Using Windows Server Management enabled by Azure Arc, customers have core capabilities across OS Patching, Configuration, and Reporting to being modernization for server endpoints from Configuration Management.
Organizations are increasingly leveraging Azure Arc to modernize server management from their Configuration Manager (MECM) environments. Akin to Intune as the modern management experience for client endpoints, Azure Arc is the future of modern server management. Delivered from the Azure control plane across hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge environments, Azure Arc works across Windows and Linux.
Core capabilities part of Azure management map clearly to capabilities associated with Configuration Manager including:
- OS Patching and Reporting maps to Azure Update Manager
- App and OS Configuration and Compliance maps to Azure Machine Configuration (Azure Policy and Desired State Configuration)
- Reporting and Software Inventory maps to Azure Change Tracking & Inventory with Azure Resource Graph
- Remote scripting and task sequences maps to Azure Run Command with Azure Hybrid Runbook Worker
With the recently announced Windows Server Management, customers with active Software Assurance or active Windows Server subscription licensing can access these capabilities at no additional cost for their Azure Arc-enabled servers. Moreover, these capabilities are available at no cost for Azure Virtual Machines.
Meeting the needs of MECM customers continues to be top of mind for the Azure Arc product group. We are investing in delivering Virtual Machine Apps for non-Azure environments through Azure Arc support app distribution capabilities. VM Apps are already available for Azure Virtual Machines, enabling customers to upload application packages to their Azure Compute Gallery for delivery across their Azure VMs. To provide feedback to the product group on this upcoming capability or your broader MECM Server Modernization experience and participate in preview opportunities sign up at https://aka.ms/ArcVMAppsFeedback.
Learn more about the broader roadmap and capability mapping at How to modernize server management from Configuration Manager to Azure Arc - Azure Arc | Microsoft Learn and onboard natively from Configuration Manager following Connect machines at scale with a Configuration Manager custom task sequence - Azure Arc | Microsoft Learn.
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