Troubleshoot the Azure Arc Agent in Azure using Azure Monitor & Log Analytics Workspace
This article explores how to centralize logging from on-premises servers—both physical and virtual—into a single Log Analytics Workspace. The goal is to enhance monitoring capabilities for the Azure Arc Connected Machine Agent running on these servers. Rather than relying on scattered and unstructured .log files on individual machines, this approach enables customers to collect, analyze, and gain insights from multiple agents in one centralized location. This not only simplifies troubleshooting but also unlocks richer observability across the hybrid environment.Arc Jumpstart Newsletter: April 2025 Edition
We’re thrilled to bring you the latest updates from the Arc Jumpstart team in this month’s newsletter. Whether you are new to the community or a regular Jumpstart contributor, this newsletter will keep you informed about new releases, key events, and opportunities to get involved in within the Azure Adaptive Cloud ecosystem. Check back each month for new ways to connect, share your experiences, and learn from others in the Adaptive Cloud community.Arc Jumpstart Training Video Series
Enter the Arc Jumpstart Training video series, now available on YouTube! This series has been crafted with care to equip users of Arc Jumpstart with the comprehensive knowledge and practical skills needed to unlock the full potential of various Arc Jumpstart solutions. Whether you're a newcomer starting your journey or an experienced user looking to refine your expertise, this series promises to be your ultimate guide. What Awaits You in the Arc Jumpstart Training Series? Designed to provide a structured and in-depth exploration of Arc Jumpstart's offerings, the series consists of five modules, each focusing on a specific aspect of the Arc Jumpstart ecosystem. These modules delve into everything from foundational concepts to advanced functionalities, ensuring that users have all the tools they need to succeed. Let’s take a closer look at what each module has to offer. Module 1: Introduction to Arc Jumpstart Every great journey begins with a solid introduction, and Module 1 delivers that. In this module, we explore the fundamental question: What is Arc Jumpstart? Azure Arc Jumpstart is a comprehensive, automated, and open-source platform designed to help users quickly set up and explore Azure Arc environments. It provides a variety of scenarios and tools to get started with Azure Arc, including: Jumpstart Scenarios: Automated, zero-to-hero scenarios for Arc-enabled servers, Kubernetes, and more. Jumpstart ArcBox: A virtual, hybrid sandbox that allows you to explore all major capabilities of Azure Arc with just one click. Jumpstart HCIBox: A dedicated Azure Local sandbox for trying out Azure Local services. Jumpstart Drops: Community-contributed artifacts, deployment guides, and code snippets. Jumpstart Gems: Detailed technical diagrams and end-to-end cloud scenarios. Jumpstart Agora: Explore comprehensive cloud-to-edge scenarios designed for specific industry needs. These resources are designed to help users deploy quickly, test easily, and evaluate confidently, leveraging the full power of the adaptive cloud. Module 2: Jumpstart ArcBox Arc Jumpstart ArcBox is a virtual, hybrid sandbox environment that allows users to explore and utilize the major capabilities of Azure Arc with ease. Here are some key features: One-Click Deployment: You can set up a complete Azure Arc environment with just one click, requiring only an Azure subscription. Curated Experiences: ArcBox offers tailored environments for different roles, such as IT professionals, DevOps engineers, and data professionals. Comprehensive Capabilities: It includes all major Azure Arc functionalities, enabling users to test, deploy, and evaluate various scenarios in a controlled setting. ArcBox is designed to simplify the process of getting started with Azure Arc, making it accessible and efficient for users to explore its full potential. Module 3: Jumpstart HCIBox (for Azure Local) Arc Jumpstart HCIBox is a turnkey solution that provides a complete sandbox for exploring Azure Local capabilities and hybrid cloud integration in a virtualized environment. Here are some key features: Dedicated Azure Local Sandbox: You can set up an Azure Local environment with just one click, requiring only an Azure subscription. Hybrid Cloud Integration: HCIBox allows you to explore the integration of Azure Local with hybrid cloud scenarios. Automated Deployment: It simplifies the process of deploying and testing Azure Local capabilities. HCIBox is designed to help users quickly get up and running with Azure Local, making it easier to evaluate and leverage its full potential. Module 4: Jumpstart Drops Arc Jumpstart Drops is a curated collection of scripts, tools, tutorials, and other resources contributed by the community for the community. These "Drops" are designed to make life easier for developers, IT professionals, and operations teams by providing small, self-contained pieces of code and artifacts that can be easily integrated into various projects. Here are some key features: Community Contributions: Anyone can contribute their own scripts, tools, and tutorials to the collection. Curated Content: The Drops are carefully selected to ensure quality and relevance. Diverse Resources: The collection includes a wide range of resources, from automation scripts to detailed tutorials. Arc Jumpstart Drops is a great way to share knowledge and tools, helping others to streamline their workflows and solve common challenges. Module 5: More Jumpstart and Next Steps The journey doesn’t end with the earlier modules. Module 5 explores what lies ahead, including: Next Steps: Guidance on how to continue your learning journey and leverage Jumpstart to its fullest potential. Jumpstart Lightning: A sneak peek into this exciting feature and how it can accelerate your workflows. Jumpstart Badges: Earn recognition for your expertise and showcase your achievements in the Jumpstart ecosystem. This module serves as a bridge to advanced learning opportunities and provides a roadmap for continued success. Get Started Today So, are you ready to enhance your skills and unlock the full potential of Arc Jumpstart? Head over to YouTube and dive into the Arc Jumpstart Training video series. Whether you’re deploying ArcBox for the first time, experimenting with HCIBox, or creating your first Jumpstart Drop, these videos are your ultimate resource. Don’t wait—your journey with Arc Jumpstart begins now!Announcing Jumpstart ArcBox 25Q1 general availability
We are thrilled to announce the first major update to ArcBox following our release of ArcBox 3.0 in August 2024. ArcBox has been an invaluable resource for IT professionals, DataOps teams, and DevOps practitioners, providing comprehensive solutions to evaluate how to deploy, manage, and operate Arc-enabled environments. With this release, we have introduced Windows Server 2025 on both the ArcBox-Client as well as in a nested VM, making it possible for you to evaluate a range of new features and enhancements that elevate the functionality, performance, and user experience. WinGet and Windows Terminal Integration One of the standout enhancements in Windows Server 2025 is the inclusion of WinGet and Windows Terminal. These tools are now built-in components of Windows Server 2025 and no longer require bootstrapping in our automation processes. Advanced Management Capabilities for Arc-enabled servers Windows Server 2025 introduces new management capabilities specifically designed for Arc-enabled servers. These capabilities enhance the control and oversight of server environments, providing more robust tools for monitoring, configuration, and maintenance. The enhancements are now available in ArcBox to be evaluated. SSH Included and Enabled Another significant update in Windows Server 2025 is the inclusion of SSH as a native component. This addition is a major step forward, as it eliminates the need for external SSH installations. However, it is important to note that while SSH is included, it needs to be enabled manually. This feature enhances secure access to servers, facilitating more efficient remote management and operations. In ArcBox, SSH is enabled by the automated setup and ready to start evaluating. SSH for Arc-enabled servers enables SSH based connections to Arc-enabled servers without requiring a public IP address or additional open ports. This functionality can be used interactively, automated, or with existing SSH based tooling, allowing existing management tools to have a greater impact on Azure Arc-enabled servers. You can use Azure CLI or Azure PowerShell to connect to one of the Azure Arc-enabled servers using SSH. In addition to SSH, you can also connect to the Azure Arc-enabled servers, Windows Server virtual machines using Remote Desktop tunneled via SSH. Also, Remote PowerShell over SSH is available for Windows and Linux machines. SSH for Arc-enabled servers also enables SSH-based PowerShell Remoting connections to Arc-enabled servers without requiring a public IP address or additional open ports. After setting up the configuration, we can use native PowerShell Remoting commands. Configurable SQL Server Edition to support Performance Dashboards ArcBox now provides the flexibility to deploy SQL Server Standard or Enterprise editions on the ArcBox-SQL guest VM, replacing the previously default Developer edition. This enhancement empowers users to experience advanced Arc-enabled SQL Server monitoring through Performance Dashboard reports. Available in both the ITPro and DataOps configurations, this feature ensures tailored performance monitoring capabilities for diverse use cases. To configure the SQL Server edition during deployment: Portal Deployment: Specify the desired SQL Server edition during setup. Bicep Deployment: Use the sqlServerEdition parameter to define the edition. ARM Template Deployment: Set the edition via the sqlServerEdition parameter. Below is an example Performance Dashboard report from an Arc-enabled SQL Server using the Standard or Enterprise editions, highlighting comprehensive insights and monitoring capabilities. Cost Optimizations We optimized the storage costs significantly by changing the ArcBox Client VM data disk from Premium SSD to Premium SSD v2. This change allows for better performance at a lower cost, making ArcBox even more economical for various use cases. With this optimization, users can enjoy faster data access speeds and increased storage efficiency. We also introduced support for enabling Azure VM Spot pricing for the ArcBox Client VM, allowing users to take advantage of cost savings on unused Azure capacity. This feature is ideal for workloads that can tolerate interruptions, providing an economical option for testing and development environments. By leveraging Spot pricing, users can significantly reduce their operational costs while maintaining the flexibility and scalability offered by Azure. You may leverage the advisor on the Azure Spot Virtual Machine pricing page to estimate costs for your selected region. Here is an example for running the ArcBox Client Virtual Machine in the East US region: Visit the ArcBox FAQ to see the updated price estimates for running ArcBox in your environment. The new deployment parameter enableAzureSpotPricing is disabled by default, so users who wants to take advantage of this capability will need to opt-in. Along with the option to opt-in for Azure Spot pricing, we also added new parameters for enabling Auto Shutdown: Auto Shutdown is enabled by default, and will configure the built-on Auto-shutdown feature for Azure VMs: Summary The latest update to ArcBox not only focuses on new features but also on enhancing overall cost and performance. The integration of new operating system versions and management capabilities ensures a smoother, more efficient workflow for IT professionals, DataOps teams, and DevOps practitioners to evaluate Azure Arc services. We invite our community to explore these new features and take full advantage of the enhanced capabilities of ArcBox with Windows Server 2025 support. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences and insights as you navigate these new enhancements. Watch our release announcement episode of Jumpstart Lightning and get started today by visiting aka.ms/JumpstartArcBox!Announcing General Availability: Windows Server Management enabled by Azure Arc
Windows Server Management enabled by Azure Arc offers customers with Windows Server licenses that have active Software Assurances or Windows Server licenses that are active subscription licenses the following key benefits: Azure Update Manager Azure Change Tracking and Inventory Azure Machine Configuration Windows Admin Center in Azure for Arc Remote Support Network HUD Best Practices Assessment Azure Site Recovery (Configuration Only) Upon attestation, customers receive access to the following at no additional cost beyond associated networking, compute, storage, and log ingestion charges. These same capabilities are also available for customers enrolled in Windows Server 2025 Pay as you Go licensing enabled by Azure Arc. Learn more at Windows Server Management enabled by Azure Arc - Azure Arc | Microsoft Learn or watch Video: Free Azure Services for Non-Azure Windows Servers Covered by SA Powered by Azure Arc! To get started, connect your servers to Azure Arc, attest for these benefits, and deploy management services as you modernize to Azure's AI-enabled set of server management capabilities across your hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge infrastructure!Operate everywhere with AI-enhanced management and security
Farzana Rahman and Dushyant Gill from Microsoft discuss new AI-enhanced features in Azure that make it simpler to acquire, connect, and operate with Azure's management offerings across multiple clouds, on-premises, and at the edge. Key updates include enhanced management for Windows servers and virtual machines with Windows Software Assurance, Windows Server 2025 hotpatching support in Azure Update Manager, simplified hybrid environment connectivity with Azure Arc gateway, a multicloud connector for AWS, and Log Analytics Simple Mode. Additionally, Azure Migrate Business Case helps compare the total cost of ownership, and new Copilot in Azure capabilities that simplify cloud management and provide intelligent recommendations.Generally Available: Transition to WS2012 / R2 ESUs enabled by Azure Arc from Volume Licensing
Customers that have enrolled in WS2012/ R2 ESUs through Volume Licensing for Year 1 can transition to Azure Arc for Year 2 of the program by specifying their Volume Licensing entitlements (Invoice Ids) in provisioning new Azure Arc WS2012/R2 ESU licenses. Extended Security Updates afford customers with critical security patches for end of support Windows Server 2012/R2 machines.
