Don’t miss this Awesome Microsoft Windows Server Summit 2024 virtual event to get the latest and Greatest information powered by the Engineering team!
When: March 26-28, 2024. Mark your Calendar 😉
Topic wise: it will be wide ranging covering all the new goodness of Windows Server 2025, on-prem and Hybrid scenarios, Azure Arc, Identity, Virtualization, SMB updates and more!
Here you can find more information: Windows Server Summit 2024
New in Windows Server Insider Preview Build 25967 is Microsoft Azure Arc in your taskbar system tray Icon.
Currently, Azure Arc allows you to manage the following resource types hosted outside of Azure:
Servers: Manage Windows and Linux physical servers and virtual machines hosted outside of Azure.
Kubernetes clusters: Attach and configure Kubernetes clusters running anywhere, with multiple supported distributions.
Azure data services: Run Azure data services on-premises, at the edge, and in public clouds using Kubernetes and the infrastructure of your choice. SQL Managed Instance and PostgreSQL (preview) services are currently available.
SQL Server: Extend Azure services to SQL Server instances hosted outside of Azure.
Virtual machines (preview): Provision, resize, delete and manage virtual machines based on VMware vSphere or Azure Stack HCI and enable VM self-service through role-based access.
Here you find the Azure Arc system tray icon.
Here you can see the Microsoft Azure Arc Status
and
You can connect to the Azure Arc enabled virtual machine in the Cloud.
Azure Arc enabled virtual machine in the Cloud.
Windows Admin Center via Azure Arc enabled Server.
Yesterday Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.1 had his 30 years anniversaryon July 27, 2023.
At that Time I was working for a Computer Broker as an IT technician, working with IBM mainframes like
System 36 and AS/400 with PC connections and going from OS/2 to Microsoft Windows NT.
The biggest change was Microsoft Windows NT 4 Server and Windows NT 4 Workstation making small networks and
Enterprise Datacenters here in the Netherlands. Doing early Beta programs with Windows Server 2000 and Windows 2003 Server instead of Windows NT 4 in production. In the Netherlands we made one of the first Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 Hyper-V Clusters in the Datacenter with Blade Server Technology to virtualize almost every physical Server.
Doing Upgrades to Windows Server 2012 R2 and making the first connection with Microsoft Azurewith a System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2012 R2 and Azure Vault. At this time lot of companies are doing migrations from Windows
Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2022. Or they are innovating to the Microsoft Azure Cloud. Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Clusters is a New way to work Hybrid with Azure Cloud technology.
As a Microsoft MVP for Cloud and Datacenter Management and Windows Insider MVP, I work every day with Windows Servers
in Datacenters and now also in the Microsoft Azure Cloud. What I really like is the Microsoft Windows Server Insider Program
Here you can test the Newest Microsoft Windows Server Insider Preview Builds from the Windows Server product group and give your opinions / ideas and Feedback on the new features in Windows Server but also in Windows.
You can build your own Test Lab like I did in Microsoft Azure with Virtual Machines:
Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Datacenter Azure Edition Build 25379
Here you see my Azure Virtual Machine with Windows Server 2022 Insider Preview Build Azure Edition.
More information about Microsoft Windows Server Azure Edition is here
Today it’s a Hybrid Cloud World to get the benefits of Microsoft Azure Cloud together with your on-premises DataCenters.
You can connect your Windows Servers with Microsoft Azure Arc agent for central Cloud Management features, Security with
Azure Defender for Cloud, Azure Monitor and Log Analytics. Here you find all the Microsoft Azure Arc Service docs.
I’m really curious about the future of Microsoft Windows Server in a world where you have Azure Open AI
Microsoft Technology is going fast, but I really liked the 30 years I worked with Microsoft Windows Server and the
Product Groups also with the Windows Insider Program Team 🙂
Going for the Next 30 years of Microsoft Windows, Server, Clusters, and Containers
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.
Windows Server Long-Term Servicing Channel Preview in ISO format in 18 languages, and in VHDX format in English only.
Windows Server Datacenter Azure Edition Preview in ISO and VHDX format, English only.
Microsoft Server Languages and Optional Features Preview
Keys: Keys are valid for preview builds only
Server Standard: MFY9F-XBN2F-TYFMP-CCV49-RMYVH
Datacenter: 2KNJJ-33Y9H-2GXGX-KMQWH-G6H67
Azure Edition does not accept a key
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 😉
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 !
MVP Award for Cloud and Datacenter Management
MVP Award for Windows Insiders
MVP Award for Azure Hybrid
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 ! 🎄🥂
Here are some Great links for Reading and Sharing :
JOIN these LinkedIn Community Groups for free and Share New Microsoft Technologies Together:
Today every company wants to benefit from Cloud to achieve more for the business. Microsoft made Azure Arc to simplify governance and management by delivering a consistent multi-cloud and on-premises management platform.
In the following steps we are going to onboard the Windows Insider Servers and Windows 11 Insider Beta Virtual Machine which are running in mvplab.local domain into the Microsoft Azure Cloud. We will install the Azure Connected Machine Agent via a PowerShell Script in the next steps :
Here you can Choose for the right script.
I choose for Add Multiple Servers with a Service Principle.
Click on Generate Script.
Read the prerequisites access to port 443.
view Outbound URLs link.
Click Next
Select the right Azure Subscription and Resource Group.
Select your Azure Region.
Select Operating System
Select the Connectivity method.
Click on Next
If you don’t have a Azure Service principal, you can create one here.
Click on Create Service principal.
Create your Service Principal
Copy your Client ID and Client Secret !
You need this later.
Choose the Deployment method :
Basic Script or Configuration Manager ( I choose for Basic) Download the Script
I have copied the script to my Domain Controller On-premises here.
Open with PowerShell ISE the OnboardingScript.ps1
and Copy / Paste your
Service Principal Client ID and Secret here in the Script.
Click on save and run the script.
Start PowerShell in Admin modus
Run Script .\OnboardingScript.ps1
Server is connected with Azure 🙂
Here is the Azure Arc Enabled Server, my Domain Controller.
Here I have all the Azure Arc Capabilities available for my Domain Controller.
Azure Hybrid
With the Same Script I added the mvplab.local Windows Insider Servers to Azure
They are all Azure Arc Enabled Servers.
On all Azure Arc enabled Servers is the Azure Connected Machine Agent installed.
Conclusion
In a simple way you can deploy Azure Arc agent on your on-premises Servers to make them Azure Arc Enabled so you can enjoy the Azure Hybrid features from the Cloud. IT management and Security from Azure becomes available for your on-premises Servers.
It’s not only Infrastructure but also Data Services and Application Services what you can use for your Azure Hybrid Solution.
In the next Blogpost we will have a look at the Microsoft Azure Arc Features in my mvplab.local domain.
Microsoft System Center 2022 Operations Manager Web Console
In the Last Blogpost MVPLAB Serie we installed Microsoft System Center 2022 Operations Manager on a Windows Insider SQL Cluster for testing and monitoring. You can find that blogpost here
Before we install Microsoft System Center 2022 Operations Manager Web Console, you should have a look at the requirements of SCOM 2022 Web Console for the IIS settings and features.
In the following steps we will install SCOM 2022 Web Console
First of all you have to install the IIS Features.
See the Microsoft Docs.
Don’t worry if you missed a setting, Microsoft did make a requirements check in the installation procedure before you can move on with the installation of SCOM 2022 Web Console. You will see later.
Run the setup as Administrator of the SCOM 2022 software ISO.
Select Web Console.
Click on Next.
This is what I mean by forgetting a feature Role.
Install the feature Role.
Verify prerequisites again.
Then Click Next.
Check if the Installation Summary is good.
Click on Install
Setup is Completed
SCOM 2022 Web Console is running
Now you can configure your Microsoft System Center 2022 Operations Manager monitoring with the right Management Packs installed via your Edge web browser to get monitoring and alerts in place. Here you find more information about SCOM Management Packs
Now we have in our MVPLAB On-premises Datacenter everything running, we will have a look at Microsoft Azure Hybrid benefit in the following MVPLAB Series. Think about Microsoft Azure Arc Services, Security and more.
Installing Operations Manager creates a management group. The management group is the basic unit of functionality. At a minimum, a management group consists of a management server, the operational database, and the reporting data warehouse database.
The management server is the focal point for administering the management group and communicating with the database. When you open the Operations console and connect to a management group, you connect to a management server for that management group. Depending on the size of your computing environment, a management group can contain a single management server or multiple management servers.
The operational database is a SQL Server database that contains all configuration data for the management group and stores all monitoring data that is collected and processed for the management group. The operational database retains short-term data, by default 7 days.
The data warehouse database is a SQL Server database that stores monitoring and alerting data for historical purposes. Data that is written to the Operations Manager database is also written to the data warehouse database, so reports always contain current data. The data warehouse database retains long-term data.
When Operations Manager reporting functionality is installed, the management group also contains a Reporting server which builds and presents reports from data in the data warehouse database.
These core components of a management group can exist on a single server, or they can be distributed across multiple servers, as shown in the following image.
In my Test LAB mvplab.local I will install the Management Server on a Windows Server Insider member Server and the Operational Database with the Data Warehouse Database on the SQL Cluster Instance. Here you find more Microsoft Information about System Center 2022 Operations Manager
Architecture SCOM 2022
IMPORTANT : In my MVPLAB I’m working with Windows Server Insider Preview Builds and with SQL Server 2022 CTP2.1 Preview version on a Cluster and is not supported yet for Production workloads, then you have to wait for Microsoft to make it General Available!
Now we have a SQL Cluster Instance running in my mvplab.local domain, I’m going to install Microsoft System Center 2022 Operations Manager (SCOM) for monitoring in the following step-by-step guide :
Run SCOM_2022 as Administrator
Click on Next
Click on Accept the Agreement.
Click on Next
Extract the files to your location.
Click on Next
Click on Extract
Completed Click on Finish
Run Setup
Click on Install
I’m installing only the Management Server and Operations Console.
When this was Production I would install every feature on separated Servers with
two Management Servers.
Click on Next
Select installation location
Click on Next
Click on Next
Give your Management Group a Name.
Click on Next
Agree with the License Terms.
Click on Next
Select de SQL Instance and Port.
Set Database Size.
and Data File Folders.
Click on Next
Here you can select de Instance for data warehouse database.
Click Next
Select the Service accounts
Click on Next
Click on Next
Check the Summary.
Click on Install
SCOM 2022 Installation in Progress.
Processing
SCOM License we set later.
I have installed both databases in one SQL Instance for in my MVPLAB.
System Center 2022 Operations Manager (SCOM)
Now you can Configure the Management Packs in SCOM for your environment and set the Alerts. More information about System Center 2022 Operations Manager can you find here :
Cloud and Datacenter Management Blog 