ASP.NET Container Image is now Available on the Docker Host.
Select the Container Image and Click on Run.
Give the Docker Container a name.
You can Manage the ports,
Hyper-V Isolation,
Memory,
CPU
And add addition Docker Run options,
Click on Run.
The ASP.NET Docker Container is running on Windows Server 2022.
When you Click on the running Container you will get options like :
Stats, Details, Logs, Console and Events.
When you Click on Console you will go remote by PowerShell to the Docker Host.
Here you got all the Docker commands 😉
And of course when you want to develop Containers as a developer you can use Microsoft Visual Studio Code as well.
The ASP.NET Container in VSCode.
Download Microsoft Visual Studio Code here
(I’m using Visual Studio Code Insiders version in my MVP LAB)
Containers are becoming the preferred way to package, deploy, and manage cloud applications. Azure Container Instances offers the fastest and simplest way to run a container in Azure, without having to manage any virtual machines and without having to adopt a higher-level service.
Azure Container Instances is a great solution for any scenario that can operate in isolated containers, including simple applications, task automation, and build jobs. For scenarios where you need full container orchestration, including service discovery across multiple containers, automatic scaling, and coordinated application upgrades, we recommend Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS).
For my MVP LAB Azure Container Instances (ACI) is a great way to run Containers fast in the Cloud and have a overview with Windows Admin Center for :
Here you have a overview of your Azure Container Instances in Windows Admin Center.
In the following steps I will create an Azure Container Instance via the Microsoft Azure Portal and show it in Windows Admin Center. For this you need to integrate Windows Admin Center with your Microsoft Azure Subscription. This you can do in settings of WAC:
Register your Azure Subscription with Windows Admin Center for Hybrid Benefit.
Here you find more information about Azure integration with Windows Admin Center
When you have your Azure Account active in Windows Admin Center, go to the Microsoft Azure Portal and search for Container instances.
Click on Create Container Instances
Here you set the basics of your Azure Container Instance
Here you set the following items for your Azure Container Instance (ACI) :
Click on Next for Networking.
I Selected Public for testing but here you can select private too
with your own DNS name Label with the
right ports and protocols.
At Advanced settings you can configure additional container properties and variables
here you can TAG the Owner of the Azure Container Instance.
Click on Review + Create.
Now you can Click Create or Download the template for Automation.
Have a look at the Options here what you can do with the Template from here.
Microsoft Azure Container Instance is Deployed and running.
Nginx Container Instance is running on Azure.
Now we have the Microsoft Azure Container Instance with Nginx running in the Cloud, we can see that in Windows Admin Center.
Azure Container Instance in Windows Admin Center in running state.
When you don’t need it anymore you can end it here or in the Azure Portal.
Azure Container Instance is stopped by Windows Admin Center.
Run your Own Azure Container Instances from the ACR via
Windows Admin Center.
Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) on Azure Stack HCI is an on-premises implementation of Azure Kubernetes Service, which automates running containerized applications at scale. Azure Kubernetes Service is available on Azure Stack HCI, Windows Server 2019 Datacenter, and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter, making it quicker to get started hosting Linux and Windows containers in your datacenter. This is the High Available Container Solution on-premises from Microsoft, where you can run Containers and microservices in a isolated way in your datacenter with your DevOps Team. But you can also make your Azure Stack HCI Cluster hybrid with Azure integration and Azure Arc Services to benefit of Azure Hybrid Services.
Setup AKS on Azure Stack HCI with Windows Admin Center
Create your Own locally Azure Stack HCI Cluster with Azure Kubernetes Services
Microsoft product team of Windows Admin Center | Windows Server | Azure Stack HCI are working hard to make the Windows Admin Center Tool better and better to install and manage Container / microservices solutions. With Microsoft Azure extensions in Windows Admin Center and Azure Arc Services, Microsoft features from the Azure Cloud becomes available for your Containers like Azure Defender for Cloud with Container Insights, Azure Monitor, Azure App Services and much more.
Windows Admin Center is a Great Server Manager tool for your Windows Servers in your Datacenter. Especially when you use Windows Server Core or Azure Stack HCI.
Important:
Some features in Windows Admin Center are preview and not production ready yet, like ACR and ACI Integration I just showed in preview.
Please feel free to provide Microsoft feedback on Windows Admin Center here.
Packet monitoring allows you to diagnose your server by capturing and displaying network traffic through the networking stack in a log that is filtered, organized, and easy to follow and manipulate.
Download Windows Admin Center Here
Filter the Captured packets by PacketMon.
Before you start the capture you can set the filter, with great options and see differences between two IP-Addresses for example.
Capture is running.
You can explore every packet in details for trouble shooting.
You can save your Captures for later.
A great tool for trouble shooting in Windows Admin Center 21.10 with Packet Monitoring (preview) to get the bits and bytes in detail.
You don’t want to miss this Live Awesome Virtual Global Event of Microsoft 😉
It’s a year full of misery with the Covid-19 virus around the world. People who lose their loved one, It’s a very sad time for all of us! Microsoft technologies are still going on strong with new features in Azure Cloud Services but also supporting the people who are working in the healthcare, data analytics, Microsoft Teams for Collaboration and much more. But what I want to say to all HealthCare people over the world : THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO 👍
I have deep respect for you all !
Community, Microsoft Product Teams, MVP Lead, WIndows Insiders, I wish you and your family happy holidays and a Healthy 2021 with lot of Success! 🎄😍
Now is the time. Join your global partner community for the Microsoft Inspire digital event experience. Register today and get ready to extend your partner network as we explore what’s coming in the year ahead and work together to find shared solutions for our customers. Join Microsoft Inspire 2020 Global Event on July 21-22 Now at no Cost!
Microsoft Windows Admin Center is a web based App working in your modern browser like Edge or Chrome to manage your datacenter infrastructure. You can download it here
You can manage Windows Servers, Windows10 Desktops, Clusters, Hyperconverged Clusters, Storage Spaces Direct and more in a Hybrid environment and that’s what I like.
My Servers can be on-premises or in the Cloud like Azure and will manage them with Windows Admin Center.
Download the Windows Admin Center Overview Poster
Here you find all the Microsoft documentation about Windows Admin Center
When you have Windows Admin Center running you can register with Microsoft Azure first in the settings of Windows Admin Center.
Register to your Azure Subscription, just follow the instructions.
Install Azure Backup Extension at Available extensions.
From here the basic settings are done and we will have a look at my MVP LAB to backup a virtual Server.
Windows Admin Center in Domain MVPLAB.CLOUD
I have selected stormtrooper01.mvplab.cloud Windows Server 2019 and on the left Azure Backup.
You can read here more about Microsoft Azure Backup
Click on setup Azure Backup.
Here you select the Azure Subscription and the Backup Vault
and this will be a system state backup.
Next Step is Backup Schedule and Encryption key.
IMPORTANT: Keep this Encryption key somewhere save !
You need this key for recovery and Microsoft does not have access to that key.
Azure Backup Schedule settings.
When you apply here it will setup the Azure backup agent and your policies.
Backup is scheduled.
Here I did the Backup by hand.
Here you see the backup in the Azure Backup Vault.
Backup done via Windows Admin Center 😉
Here you see a video from Microsoft Mechanics at Ignite with Jeff Woolsey
Follow Windows Admin Center here on Twitter
Don’t forget to give feedback or great ideas !
I really like to work with Microsoft Windows Admin Center for managing my Hybrid workloads Windows Servers in Azure Cloud Services but also our On-premises Servers on Hyper-V and VMware platform. Even our physical Windows Servers can be managed from Windows Admin Center.
You can extend on-premises deployments of Windows Server to the cloud by using Azure hybrid services. These cloud services provide an array of useful functions, including the following:
Azure hybrid services work with Windows Servers in the following configurations:
I’m working with Windows Admin Center since day one, and you see the hybrid management tool evolving with great new features to make your life as an Administrator more easier. For example you get notifications when there are updates in extensions.
Notification details about update Extensions
When you click on the link “Go to Extensions” you will see the Extensions installed and the Updates which you can install from there.
Here you see an Azure Security Center Extension update.
There are not only Microsoft extensions, but also third party solution extensions and you could build your own extension for your solution. Here you find all the information about Windows Admin Center Extensions
Third Party Windows Admin Center Extensions
Installing a New extension is easy to do, the Azure Cloud Shell (Preview) was the last extension I installed in my Azure MVP Lab to work with. Azure Cloud Shell is an interactive, authenticated, browser-accessible shell for managing Azure resources. It provides the flexibility of choosing the shell experience that best suits the way you work, either Bash or PowerShell. Cloud Shell enables access to a browser-based command-line experience built with Azure management tasks in mind. So how does this look in Windows Admin Center?
Install the Azure Cloud Shell (Preview) Extension
You find the Installed Azure Cloud Shell in the pulldown menu of WAC
Copy your code here https://microsoft.com/devicelogin
You will see this screen when you copy-paste the code
When you go back to Windows Admin Center you will see you are connected with Azure Cloud Shell CLI 😉
Azure Cloud Shell in Windows Admin Center
from here you can manage all your Azure Cloud Services via the Azure Cloud Shell CLI with Bash or Powershell.
Here you find more about Microsoft Azure Cloud Shell tools and Features.
you can add an Azure Network Adapter to your on-premises servers to help you securely connect the server to an Azure Virtual Network.
Read more about adding Microsoft Azure Network Adapter (Preview) in the top 10 Features of Windows Server 2019. Nice link speed of 40 Gbps 😉
For Management of your Windows Servers you need some tools and consoles. Windows Admin Center is supporting you to get the Management consoles in one place to do your administration and updates.
The next tree Features are in Windows Admin Center to manage your Windows Server.
Powershell inside WAC of my Domain Controller
Windows PowerShell is a task-based command-line shell and scripting language designed especially for system administration. Built on the .NET Framework, Windows PowerShell helps IT professionals and power users control and automate the administration of the Windows operating system and applications that run on Windows.
Here you find more information about Windows Commands
Windows Update in Windows Admin Center.
Of course you need to update your Windows Servers, and what I like in WAC is that you get the information if an update needs a reboot before you click on Install Updates. This option is good for my Azure MVP Lab but when you need to update more then 100 Servers, you would do that centrally managed like with Update Management solution in Azure
Windows Remote Desktop in WAC
Remote Desktop is one of the Features of Windows Admin Center, to take over the desktop for installations of Applications for example.
Windows Admin Center got a lot more Features and Tools to Manage your Windows Servers in a Hybrid world.
Like these :
You can install the following Resources to Manage with WAC
Windows Admin Center Overview
Microsoft Windows Admin Center is the New Management tool for your Hybrid IT Management to Controle your Servers for your Business. It got all the Management consoles covered of Windows Servers to manage from one tool.
It’s easy to use and It keeps you Up-to-date of what is happening on your Windows Server but also what is New and updated. With Microsoft Windows Admin Center your are learning on the job and that’s what I Like 😉
Hope you will use Microsoft Windows Admin Center too for your Business, download it here for Free!
Cloud and Datacenter Management Blog 