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How to build a FREE Private Cloud using Microsoft Technologies
***This is a LIVING document*** I will be updating this post from time to time as things like Release Updates, Hotfixes, Service Packs and other updates come into being. Please check back often to get the latest information. I will keep the revision list updated at the bottom so you know what changes have been made. This is also *NOT* a complete Private Cloud solution. there are many, many pieces to creating and managing a private cloud including things like - rapid deployment via templates, elasticity and scalability, high availability and redundancy, virtual machine mobility, automation, service management, usage based charge back and more. i recommend you check out http://www.microsoft.com/privatecloud to see the full story.
This document will guide you through the process of setting up the bare minimum components to demo a Private Cloud environment using current release versions of Microsoft products and technologies. It is NOT meant for nor is it an ideal configuration for use in a production environment. If you have a Technet or MSDN subscription then you have all the software you need already. Otherwise you can download FREE TRIAL versions of all the necessary components from the Microsoft Technet Evaluation Center.
Once the installation and configuration are complete, you will be able to demo the use of System Center Virtual Machine Manager and the SCVMM Self Service Portal 2.0 to build and manage a Private Cloud. With additional software and hardware resources, this configuration can be expanded to include additional System Center Technologies to demonstrate a much broader Private Cloud implementation including monitoring, reporting, change management, deployment and more. There are free trial versions of all the System Center products at the Microsoft Technet Evaluation Center.
There is an assumption that you have at least a basic knowledge of the roles and services in Windows 2008 R2, a cursory knowledge of how to install SQL Server 2008 R2, and a basic understanding of how the System Center Virtual Machine Manager works. Additional documents and walkthroughs may be produced for more detail. If there is something you would like to have more information on, please comment to this blog post and let me know.
If you plan on doing this in a single sitting, bring plenty of your favorite caffeinated beverage, some good music to listen to, maybe even a good book, and lot of patience. There is a lot of “hurry up and wait” that takes place during this setup. Expect to spend 6-10 hours depending on how fast your hardware is and how efficient you are. This guide could be condensed even further to combine certain steps and reduce setup time slightly but I have opted to make it as fool proof as possible. If you follow this guide exactly, you should not see any errors or failures during the installation.
The resultant demo configuration does not provide for any failover or redundancy and is intended solely as a lightweight demo/test/learning environment. The concepts here can be used as a template to install a production Private Cloud, but please, do not implement this configuration in production without speaking to the appropriate persons that administer your network. If you implement this in production, you do so at your own risk and you should have an updated resume available.
Architecture:
Host Machine - Windows Server 2008 R2 + SP1 + all post SP1 Updates
Roles: Active Directory Domain Services, DNS Server, Hyper-V, Web Server (IIS) Software: SQL Server 2008 R2 x64, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 Server Components and Administrator Console, SCVMM Self Service Portal 2.0
Roles: Active Directory Domain Services, DNS Server, Hyper-V, Web Server (IIS)
Software: SQL Server 2008 R2 x64, System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 Server Components and Administrator Console, SCVMM Self Service Portal 2.0
Guest VM’s - Once this install is complete, you can create whatever guest VM’s you like to use for testing and demoing. In a future document I will detail a list of resources you may wish to create so you have a relevant test and demo environment.
Hardware Requirements:
I personally recommend using a desktop computer because of the drive options available. However, a high-end laptop can be used. I have performed this install to both hardware platforms in the following configurations:
Laptop: Lenovo W510 (quad processor + hyper-threading), 16gigs RAM, (1) 7200rpm SATA drive for host operating system, (1) 140gig Solid State Drive for guest VM storage
***This is the platform I used when creating this document***
Pros: Compact, very portable Cons: Disk I/O and potential CPU bottlenecks decreases performance. This can be mitigated by investing is higher end disk drive and/or a laptop with greater processing capabilities but increases the cost dramatically. Overall a more expensive solution even with lower end components.
Pros: Compact, very portable
Cons: Disk I/O and potential CPU bottlenecks decreases performance. This can be mitigated by investing is higher end disk drive and/or a laptop with greater processing capabilities but increases the cost dramatically. Overall a more expensive solution even with lower end components.
Desktop: Quad-processor CPU, 16gigs RAM, (1) 7200rpm for host operating system, (2 or more ) 7200rpm+ SATA drives for guest VM storage (these drives can be striped as RAID-0 for additional performance *or* they can be formatted independently and place guest VM’s on separate spindles. For my desktop implementation at home I am using the RAID-0 option)
Pros: Better performance due to disk drive configuration options. Lower cost of desktop PC components make this a less expensive solution even with higher end hardware. Cons: More of a fixed solution, less portable. Could potentially use an ultra-mini case or small “media center” type case to increase portability, however, desk top components are not designed to be moved around a lot so you are at a higher risk of component failure.
Pros: Better performance due to disk drive configuration options. Lower cost of desktop PC components make this a less expensive solution even with higher end hardware.
Cons: More of a fixed solution, less portable. Could potentially use an ultra-mini case or small “media center” type case to increase portability, however, desk top components are not designed to be moved around a lot so you are at a higher risk of component failure.
I also *highly recommend* a high capacity dedicated external storage device for backup up configurations along the way. The entirety of this private cloud configuration is relatively simple but the overall process is time consuming. The more frequently you backup/snapshot at key stages the less likely you will be to spend rebuilding from scratch.
Software Requirements:
If you have a Technet or MSDN subscription you have everything you need. If you do not have a Technet or MSDN subscription you can use free trial software for everything. Just be mindful of the individual timebombs and make note of when things expire. Using the pieces below you should be able to run for 180 days from the day the Host machine OS is installed.
Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 Trial System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 with SP1 Trial Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Trial (get the 64bit version) Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal 2.0 with SP1
Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 Trial
System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 with SP1 Trial
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Trial (get the 64bit version)
Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal 2.0 with SP1
Suggested Pre-Reading/Learning:
An assumption is being made that you are familiar with installing and configuring Windows Server 2008 R2 and its related Roles and Features. If not, then you should bookmark and leverage the following -
Microsoft Technet Windows Server TechCenter
Additional Resources:
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 TechCenter System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 TechCenter System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal 2.0 TechCenter
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 TechCenter
System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 TechCenter
System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self-Service Portal 2.0 TechCenter
The Heavy Lifting - Installing the components
This section of the guide will walk you through the installation of each and every piece of the Microsoft Private Cloud solution. I have chosen an abbreviated rapid fire approach to this install. There are no screen shots. I do not go into detail around the choices made on the selection screens. If the options on a screen are not discussed in the document, you can assume the default selections will suffice.
There is a lot of opportunity to customize things along the way. There is a lot of opportunity to poke around and make changes during setup or while waiting on files to copy. I recommend that you NOT do this if you can avoid it. This document should provide a 100% success rate with ZERO errors during install if you follow it exactly. If you choose to stray and make changes during the install, you do so at the risk of your own time invested in this process.
Grab that caffeinated beverage. Take a big sip. Start your music. Take a deep breath. Here we go….
Install the Hyper-V Host
Windows Server 2008 R2 is the foundation up which we build the entire private cloud. The leverage the built-in Hyper-V hypervisor for virtualizing the servers, clients and their applications that can then be served up through the self-service portal. It is absolutely essential that the base server is installed properly and is 100% stable.
Pre-install hardware configuration - Ensure that you have enabled virtualization support in the BIOS of your computer. How this is managed/enabled depends on the PC Manufacturer and the BIOS used. You should also make sure the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is active. There is a great blog post that talks about how to do this here -- http://blogs.technet.com/b/iftekhar/archive/2010/08/09/enable-hardware-settings-in-bios-to-run-hyper-v.aspx
*I recommend rebooting after each line item below*
Install Windows 2008 R2
Install any BIOS updates/hardware drivers/manufacturer updates for your system
Install SP1 (can be skipped if you installed Windows 2008 R2 + SP1 integrated)
Install all post-SP1 updates from Windows Update
*after each update install completes, reboot and run Windows Update until no further updates are offered*
*after each update install completes, reboot and run
Windows Update until no further updates are offered*
Optional - Rename host to desired friendly name
Install Necessary Windows Server Roles and Features
Add the Role: Active Directory Domain Services
Run the Active Directory Domain Services installation wizard (dcpromo.exe)
Create a new domain in a new forest Supply FQDN of the new forest root domain (ie; privatecloud.local) Supply Domain NetBIOS name (ie; PRIVATECLOUD) Select Forest Functional Level (Windows 2003 is fine) Select Domain Functional Level (Windows 2003 is fine) Allow DNS to be installed (Assign Static IP if necessary)
Create a new domain in a new forest
Supply FQDN of the new forest root domain (ie; privatecloud.local)
Supply Domain NetBIOS name (ie; PRIVATECLOUD)
Select Forest Functional Level (Windows 2003 is fine)
Select Domain Functional Level (Windows 2003 is fine)
Allow DNS to be installed (Assign Static IP if necessary)
(***I assigned a static IP address/mask for my local subnet and pointed to my default gateway. I then configured DNS with forwarders of 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2 – These are AT&T’s public DNS servers. This allows for Internet access to download Windows Updates or other software needed***)
Location for Database, Log Files, SYSVOL = Default Assign Password for Directory Services Restore Mode Complete Wizard and Reboot
Location for Database, Log Files, SYSVOL = Default
Assign Password for Directory Services Restore Mode
Complete Wizard and Reboot
Add the Role: Hyper-V
Create Virtual Network: Attach to local Ethernet Complete Wizard and Reboot Allow Wizard to Complete and Reboot
Create Virtual Network: Attach to local Ethernet
Allow Wizard to Complete and Reboot
Install Web Server (IIS) Role
IIS is required by the Self Service Portal 2.0. The portal also requires specific Web Server (IIS) role services and the Message Queueing Feature to be enabled.
Add the Role: (Web Server IIS) - Next
Role Services - Select:
Static Content Default Document ASP.NET .NET Extensibility ISAPI Extensions ISAPI Filters Request Filtering Windows Authentication IIS6 Metabase Compatibility
Static Content
Default Document
ASP.NET
.NET Extensibility
ISAPI Extensions
ISAPI Filters
Request Filtering
Windows Authentication
IIS6 Metabase Compatibility
Confirmation – Install
Add the Feature: Message Queueing - Next
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation is now complete!
The Windows Server 2008 R2 + Hyper-V host is now complete. There are a few (not really) optional steps below you may wish to take just for your own sanity.
Optional (recommended) - Install Windows Server Backup Features Optional (recommended) - Perform Bare Metal Recovery Backup to external storage using Windows Backup (or the backup system of your choice)
Optional (recommended) - Install Windows Server Backup Features
Optional (recommended) - Perform Bare Metal Recovery Backup to external storage using Windows Backup (or the backup system of your choice)
Install SQL Server 2008 R2
SQL Server 2008 R2 is used for storing configuration information for System Center Virtual Machine Manager and the SCVMM Self-Service Portal. You do not need to be a SQL guru to get things up and running or even for day to day operations. You can pretty much forget about SQL except for routine patching. The exception to this (there are always exceptions) is if you use this document to implement a Private Cloud in a production environment using an existing production SQL Server. In that case, I beg you to speak to your SQL Admin *BEFORE* doing anything with SQL. You have been warned.
Launch SQL setup
New Installation or add features to an existing installation
Enter Product key or Specify a free edition
Accept License
Setup Support Files - Install
Setup Support Rules - Address any issues - Next
SQL Server Feature Installation - Next
Feature Selection - Select
Database Engine Services Management Tools Basic
Database Engine Services
Management Tools Basic
Default paths - Next
Installation Rules - Next
Default Instance (MSSQLSERVER) - Next
Disk Space Requirements - Next
Use the same account for all SQL server services
(if this host will be connecting to a network or the Internet then I suggest following SQL security guidelines and create unique accounts for each service. If you will only be using this for non-Network connected demonstrations, you can use the domainname\Administrator account for simplicity)
Supply credentials - Next
Windows authentication mode - Add current user - domainname\Administrator - Next
Error Reporting - Your choice - Next
Installation Configuration Rules - Next
Ready to Install - Summary - Install
Complete - Close
Windows Update - Check for Updates - Install - Reboot
(This one takes quite a while. Go get something to eat.)
Install System Center Virtual Machine Manager R2 + SP1
VMM Server Component
Start SCVMM Setup – Setup - VMM Server
Accept License - Next
CEIP - Your choice - Next
Product Registration - Fill in - Next
Prerequisite Check - Next
Installation Location - Default is fine - Next
SQL Server Settings - Use a supported version of SQL Server:
Server name: <name of localhost> Check - Use the following credentials: User name: <domain>\Administrator Password: <password> Select or enter a SQL instance: Drop down to MSSQLSERVER Select or enter a database: <enter a database name; ie; SCVMMDB> Check - Create a new database
Server name: <name of localhost>
Check - Use the following credentials:
User name: <domain>\Administrator
Password: <password>
Select or enter a SQL instance: Drop down to MSSQLSERVER
Select or enter a database: <enter a database name; ie; SCVMMDB>
Check - Create a new database
Library Share Settings
Create a new library share - Defaults are fine - Next
Installation Settings
Ports - Defaults are fine VMM Server Account - Local System is fine - Next
Ports - Defaults are fine
VMM Server Account - Local System is fine - Next
Summary of Settings – Install
Install the VMM Administrator Console
Once the Virtual Machine Manager Administrator Console is installed, this will become the primary interface used when dealing with your virtualization infrastructure. There will be times you will want or need to go back to the standard Hyper-V MMC, but you should get comfortable with the SCVMM Administrator console for day-to-day operations.
Start SCVMM Setup – Setup - VMM Administrator Console
Port – 8100 - Default is fine
Summary of Settings - Install
Windows Update - Check for Updates – Install - Reboot
Take a deep breath. Switch from caffeine to ....something more calming. You are almost done.
Almost….
Install the SCVMM Self-Service Portal 2.0 with SP1
***Note - You probably noticed an option to install a Self Service Portal from with the SCVMM Setup interface. DO NOT INSTALL THIS VERSION. It is an older version and does not provide the most current functionality. Download the SSP 2.0 + SP1 version from the link in the “Software Requirements” section of this document.***
The Self-Service Portal is one of the defining features of the Microsoft Private Cloud. Through this portal, administrators can create resource pools consisting of networks, storage, load balancers, virtual machine templates and domains. Administrators can then create and manage business units who can use the self-service portal to requests these pools of resources and create them on demand.
Start SSP2.0 Setup
Getting Starter - (License page) – Accept - Next
Select
VMMSSP Server Component VMMSSP Website Component
VMMSSP Server Component
VMMSSP Website Component
Next
Prerequisite Page - Should be all green - Next
VMMSSP Files - Default is fine - Next
Database Server: <localhost name>
Click - Get Instances
SQL Server Instance: Default Credentials: Connect using Windows Authentication Create a new Database or…..: Create a new database
SQL Server Instance: Default
Credentials: Connect using Windows Authentication
Create a new Database or…..: Create a new database
Provide an account for the server component
User Name: Administrator Password: <password> Domain: <domainname>
User Name: Administrator
Domain: <domainname>
Test Account - Next
Configure WCF Endpoints - Defaults are fine - Next
Provide a list of Database Administrators
<domainname>\Administrator
Configure the IIS web site for the VMMSSP website component
IIS website name: VMMSSP <default> Port Number: 81 <you cannot use 80 since it is assigned to the default web site> Application pool name: VMMSSPAppPool <default> User Name: Administrator Password : <password> Domain: <domainname>
IIS website name: VMMSSP <default>
Port Number: 81 <you cannot use 80 since it is assigned to the default web site>
Application pool name: VMMSSPAppPool <default>
Password : <password>
Installation Summary – Install - Yes to Dialog
Close the final window.
Once logged in:
Delete any setup files or unnecessary files/data you will not use for demonstration purposes Empty the Recycle Bin
Delete any setup files or unnecessary files/data you will not use for demonstration purposes
Empty the Recycle Bin
NOT OPTIONAL - Perform Bare Metal Recovery Backup to external storage using Windows Backup (or the backup system of your choice). Trust me. At this point you have 6-10 hours invested in this setup and you do NOT want to have to start over.
You now have the hardware and software in place to demo a private cloud!
However, a Private Cloud is more about the HOW you use the infrastructure to create value, provide self-service, reduce overheard, automate resource creation and ultimately - reduce costs.
In the next document I produce, I will define a list of resources to create using the Hyper-V MMC, System Center Virtual Machine Manager, and the SCVMM Self-Service portal. I will then do a few recorded demos with these resources that you can customize for your own demonstration purposes.
Call To Action
Download a hard copy of this document for your own reference -
Bookmark my blog and watch for more posts and screen casts on Private Cloud. Here are some of the Planned Posts/Content/Screencasts I am working on:
Configuring Basic Resources for use in a Private Cloud
Creating virtual hard disks Creating virtual machines Creating templates in SCVMM Creating Hardware and OS profiles in SCVMM
Creating virtual hard disks
Creating virtual machines
Creating templates in SCVMM
Creating Hardware and OS profiles in SCVMM
Configuring and using the Self-Service Portal 2.0
Initial Configuration Creating and managing Infrastructures Working with Virtual Machines Managing User Roles and Business Units Walking through the Request process
Initial Configuration
Creating and managing Infrastructures
Working with Virtual Machines
Managing User Roles and Business Units
Walking through the Request process
If there is a particular feature or process you would like to know more about, please contact me through a comment to this post or in email and we will discuss getting it produced.
For now, have fun playing with your new Private Cloud! (AFTER that bare metal recovery backup!)
Cheers!
Revision Log
v1.0 - Completed on September 5th, 2011
v1.1 - Minor spelling and grammar corrections; added "Living Document" Note at beginning of post; added some mandatory reboot notations in section dealing with role installation; added info on BIOS and DEP actions
If you missed the Technet Presents: Building a Private Cloud session I delivered last week in Bellevue, you can see me deliver an abbreviated version of the session at the Angelbeat conferences that are coming up in Portland and Seattle in two weeks.
Building and Securing The Cloud To Support Any Mobile Device
Each half-day Angelbeat seminar focuses on the top two issues of 2011- leveraging cloud computing and integrating tablets & smartphones into your IT infrastructure – and helps you understand the impact from their deployment on security/compliance, network architecture and user performance. The proven Angelbeat methodology of concise and technical presentations across multiple/complementary areas is followed. CPE continuing education credits are provided. Get more details by clicking on the appropriate city/date listed on the left hand side. You can register to attend by clicking the link below, emailing your contact information to registration@angelbeat.com
Portland – September 13th
Seattle – September 14th
Are you a Reseller or Consultant in the SMB space? Are you interested in learning more about Small Business Server Essentials, MultiPoint Server, and Storage Server 2008 R2? Would you like to see these products demo’d by REAL MVP’s on REAL hardware in REAL scenarios? Then you are in for a treat! There is a fantastic roadshow coming to the PacWest in a couple of weeks that you won’t want to miss. Check out the SMB MVP Community Roadshow coming to the PacWest area in a couple of weeks.
Portland, OR Event – September 16th – 8a – 4:30p
Redmond, WA Event – September 17th – 8am – 4:30pm
Reminder – This event is geared towards resellers and consultants!!!
If you have not been to the System Center products landing page in a while, then you have not seen the new look. One of the first things you will see is the “Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform” branding at the top of the page. While System Center Virtual Machine Manager provides the core base of virtualization management for what happens in the Microsoft Private cloud stack, all of the System Center products have something to offer to make installing, managing, and monitoring your private cloud as seamless and painless as possible.
You will also notice in the center as you scroll down that there are links to the current beta release versions of the System Center products. here you can find links to the 2012 beta for Operation manager, Orchestrator, Virtual Machine Manager and Configuration Manager. I highly recommend that you start with SCVMM2012 to get familiar with the new interface and capabilities. Then move on to Configuration Manager and Operations Manager for change management and monitoring. Finally, grab Orchestrator for process automation.
System Center Products Landing Page
There are the slides for the second session I delivered at the Bellevue/Civica Technet Present event on Aug 25th….
Private Cloud: What, Why and How
Here are the slides for the first session I delivered at the Bellevue/Civica event on Aug. 25th.
Cloud Computing Essentials for IT Pros
Perfect Timing!
A few days ago I posted about what I believe to be an upcoming boom in Microsoft and Industry Certifications. Then a couple days later I receive an email from friend letting me know about a training event for Microsoft Certified Trainers that is coming up in San Francisco for October 19,20, 21.
Microsoft is assisting MCTs in North America to offer 3 days of training for MCTs on the latest Microsoft products and technologies. The summit will be held at Microsoft’s Northwest District office in San Francisco (835 Market Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94103), Oct 19-21 (W and Th 9-5, F 9-noon). Presentations for developers, IT Pros, SQL, Office, and Personal Development will be given by fellow MCTs and presenters from Microsoft. This year’s MCT Summit will include sessions to prepare MCTs for teaching Microsoft’s Cloud computing classes. Another feature of this year’s MCT Summit will be half-day hands on labs. We have three fully equipped classrooms for hands-on sessions.
Microsoft is assisting MCTs in North America to offer 3 days of training for MCTs on the latest Microsoft products and technologies.
The summit will be held at Microsoft’s Northwest District office in San Francisco (835 Market Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94103), Oct 19-21 (W and Th 9-5, F 9-noon).
Presentations for developers, IT Pros, SQL, Office, and Personal Development will be given by fellow MCTs and presenters from Microsoft. This year’s MCT Summit will include sessions to prepare MCTs for teaching Microsoft’s Cloud computing classes. Another feature of this year’s MCT Summit will be half-day hands on labs. We have three fully equipped classrooms for hands-on sessions.
You can find more information and registration information at the MCTSUMMIT.org site.
Kaboom….
When I started at Microsoft back in the mid 1990’s , I went through a boot camp of sorts to obtain my Windows NT 4.0 MCSE Certification. I was new to Microsoft computing and had a lot to learn about the Microsoft products and technologies. The classes I attended and the certifications I obtained were key to me being able to do my job at Microsoft at the time – phone based technical support. Without the training and the certification I received, I don’t know if I would have been able to do my job properly and thus still be at Microsoft some 14 years later.
I wasn’t the only one that got certified back then though. A LOT of people got certified about the same time.
Two of the driving factors for people to get certified in the mid-90’s were: 1) The large number of people purchasing PC’s for both business and personal use and 2) The Internet. Both of these drove a major change in how people used computing technology and this resulted in a very high demand for knowledgeable IT folks to be able to support these technologies. Certification became a way for people to separate themselves from the pack and prove they knew what they were talking about. Particularly when it came to pursuing employment with the large number of new tech companies that arose from the PC/Internet boom.
Of course the Internet bubble eventually popped, many people who became certified in the technologies of the time moved on to non-Microsoft technologies or even to jobs outside of the tech industry. As a result, many of those people let their Microsoft certifications lapse. Also, when you look at the time period between when the Internet bubble popped and a couple of years ago, there really hasn’t been anything new, fresh and exciting for people to get excited about. Sure, there is the whole “consumerization of IT” thing where technologies developed for personal use have crept into the business place and sure, IT Professionals have had to adapt to this. I don’t want to downplay the importance of doing this, but I would be hard pressed to say that the “consumerization of IT” matches the scale and need for people to ramp up on new technologies that the PC/Internet boom of the 90’s thrust upon us.
Clouds in the air….
There is something coming though that could easily be as big and possible be bigger than the PC/Internet explosion of the 90’s – Cloud Computing. Unless you have literally lived under a rock for the past 3-4 years, you certainly have at least heard the term “cloud computing”. understanding exactly what it is though is a whole different matter. It seems that every technology company has a slightly different definition of cloud computing. Add to that the sub-groups of cloud computing (Private, Public, Hybrid, etc) that we are hearing about now, and it is easy to get a little bit overwhelmed and even confused as to exactly what cloud computing is and what it might mean to you.
Cloud Computing is giving us brand new ways to work with technologies to enable us to do some exciting things. One of the promises of the Internet was the massive scale at which we could provide information and services. Cloud computing is now giving us the opportunity to actually meet those expectations on a truly global scale. As a result, the landscape for Developers and IT Pros is changing. New products are being developed to take advantage of this scale and new technologies introduced to enable us to manage it. It is quite possible that we may see another Internet like explosion of technologies and the tech industry will need people that know what they are doing. The industry will want people that are certified in the leading technologies to ensure they have the right people on the job.
Training and Certification…..
Microsoft is getting in front of this now! If you go to the Microsoft Training and Certification site, you will find that we are actually lumping product and technology certifications together to create a foundation for people who want to get certified in Microsoft “cloud computing” technologies. This is a great resource for figuring out what products and technologies we have that are a part of our cloud computing solutions. But that isn’t even the best part! We also have something called the Microsoft Virtual Academy that offers FREE, self-paced training that anyone can utilize to start learning about what will be needed to get certified. There is even training for people that are using non-Microsoft products and want to know more about what Microsoft has to offer.
There are already more that a quarter of a million people that are registered on the site with over 250k self-assessments passed! in addition to the great, free training that is offered, there is a interesting social networking aspect that give you points based upon the courses you take and the assessments you pass.
Check out some of the tracks that are available -
Microsoft Virtualization for VMWare Professionals Planning, Building and Managing a Private Cloud Office 365 for the IT Pro Introduction to Windows Azure
Microsoft Virtualization for VMWare Professionals
Planning, Building and Managing a Private Cloud
Office 365 for the IT Pro
Introduction to Windows Azure
and much more…..
If you want to get a ahead of the curve and get certified to manage the upcoming cloudburst of technologies, Microsoft Virtual Academy is a great place to start.
Microsoft Virtual Academy – Free Self Paced Training
With the advent of Cloud Computing, the role of the IT Professional is changing. IT Pros are doing more in the way of “service management” and lot less in the way of “server management”. This means that IT Professionals need to learn and be comfortable with tools that allow them to deploy and manage services and applications to the cloud. Fortunately, those tools already exist! By leveraging features in the current versions of the System Center family of products, you can deploy, manage and monitor applications that are running within Windows Azure.
Below you will find a link to our Evaluation Center where you can download the Deploying and managing Windows Azure Applications evaluation. This is a step-by-step guide to deploying a Windows Azure application and then monitoring and managing that application.
Here is what you get with the evaluation program:
Download the FREE Deploying and Managing Windows Azure Applications Evaluation here
As a reminder folks, I will be delivering a Free Technet Presents seminar this Thursday in Bellevue, WA. We still have a few spots left if you are interested in attending.
Summary:
Cloud Power! What are the options? Public Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, Private Cloud? Which one is right for your business? Join us as we discuss the basics of cloud infrastructures and the details of how to build your own private cloud. In 4 hours we will build a private cloud with you! We will talk about Hyper-V, Windows Azure, System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) and the Self Service Portal. We will demonstrate how to use these building blocks to build your own private cloud environment to host your own IT applications and services. We will also show you how to connect Public Cloud components to your Private Cloud in order to maximize the unique competitive benefits of each environment. Before this session is over you will have an understanding of the ins and outs of Microsoft’s Private Cloud Offerings.
August 25th – Bellevue, WA
If you are interested in grabbing all of the software and tools that I will be showing at the seminar, you can do so with the following links:
Windows 2008 R2 with SP1 Evaluation
System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 R2 with SP1 Evaluation
System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self Service Portal v2.0 with SP1
In addition to the above items, you might also be interested in getting familiar with some of the other System Center family products which will see some significant updates in their next versions. I highly recommend you familiarize yourself with the current versions so you have a good foundation to work from when the next versions release.
System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Evaluation
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Evaluation
Finally, there are lots of great new technologies and features being implemented in the next versions of the System Center products. You can learn more and download the current betas below -
System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Beta
System Center Configuration Manager 2012 Beta 2
Good Day Folks!
A few weeks ago I posted about a Technet Event Series coming up called: Building a Private Cloud. The Bellevue, WA event is coming up on Aug 25th and seats are filling fast. You can register for the Bellevue event here.
If you would like to know more about what Microsoft is doing with Private Clouds and how we are leveraging our own technologies for this, Microsoft IT Showcase just released a Technical Case Study on how they developed a Private Cloud in one of our own datacenters.
Microsoft IT Showcase is pleased to announce the publication of How Microsoft IT Developed a Private Cloud Infrastructure, which discusses how MSIT built an energy-efficient, flexible, high-density facility that meets the needs of the research and development community at Microsoft and is able to host private clouds that provide infrastructure as a service. Many thanks to Rocky Ellis, Brandon Hughes, and Byron Blunk for their expertise, knowledge, and dedication in developing this comprehensive technical case study.
Hiya Folks! There is a great Technet Events series coming up that you don’t want to miss!
We will be doing these events at the following locations and dates (all events run from 8:30a – 12:30p in their respective time zones):
August 11th – Irvine, CA August 16th – Tempe, AZ August 18th – Denver, CO August 23rd – San Francisco, CA August 25th – Bellevue, WA August 30th - Lehi, UT
August 11th – Irvine, CA
August 16th – Tempe, AZ
August 18th – Denver, CO
August 23rd – San Francisco, CA
August 30th - Lehi, UT
I am a BIG fan of Data Protection Manager (DPM). DPM is a disk based backup and recovery system under our System Center family of products. I am in the process of acquiring the hardware to implement DPM on my home network and alleviate some of the manual backup duties that I regularly perform.
The Microsoft IT Showcase group has just published a new Technical Whitepaper and a Webcast with great info on how Microsoft uses DPM.
Official Blurb -
Client data backup and management at Microsoft refers to the methods, services, and processes that are involved in managing both corporate and personal data for client computers. It can also refer to sharing data between employees, teams, or groups. Microsoft IT piloted Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager 2010 to protect client corporate data and found the program successful, with over 3,000 people now using the service. The service became a part of Microsoft Client Corporate Data Management Service portfolios together with IntelliMirror folder redirection, user state virtualization, and virtual file share storage. Technical White Paper | IT Pro Webcast
Good Day Folks! Just a post to let you know where I will be this week if you would like to try to get together and chat.
7/12 – Portland PC User Group – One of the longest running User Groups I am aware of. I was still in high school when this group formed!
7/13 – Technology Wizards – Monthly meeting of Portland Area consultants who focus on Small Business Server implementations.
7/14 – Hops and Chops – Weekly meeting of entrepreneurs and startup folks to talk shop and have a few drinks.
7/15 – Open Office Hours in Bellevue at the Tully’s Coffee 11am – 1pm (@ the Lincoln Square Tower - 700 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA) – If you are free in the afternoon and would like to chat about anything at all, I will be happy to buy you a cup of coffee!
Cloud this and cloud that…..is it private, public, or hybrid…….what do I need cloud computing for? I live in Seattle! Don’t I have all the cloud I will ever need??
Cloud computing can be confusing to some. In fact, with all of the development and change in “cloud computing” that is taking place I the industry right now, even seasoned IT Pros may scratch their heads from time to time when it comes to figuring out what is what in the cloud. This is where the Microsoft Virtual Academy can help.
The MVA offer no-cost, easy access training for IT Pros that are trying to get ahead of the curve with cloud computing. You can manage your training at your own pace and along the technologies that are most relevant to you. In addition, this training will give you an edge on the Cloud Services Certifications that we are going to be offering in the future!
Want to know more about the MVA? Check out the FAQ!!
By now you should have noticed that the focus of the posting to my blog has been directed towards products in the System Center suite and Windows InTune. I have had systems management as a technical focus area (TFA) for about a year now and this will continue to be my TFA for the foreseeable future. This has actually been a stretch for me and a great learning experience as I had very little experience with any of these products and technologies a year ago.
One of the things that I think would help myself as well as those who perform systems management is having a local community to meet with occasionally to talk about these technologies and how we use them. I have been unable to find any management user groups in the Seattle and Portland areas, although it appears there have been attempts to get them going in the past (see the User Groups tab at SystemCenterCentral.com). It doesn’t appear that either group is currently active so I am reaching out to see if there is any interest in rekindling these groups or starting new ones. I obviously want to focus on the Microsoft side of systems management technologies, but I am interested in learning about other products out there as well.
If you work with any of the following Microsoft products, and you would like to see a formal user group put together, please let me know and I will be happy to get the ball rolling for this. Additionally, if you are interested in leading a group in the Seattle or Portland areas *or* you know of a meeting space that could be used on a regular basis, I would enjoy hearing from you.
System Center Operations Manager System Center Configuration Manager System Center Virtual Machine Manager System Center Orchestrator System Center Essentials System Center Service Manager System Center Data Protection Manager Windows Automated Installation Kit Windows Deployment toolkit PowerShell
System Center Operations Manager
System Center Configuration Manager
System Center Virtual Machine Manager
System Center Orchestrator
System Center Essentials
System Center Service Manager
System Center Data Protection Manager
Windows Automated Installation Kit
Windows Deployment toolkit
PowerShell
I recently posted about the System Center Orchestrator CEP program here. Well, it is has now moved to being a public beta so you can download it and start getting your hands dirty. As with all Beta programs, I encourage you to give feedback to the product team so they can improve the product before final release. You will be able to find that contact information in the README file that is a part of the product download.
Download System Center Orchestrator Beta Here
You can also get deeper technical information on Orchestrator at the TechNet System Center TechCenter.
You can now download a pre-configured VHD of the latest beta of SCCM 2012. This VHD is an exported Hyper-V VM and configured for a single site. Site roles have not been configured so you have something to work with.
You can grab the VHD here.
System Center Orchestrator is the rebranding and updating of our acquisition of Opalis. Orchestrator gives your enterprise a full process automation, trouble ticket generation/tracking (a helpdesk), and complete lifecycle management for your datacenter. In combination with the other System Center family of products, we can provide all of the management needs you could possibly think of for your network. Using the built in workflow generation tools, Orchestrator can share data with Active Directory, System Center Operations Manager, System Center Configuration Manager, System Center Service Manager, Virtual Machine Manager, and even 3rd party tools. As issues are identified, the workflow can fire off automated tasks to resolve issues while also recording the steps made in a trouble ticket. This creates a consistent, repeatable workflow with documentation, while reducing the risk of human error and latency.
If you would like to get to know more about Opalis/Orchestrator and what it can do, there is a series of short, 8 minute videos demoing Opalis in action (these were all recorded prior to the official rebranding to System Center Orchestrator). You can view the videos at the Microsoft Showcase site.
If you would like to get involved with testing the latest version of System Center Orchestrator, we are currently taking applications for the System Center Orchestrator Community Evaluation program. You can get all the details and the link for applying at the System Center Blog.
Get More Info and apply for the System Center Orchestrator CEP
The computing industry is embracing cloud computing with astounding speed. For any company to remain relevant, they must develop tools that work in and with the cloud computing eco-system. We (Microsoft) are no different. If you have not seen the following System Center products that are in development, I encourage you…..no…..I implore you to check them out and provide us feedback.
This is not a simple re-skin of VMM with the word “cloud” sprinkled around it. I installed the beta yesterday and there is a lot that has changed and a lot to learn. If you do anything with virtualization, particularly the current shipping version of VMM, you will want to download and play with the beta. One of the more exciting features is the even deeper support for working with VMWare virtualization and now, Citrix XenServer!
Get More Info and download SCVMM 2012 Beta
You may have heard the term “the consumerization of IT”, but what does that really mean? It means that more and more people are bring their consumer devices into the work place and expecting those devices to work at work, for work. Consumers are driving adoption of new devices, particularly mobile computing platforms, at an astounding rate. What that means for IT Pros is there are more devices of a wider variety connecting to our networks that have to be managed and secured. This is where the next generation of Configuration Manager comes in.
Get More Info and download SCCM 2012 Beta 2
System Center Operations Manager 2012 Beta CEP
The next version of SCOM is in beta and we are looking for some very direct, focused feedback on feature sets. We are currently offering a CEP – Community Evaluation Program (I like to call it a Customer Excitement Program!) to a limited number of applicants. Through this program you will have direct access to Subject Matter Experts, including MVP’s, to discuss ne features and provide feedback.
Get more Info and apply for the SCOM 2012 Beta CEP
***Note – as of this posting, the link in the above post to http://msft.it/CEP is dead. We are aware of this. ***
Official System Center Blog
System Center on Technet
I have placed the slides I am using for the System Center Essentials 2010 and Windows Intune Sessions out on my SkyDrive.
You can grab them here.
I have been using Internet Explorer 9 since the early beta on my production laptop. I have also been using it on a few other machines that I use on a daily basis. I had a few issues early on in the beta that required me to use compatibility mode on a few sites, but those were resolved early on. With the official release of IE9 to the web, I have now updated all of my machines and they are all working great!
You can grab the official release of Internet Explorer 9 here!
Good Day Folks! We have made a change to the name of the April TechNet sessions. The sessions are now called “TechNet Events Presents: Managing Assets in the Cloud”. Everything else is the same. You can find all the rest of the session info here
Technet Events Presents: Managing Assets in the Cloud
Good News Everyone!
You can now start registering for the upcoming TechNet and MSDN events that we will be delivering around the western United States.
TechNet Events Presents: System Center Essentials 2010 – Manage Everything with One Server!!
Summary: System Center Essentials combines the deployment and configuration management features of System Center Configuration Manager with the alerting and reporting features of System Center Operations Manager into a single server solution for managing small to medium size networks. In addition, the System Center Virtual Machine Manager2008 R2 Console is built in which means you have full manageability of all your physical and virtual assets in one easy to use console.
We will spend time looking at the different features that SCE2010 offers including demos on Reporting, Update Management, and working with Virtual Machines.
Windows Intune: Managing your assets from “the cloud”
Summary: “The Cloud” – Every day we here how applications and even traditional physical assets are moving to the cloud. But where are the cloud based tools to help IT Professionals manage all of the client machines that are still on premise? Introducing cloud based management with Windows Intune. Windows Intune lets the IT Pro Windows Update, hardware and software inventory, alerting, reporting and more without having to install any additional servers on site. Simply connect to a secure web portal and get insight into all of your clients.
In this session, we will discuss what differentiates Windows Intune from other Microsoft management products as well as some great benefits you get when using Windows Intune.
Date
Location
Time
Registration Link
4/11/2011
Denver
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
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4/12/2011
San Francisco
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4/15/2011
Tempe
1032479609
4/18/2011
Bellevue
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4/19/2011
Portland
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4/20/2011
Irvine
1032479612
4/21/2011
Los Angeles
1032479613
MSDN Events Presents: Understanding Azure
Summary: Cloud Development is one of the fastest growing trends in our industry. Don’t get left behind. In this event, Rob Bagby and Bruno Terkaly will provide an overview of developing with Windows Azure. They will cover both where and why you should consider taking advantage of the various Windows Azure’s services in your application, as well as providing you with a great head start on how to accomplish it. This half-day event will be split up into 3 sections. The first section will cover the benefits and nuances of hosting web applications and services in Windows Azure, as well as taking advantage of SQL Azure. The second section will cover the ins and outs of Windows Azure storage, while the third will illustrate the Windows Azure AppFabric.
Speakers: Bruno Terkaly & Rob Bagby
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
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