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Windows Admin Center version 2007 is now generally available!
Published Jul 21 2020 08:59 AM 78.4K Views
Microsoft

Windows Admin Center version 2007 is generally available today. In this release, we have made Windows Admin Center compatible with the new Azure Stack HCI, which required substantial updates to the cluster deployment experience and various tools across the product. Note that this release is pronounced as “twenty oh-seven” in regard to this year and month, and not in reference to the year 2007.

 

Download Windows Admin Center version 2007

 

Windows Admin Center version 2007 new features and updates

 

Windows Admin Center supports the new Azure Stack HCI

Today we announced the release of a new version of Azure Stack HCI for on-premises hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) clusters. This version is a subscription-based Azure service that combines the price-performance of our HCI solution with native Azure hybrid capabilities, all while letting enterprises leverage existing skills.

 

To find out more about the new Azure Stack HCI, check out the Azure Stack HCI page.

 

What’s new in Windows Admin Center

 

Cluster deployment

Windows Admin Center now provides a graphical cluster deployment workflow. The cluster deployment workflow allows users to deploy multiple cluster types based on the operating system that runs on their choice of servers.

 

New location and UI

  • To launch the workflow, from the All Connections page, click on “+Add” and select “Create new” on the server clusters tile.
  • Users can create hyperconverged clusters running Azure Stack HCI, or classic failover clusters running Windows Server.
  • The cluster deployment workflow is included in Windows Admin Center without needing to install an extension.
  • For the first time ever, use Windows Admin Center to deploy a cluster that’s stretched across two sites.

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Workflow details

  • You can bring in your workgroup servers and get them domain-joined as part of the cluster deployment workflow.
  • Windows Admin Center detects the cluster type that is deployed and installs the necessary roles and features.
  • We support multiple network topologies to cater to different customer scenarios.
  • Windows Admin Center is working to provide an integrated firmware/driver update experience as part of deployment workflow.

 

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If you’re having difficulties with any of these new features, please consult the cluster deployment section of the known issues page of our documentation.

 

User experience

 

New look

Windows Admin Center has some new color! We hope you like our new icons and the design changes we have made to make Windows Admin Center look more modern. Windows Admin Center has historically been tied to Windows Server, but now it has become its own independent product. While the license terms have been updated, this shouldn’t affect your usage of Windows Admin Center in any way.

 

 

new look.png

 

Feedback

You can now let us know how we are doing from inside Windows Admin Center. Occasionally, you may receive a pop-up asking how likely you are to recommend Windows Admin Center to a coworker. Please provide your feedback as it will help us improve your experience.

 

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Bug fixes and accessibility improvements

  • Schedule restarts in the Updates tool: We have fixed the bug where users could not schedule restarts in the Updates tool.
  • Connecting to Hyper-V servers: In the previous release, there was a bug that prevented connection to Hyper-V servers. That has been fixed.
  • Accessibility fixes: We have been working hard to improve accessibility within the product. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at wacchat@microsoft.com

 

Core tools

 

Active Directory

This release includes a new version, version 0.85.0, of the Active Directory tool based on all the feedback we received from User Voice! Some of the changes from the preview version include:

  • Search with more descriptive queries using PowerShell Expression Language syntax
  • filter by object type or run range-based queries
  • search for users with a password count over a certain threshold
  • More connected experience
  • Ability to unlock users

Go to Settings > Extensions to install it now.

 

Containers

The Windows Admin Center containers extension has recently been updated. This extension is available through the Windows Admin Center Insiders feed (https://aka.ms/wac-insiders-feed).

 

To read more about the extension and its features, read the blog post.

 

Virtual Machines

Users are now able to click on a virtual machine and perform a full clone. You can run sysprep on the virtual machine beforehand or let us run it for you. Windows Admin Center brings in an optimized VM clone experience that significantly reduces user effort, time, and engagement needed for the process. This feature is in preview so please give us feedback.

 

VM.png

 

 

Software Defined Networking (SDN) monitoring

The SDN monitoring extension now includes Data Path Diagnostics. This feature automates packet captures to diagnose networking data path issues in SDN scenarios. After you choose your SDN scenario and provide basic parameters, Windows Admin Center identifies the involved SDN components and their location in the cluster, sets the right packet filters, and captures network traffic on all the relevant machines. Afterwards, we present the captured logs in a single view that is easy to follow and manipulate through Windows Admin Center. This view allows you to download the logs for additional post-processing using your tool of choice.

 

SDN.png

 

 

Partner ecosystem

Windows Admin Center continues to promote an extensible ecosystem and we’re thrilled to collaborate with our external partners. Several of our partners have released updates for their extensions in the past few months that include bug fixes and improvements targeted at Windows Admin Center version 2007.

 

Lenovo XClarity Integrator version 2.1.11

The Lenovo XClarity Integrator for Windows Admin Center provides IT administrators a smooth and seamless management experience across Windows Server hyper-converged and physical infrastructure. In this release, improvements include:

 

  • New user role-based access control
  • Firmware update
    • Cluster-aware firmware update for clusters
    • Firmware update for Azure HCI clusters with the best recipe for ThinkAgile MX certified nodes, involving both firmware and Windows drivers
    • Support compliance policy-based firmware update
  • Disk Manager for ThinkAgile MX HCI cluster
    • Graphic front/rear view of the Lenovo ThinkAgile MX certified Azure HCI cluster node servers
    • Display of overall storage pool, drive, and server information
    • Operations on servers, including turning on or turning off the location LED
    • Operations on drives, including turning on or turning off the location LED, replacing a drive in a storage pool, adding a drive to a storage pool, and removing a drive from a server

 

Dell EMC OpenManage Integration version 1.1.0

The Dell EMC OpenManage Integration for Microsoft Admin Center extension enables IT administrators to manage Dell EMC PowerEdge servers as hosts, Microsoft Failover Clusters created with PowerEdge servers, and Azure Stack Hyper-Converged Infrastructure created with Dell EMC Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes, AX Nodes. In this release, improvements include:

 

  • Added support for Dell EMC Online Catalogs
  • Ability to perform Server update including selective component updates
  • Cluster update—Premium licenses required for respective hardware, such as Dell EMC PowerEdge Server and Azure Stack HCI clusters based on AX nodes or Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes from Dell EMC
  • To locate physical disks or to identify failed physical disks, provision to blink and unblink the physical disks Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) is provided
  • Support for newer platforms based on AX nodes—Dell EMC Solutions for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI nodes: AX-640, AX-6515, and AX-740xd
  • Ability to monitor health and inventory of Accelerators (GPU) with latest iDRAC9 based PowerEdge Servers.
  • User interface enhancements for Intel Persistent memory Health monitoring and Inventory.
  • Correlation between Storage Controllers and Physical Disks to view the associated disks.
  • Ability to refresh the health, inventory, and iDRAC information of the managed target nodes to ensure that displayed inventory information is the latest.
  • Usability enhancement by downloading DSU and IC automatically required for components update.

 

QCT Management Suite version 2.1.0

The QCT Management Suite is designed to help users manage and monitor their Windows Server hyper-converged infrastructure and QCT system configuration information on a single dashboard. With the upgrade to version 2.1.0, fixes and additions include: 

 

  • Add Switch function.
  • Network Adapter and Switch Port mapping.
  • PFC enable check of Switch.
  • Switch Port Status check.
  • Switch Environment Information includes Switch Model, Software Version, Serial Number, Device Name, Fan Status, Power Supply Unit Status.
  • Support list:
    • QuantaMesh T3048-LY8
    • QuantaMesh T4048-IX8D (Preview)
  • Add Physical/Virtual Network Adapter information and mapping function.

 

Keep an eye on your extension manager for new partner extensions coming soon!

 

Download today

We hope you enjoy this latest update of Windows Admin Center, the various new functionality in preview, and all the extensions now available. Learn more and download today!

 

As always, thanks for your ongoing support, adoption and feedback.

 

We are already working hard on our next release and are excited to bring you a lot more features.

 

Ask Microsoft Anything

While this is not a feature, the Windows Admin Center team hosted our first public Ask Microsoft Anything (AMA). You can view the AMA here. To stay informed about future events like this, follow us on Twitter at @servermgmt.

 

<3,

 

Windows Admin Center Team

 

24 Comments

Awesome blogpost, just downloaded while I was watching #MSInspire Windows Admin Center 2007 and Azure Stack HCI :cool:

Microsoft

@James van den Berg Love to hear it!

Copper Contributor

Are there any near future plans to add to the RBAC feature of WAC? It would be great to be able to define what certain roles can do when interacting with a server and what groups of servers certain people can interact with.

Microsoft

@Matt_NZ We have basic RBAC implementation in WAC and we are exploring how we can expand it even further. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/manage/windows-admin-center/plan/user-access-options...

Brass Contributor

Do you plan to make the update available through WSUS ? 1910.2 wasn't there neither :\

Iron Contributor

@Prasidh_Arora wrote:

Note that this release is pronounced as “twenty oh-seven” in regard to this year and month, and not in reference to the year 2007.

Oh, believe me the native English speakers all know. In English, the phrase "Year 2007" is pronounced "year twenty oh-seven". The phrase "Windows Server 2008" is pronounced "Windows Server twenty oh-eight". Also "Year 1998" is pronounced "year nineteen ninety eight".

 

What I would like to hear, however, is why are releasing this product 13 years late? Why don't you call it Windows Admin Center 2020 and pronounce it "Windows Admin Center twenty-twenty"?

Copper Contributor

Hi,

On this update we can create cluster´s with HCi (storagespace direct), without azure stack HCI?

 

In previous version of WAC, we can create this cluster´s...

Copper Contributor

 


@Prasidh_Arora wrote:

Do you plan to make the update available through WSUS ? 1910.2 wasn't there neither :\


Yeah that would be great. Any feedback about this?

 

 
Copper Contributor

Is it mandatory to configure trusted hosts? I am using domain credentials, still I had to configure Trustedhosts to make it work. I have all my machines joined to AD Domain.

Under common troubleshooting steps it is mentioned that "This is required in a workgroup environment, or when using local administrator credentials in a domain"

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/manage/windows-admin-center/support/troubleshooting#...

When installing Windows Admin Center, I selected option to let Windows Admin Center manage the gateway's TrustedHosts setting. I still had to configure it manually. If not configured manually, it gives connection error..

connection error.PNG

 

Microsoft

@Jean-Benoit Paux @jaegerschnitzel Yes, we have plans to release this version through Microsoft Update (unless we have a strong reason not to). We intentionally chose not to release version 1910.2 through MU - sorry about that!

 

@The_Smart_One Our naming scheme is YYMM based on the year and month of our release and we wanted to stay consistent.

 

@gfsilva Currently in WAC, you can only create a failover cluster with Windows Server 2019. For Azure Stack HCI, I recommend you check out this blog.

 

@nileshmatere  I am looking into it and I'll get back to you!

Copper Contributor

There is something wrong with the update process for an HA setup.

 

Per the instructions found on https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/manage/windows-admin-center/deploy/high-availability

All you need to do is execute this PS .\Install-WindowsAdminCenterHA.ps1 -msiPath '.\WindowsAdminCenter.msi' -Verbose

 

I have tried to do this on version 1910 to update to 1910.2. Gave up and restored from backup.

 

When trying it on 1910 to 2007 I got the same.

 

errors found.

 

I believe the cause is the below.
MSI (s) (0C:90) [08:09:23:194]: Invoking remote custom action. DLL: C:\Windows\Installer\MSI9F76.tmp, Entrypoint: UnreservePorts
SFXCA: Extracting custom action to temporary directory: C:\Windows\Installer\MSI9F76.tmp-\
SFXCA: Binding to CLR version v4.0.30319
Calling custom action Microsoft.ManagementExperience.Setup.CustomActions!Microsoft.ManagementExperience.Setup.CustomActions.CustomAction.UnreservePorts
Exception thrown by custom action:
System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.Collections.Generic.KeyNotFoundException: The given key was not present in the dictionary.
   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowKeyNotFoundException()
   at System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2.get_Item(TKey key)
   at Microsoft.ManagementExperience.Setup.CustomActions.CustomAction.UnreservePorts(Session session)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace —
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethod(Object target, Object arguments, Signature sig, Boolean constructor)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.UnsafeInvokeInternal(Object obj, Object parameters, Object arguments)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.CustomActionProxy.InvokeCustomAction(Int32 sessionHandle, String entryPoint, IntPtr remotingDelegatePtr)
MSI (s) (0C:10) [08:09:25:803]: Executing op: End(Checksum=0,ProgressTotalHDWord=0,ProgressTotalLDWord=0)
CustomAction UnreservePorts returned actual error code 1603 but will be translated to success due to continue marking

 

and

 

Cluster resource 'Windows Admin Center' of type 'Generic Service' in clustered role 'wac' failed.

Based on the failure policies for the resource and role, the cluster service may try to bring the resource online on this node or move the group to another node of the cluster and then restart it. Check the resource and group state using Failover Cluster Manager or the Get-ClusterResource Windows PowerShell cmdlet.

Copper Contributor

Theres a Bug when i want to create a HCI Cluster it fails on step 3.1

 

Error message: Could not get validation report.

 

eventlog says: 

eventId : Trace
level : Error
sourceName : msft.sme.cluster-creation
source : ClusterReportService.loadReport
timestamp : 1595531920043
message : InvalidPipeArgument: 'Unable to convert "Invalid Date" into a date' for pipe 'e'
stack :
moreEventData :

 

It doesnt seem i am the only one with that issue

 

Iron Contributor

@Prasidh_Arora 

Our naming scheme is YYMM based on the year and month of our release and we wanted to stay consistent.

Oh, I see. Now you are starting to make sense. Nevertheless, it is a poor choice of product name. Microsoft has always been criticized by its poor decisions in product naming. Ironically, the criticized names were often poor because of their inconsistency and lack of principle (i.e. Xbox One vs. Xbox 306 or Windows 2000 vs. Windows 7.) But this time, the poor naming is a result of a poor principle, i.e. the misleading YYMM format.

 

I might as well add that everything about Windows Admin Center is poor and inelegant, not just its name. It is an unpleasant piece of registerware that is difficult to configure, use, and troubleshoot. Although it is browser-based, it doesn't work in every web browser. In that respect, it is reminiscent of the era the Microsoft products only worked well with Internet Explorer.

Copper Contributor

Trying to find out what this site is about, I was sent here because my husband was in the hospital and I was told it was CareNotify, so I could out his hospital information. Please help me?

Copper Contributor

bug with login still remain, when I log in I will see the window "Specify your credentials" and when I select the option "Use my Windows account for this connection" (as user1) and after clicking Continue I will immediately see "Your credentials didn't work — try again "when I fill in the data manually  (" Use another account for this connection ") for the logged in user (as user1), everything works

Copper Contributor

I can't find the Active Directory tool v0.85.0 as announced above. I have installed WAC 2007, but it's not included and on the extension site (https://msft-sme.myget.org/gallery/windows-admin-center-feed) only v0.63.0 is available???

 

Our WAC servers do not direct connection to the Internet (security), so can't connect directly to the feed https://aka.ms/wac-insiders-feed.

Copper Contributor

It would be great to be able to define what certain roles can do when interacting with a server

Copper Contributor

Now WAC i loading slower :\ - for me especially when i connect via VPN and still this bug is not fix :\

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-admin-center/bug-wac-1910-2-cannot-enable-role-access...

 

Copper Contributor

@Prasidh_Arora my issue related to trusted host configuration has been fixed. What I found was, I need to enter credentials by clicking "manage as" after I add connection or each time after I reconnect WAC page.

 

Thank you,

Nilesh

Copper Contributor

@Prasidh_Arora Another issue that I am currently facing is with Remote Desktop tool in WAC.

When I click on remote desktop, I just show blank page and remote desktop doesn't load. Is there any additional configuration required for remote desktop to work? Remote desktop is enabled on all my connections and it works normally from my desktop.

 

Thanks,

Nilesh

 

Remote Desktop.PNG

 

Copper Contributor

I am receiving the message No such host is known when trying to connect to any host in the 2007 version.  Windows Admin Center is installed on a 2016 Cluster with 4 hosts.  I have removed the Hosts and added them again and still receive the same message.  I completely uninstalled and removed Windows Admin Center and deleted the Server Management Experience folder from the Cluster Storage.  Then re-installed and it worked for a little while, but then started receiving the No such host is known error again.

 

Annotation 2020-08-26 161635.png

Microsoft

Are there plans to implement the Administration of RDS environments, which is still only via the Server Manager GUI available...

Iron Contributor

I just connected WAC to Azure and noticed this message when granting permission

 

This application is using Azure AD Graph API, which is on a deprecation path. Starting June 30th, 2020 we will no longer add any new features to Azure AD Graph API. We strongly recommend that you upgrade your application to use Microsoft Graph API instead of Azure AD Graph API to access Azure Active Directory resources.

 

Will this be something we need to do on our own manually?

Copper Contributor

When trying to create a VHD or VHDX disk it will not accept *any* size at all, it just gives an error of "Size (GB)' must be a multiple of '10' offset by '0.1"

Version history
Last update:
‎Jul 21 2020 09:40 AM
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