Announcing the Public Preview of the New Hybrid Connection Manager (HCM)

Key Features and Improvements

The new version of HCM introduces several enhancements aimed at improving usability, performance, and security:

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: The new HCM is now supported on both Windows and Linux clients, allowing for seamless management of hybrid connections across different platforms, providing users with greater flexibility and control.
• Enhanced User Interface: We have redesigned the GUI to offer a more intuitive and efficient user experience. In addition to a new and more accessible GUI, we have also introduced a CLI that includes all the functionality needed to manage connections, especially for our Linux customers who may solely use a CLI to manage their workloads.
• Improved Visibility: The new version offers enhanced logging and connection testing, which provides greater insight into connections and simplifies debugging.

Getting Started

To get started with the new Hybrid Connection Manager, follow these steps:

1. Requirements:
   1. Windows clients must have ports 4999-5001 available
   2. Linux clients must have port 5001 available
2. Download and Install: The new HCM can be downloaded from the following links. Ensure you download the version that corresponds to your client. If you are new to the HCM, check out the existing documentation to learn more about the product and how to get started. If you are an existing Windows user, installing the new Windows version will automatically upgrade your existing version to the new version, and all your existing connections will be automatically ported over. There is no automated migration path from the Windows to the Linux version at this time.
   1. Windows download
      • Download the MSI package and follow the installation instructions
   2. Linux download
      • From your terminal running as administrator, follow these steps:
        

        sudo apt update
        
        sudo apt install tar gzip build-essential
        
        wget "https://download.microsoft.com/download/HybridConnectionManager-Linux-preview.tar.gz"
        
        tar -xf HybridConnectionManager-Linux-preview.tar.gz
        
        cd HybridConnectionManager/
        
        sudo chmod 755 setup.sh
        
        sudo ./setup.sh

      • Once that is finished, your HCM is ready to be used
      • Run `hcm help` to see the available commands
      • For interactive mode, you will need to install and login to the Azure CLI. Authentication from the HCM to Azure is done using this credential.
        • Install the Azure CLI with: `install azure cli: curl -sL https://aka.ms/InstallAzureCLIDeb | sudo bash`
        • Run `az login` and follow the prompts
      • Add your first connection by running `hcm add`
3. Configure Your Connections: Use the GUI or the CLI to add hybrid connections to your local machine.
4. Manage Your Connections: Use the GUI or the CLI with the `hcm list` and `hcm remove` commands to manage your hybrid connections efficiently. Detailed help texts are available for each command to assist you.

Join the Preview

We invite you to join the public preview and provide your valuable feedback. Your insights will help us refine and improve the Hybrid Connections Manager to better meet your needs.

Feedback and Support

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions, please reach out to hcmsupport@service.microsoft.com or leave a comment on this post. We are committed to ensuring a smooth and productive experience with the new HCM. Detailed documentation and guidance will be available in the coming weeks as we get closer to General Availability (GA).

Thank you for your continued support and collaboration. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and feedback on this exciting new release.