Learn about Azure Stack HCI on Microsoft Learn!
Last week the general availability of the new Azure Stack HCI, our new hybrid cloud hyper-converged platform was announced. With the release of this new platform, the team also released a new Microsoft Learn learning path called Azure Stack HCI foundations. In this learning path, you will be introduced to the Azure Stack portfolio and describes basic architecture, core capabilities, and primary use cases of its products. You’ll also learn about the differences and similarities between Azure Stack HCI, Azure Stack Hub, Azure Stack Edge, and Azure. If you want to get an overview of the Azure Stack portfolio or the new Azure Stack HCI 20H2 version, check out my blog posts. The new Azure Stack HCI foundations learning path on Microsoft Learn currently has 4 modules: Introduction to Azure Stack This module introduces you to the Azure Stack portfolio and describes basic architecture, core capabilities, and primary use cases of its products. You’ll also learn about the differences and similarities between Azure Stack HCI, Azure Stack Hub, Azure Stack Edge, and Azure. You can check out the module here. Introduction to Azure Stack HCI core technologies This module introduces Azure Stack HCI technologies. You’ll learn about the core Azure Stack HCI technologies, including Hyper-V, Windows Server software-defined storage, and Windows Server software-defined networking. You can check out the module here. Plan and deploy Azure Stack HCI This module introduces you to planing for and deploying Azure Stack HCI. Content includes identifying suitable workloads, determining the optimal configuration to host these workloads, stepping through the deployment process, validating post-deployment operational status, and evaluating Azure integration options. You can check out the module here. Integrate Azure Arc and Azure Stack HCI In this module, you will learn the fundamentals of Azure Arc and how is it used to bring new capabilities to the management and monitoring of your Azure Stack HCI clusters at scale. You can check out the module here. You can read the full blog post here.
Azure Stack HCI - adding NIC to Network ATC Intent
Hello fellow Azure Stack HCI Admins, I currently have a compute_management Intent for my two node switchless cluster with only one pNIC per node (port1) assigned. I now want to add port2 of each node to the intent for redundancy. (See image) I found this command-set on learn: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-stack/hci/manage/manage-network-atc?tabs=21H2&pivots=azure-stack-hci Get-NetIntentStatus -ClusterName <YourClusterName> Update-NetIntentAdapter -IntentName <YourIntentName> -AdapterName pNIC2 Get-NetIntentStatus -ClusterName <YourClusterName> Is that the correct command set to archive that? Or is there another way to do so? I am a bit anxious on running those commands because I already have workloads deployed on that cluster and I don't want to break it. Thanks in advance! :) PS: I chose only one NIC per node because at the time of deployment I only had one ToR switch available.
Feature Request: Azure Stack Storage and Sizing Tools
I would like to bring up that, despite Azure Stack HCI is a growing solution with outstanding features, the current situation for customers and partners is odd to sizing the solution. What we got is in preview everything and not touched for long time, not keeping up with the technology Introducing the all-new azure stack HCI sizing tool (preview)! - Microsoft Community Hub / https://azurestackhcisolutions.azure.microsoft.com/ https://s2dcalc.blob.core.windows.net/www/index.html I hope that the tool will be united. Also the sizing tool requires a Microsoft account instead of a business account which is odd for a business faced solution. It would be amazing, to see more attention. One thing I would wish the most, is a possibility to import LiveOptics data into the sizer tool.Starting VMs may fail after installation of 10-2023 CU when Veeam RCT is being used -SOLVED-
Dear community, Please consider reading this article https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1390624/virtual-machines-failed-to-start-after-installing?page=2#answers in case you are directly affected by the issue, that Hyper-V VMs fail to start, in the certain scenario described below. The issue is not related to VMs not starting on VMware ESXi after applying current CUs. Find remediation instructions for https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/90947 Affected Hosts: Hyper-V Hosts OS: Windows Server 2019 (by community) Windows Server 2022 (by community) Azure Stack HCI 22H2 (experienced myself) Scenario: Gen1 / Gen2 VMs backed up by Veeam using RCT (Change Block Tracking) Not completely confirmed but it seems that unclustered VMs are affected, and clustered VMs are not affected. In a case this morning this caused the unclustered Domain Controllers dedicated for the Azure Stack HCI cluster to fail. edit: 19. Oct. 2023: clustered and unclustered VMs are affected. Reasons: Microsoft has made changes, fixing a long-standing performance issue with Veeam RCT feature, but the fix this can cause a side-effect. The fix is not mentioned in the change log (Windows Update history), despite the criticality of the improvement. https://forums.veeam.com/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=55718 wrote: https://forums.veeam.com/post500560.html#p500560Oct 09, 2023 10:15 pmThe long awaited 'RCT fix', for the RCT side of this ongoing issue, should be released in the October 2023 Windows update, ie tomorrow!" example of perf. improvements during Veeam backups using RCT from the community: Root cause: directly related to Veeam RCT and CU 10-2023, yet unknown why it happens. Reproducible: yes, 100% in certain scenarios. The https://aka.ms/hci-slack is voluntarily working on the reproducibility in more scenarios to understand the dependencies. Remediation: a. rename or delete MCT / RCT files (quick and dirty). Keep the files if you want Microsoft Support / Veeam Support to engage on this issue. b. uninstall the CU 10-2023 from your cluster (I cannot recommend that for several reasons), using manual suspending of nodes, WUSA and monitor migration and storage replication jobs to be finished before and after restarting nodes. Solution: Deploy Cumulative Update 11-2023, instead of 10-2023 on affected Hyper-V hosts. kudos: ErnieCostaCVLT Jaromir Kaspar Darryl van der Peijl
Recommendations on Network ATC vs without Network ATC
Hello All. I am following this step-by-step video series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDk1IPeq9PPdd1Al9VitnrFrr5DnTI5sZ Here, they are not using Network ATC. So, I need recommendations on whether should I deviate from the video and use the Network ATC or not? So, far I have just joined the servers to the domain, configured MGMT and Compute switches. I was preparing the script for configuring the Storage switches. But I am not sure (since it's my first deployment of Azure Stack HCI) whether to use Network ATC or not. Please advise. Thank you.SR-IOV Recommendations for Azure Stack HCI Cluster
Hi All, We have Marvell FastLinQ 41000 Series 25Gb Ethernet NICs. For Compute/Virtualization: 2 NICs will be used and SET will be configured For RDMA: We are planning to use 2 NICs with iWARP What are the recommendations/best practices to enable or disable the SR-IOV for these intents??? For Compute/Virtualization: Should SR-IOV be enabled or disabled? For RDMA: Should SR-IOV be enabled or disabled? Thank you!
Azure Stack HCI - CredSSp Issue
Hi! We were trying to set up a cluster with Azure Stack HCI using Windows Admin Center. Each time we want to create the cluster with the create button we have this error. We have followed this documentation but nothing happens : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-stack/hci/manage/troubleshoot-credsspSurvey/sweepstakes for Windows Admin Center & Azure Stack HCI
If you have experience using Windows Admin Center to manage Azure Stack HCI clusters, the HCI team would like to hear your feedback about the tools you use to manage your clusters! Take this survey: https://aka.ms/hcitc for a chance to win one of three $350 USD virtual gift cards. Microsoft and public sector employees, and residents of a few countries are not eligible to receive gift cards. Must be 18 or older. Survey ends January 22, 2023. Rules: https://aka.ms/AzSHCISweepstakesRules Your feedback will influence the roadmap for Azure Stack HCI management in WAC and Azure. Survey link -> https://aka.ms/hcitc Thanks! -The Azure Stack HCI Team
