This tool was previously called “Project Honolulu” but this was only during the early stage of development. Then after the final release, the new name is Windows Admin Center.

Windows Admin Center integrates with Azure services. It provides services, such as Azure Active Directory, Azure Backup, Azure Site Recovery, and more. This environment can be mixed (starting Windows Server 2008 R2 with limited functionalities), and the tool can handle all different versions of the server OS from Microsoft.

It is a web-based tool which we’ll be using in this article, and we’ll provide with steps allowing you to get started.

Windows Admin center uses PowerShell under the hood and there is a way that you can see those scripts too which is pretty cool.

What’s important to know is the fact that the tool can be managed via web browser, and the list is rather strict. It’s supported only on the latest releases of the Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome browsers. As you can see, even Microsoft’s older browser Internet Explorer isn’t even supported.

If you are System Center user, worth to know that Microsoft is still planning to release new version of System Center compatible with Windows Server 2019. So Windows Admin center isn’t a replacement for Microsoft’s System Center, Microsoft Intune and the Operations Management Suite, but it’s rather complementary tool or tool used by smaller organizations.

System Requirements:

Installation is possible on Windows 10 Fall Anniversary Update (1709) or newer or Server core (gateway) or on one of the management servers itself – Windows Server 2016 or newer.

Then you can manage Windows Server 2008 R2 (with limited functionality), 2012, or 2012 R2, 2016 and lastly Windows Server 2019. (Note that you can also manage Windows 10 systems.)

Installation of Windows Management Framework 5.1 is required on those servers. There are no other dependencies.

Installation and Configuration of Windows Admin Center

You can download Windows Admin Center from here. You can use Windows Admin Center free of charge.

After downloading, start the installation by clicking the MSI. Below you can see the different installation screens.

You have the option to add a shortcut to your desktop or change the default port through which this solution will be accessed.

Open your web browser and type “localhost” or “FQDN” of the machine where the installation has ben done. Then you can access the Windows Admin Center (WAC).

https://’FQDN of server’:’port specified in setup’

Exemple. https://PC-012:4433

And then specify the credentials used for this connection

You’ll add this system to the central console from where you can manage pretty much everything. It is very convenient.

If the system where WAC is installed has an internet connection and If you set your router with port forwarding, you can even manage the whole infrastructure while you are on the go.

Windows Admin Center supports several optional features that integrate with Azure services. In order to be able to do that, you’ll need to configure WAC to leverage AD authentication for gateway access.

If you check the image above, you can see the “Extensions”. If you click that, you’ll see that the WAC is the base framework and all you can do with it can be easily extended and many vendors can step in to integrate their solutions there.

There are no extensions installed by default. By selecting an extension and clicking the “Install button” you’ll install a vendor’s extension.

The tool allows managing not only server systems, but also Windows 10 client systems. This might give you ideas on integrating it for your small network of Windows 10 client computers or lab environments.

Wrap Up

As you can see, the getting started is really fast and this tool will be very popular among server administrators and users. Microsoft has done a great job with this.

By integrating Azure right directly into the console, Microsoft hopes to even more admins to embrace Azure services and consume them.

WAC allows to manage servers, Hyper-converged infrastructure, Failover clusters, Hyper-V Virtual Machines (VMs) and consume Azure services.

WAC can also be managed for free version of Hyper-V servers.

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Azure AD connect is completely free to use and synchronize even if we don’t own any cloud subscriptions. It is an upgraded version of Azure AD sync and Dirsync.

Requirement for Azure AD connect

1. Azure AD tenant. (domainname.onmicrosoft.com)
2. AD schema version and forest functional level (FFL) must be set to Server 2003 or higher.
3. Domain Admin credential.
4. Global Admin of the tenant.
5. Add and verify the domain.
6. Update the UPN name of the users in local AD to match the public domain name verified in the cloud. (UPN suffix to be updated from user@domain.local to user@domain.com)
7. SQL database (optional- To manage 100,000+ objects)
8. Ports to be allowed in firewall – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/reference-connect-ports

Microsoft recommends to use Idfix Dirsync error remediation tool before initial sync to remediate the object errors in the Active Directory preparation.

Installation of Azure AD connect

1. Download the latest Azure AD connect and double-click on the installed file for installation.

2. Read the license agreement and click ‘Continue’ if you agree.

3. Azure AD connect is available to install as ‘Custom installation‘ and ‘Express installation‘. Click ‘Customize‘ to enter custom installation.

• Custom installation provides option to specify custom location, sync only the selected OU, adding the SQL server instance. Proceed with custom installation to sync users only from the selected OU.

• Express installation is recommended by Microsoft for single server forest. By default, password hash sync and auto upgrade is enabled with express settings. Proceed with express installation to sync the entire domain. In this example, we installing with express install option.

4. Enter the credential of the Azure AD Global admin and click ‘Next‘.

5. Enter enterprise admin credential of on premise AD and click ‘Next’

6. In Next step, AD connect will verify that UPN suffix of local AD matches with added custom Azure AD domain. Verify your domain and click ‘Next’.

7. Configure: Select ‘Synchronization process’ to start sync immediately. Select ‘Exchange hybrid deployment’ if planning to migrate mailboxes (Recommended). Click ‘Install’

8. AD connect will install synchronization service and initiate sync between local AD and Azure AD.

9. Congrats! Configuration is completed successfully. 

10. Verify the configuration : Login in to Microsoft 365 admin center – https://admin.microsoft.com with global admin credential to verify initial sync.

• Also verify the login of  https://portal.office.com using on premise AD user credential.
• By default, sync between local AD and Azure AD occurs in every 30 minutes. To force AD sync Open Windows Azure Active directory powershell and run following commands:
  Import-module Adsync
  Start-ADSyncSyncCycle -PolicyType Delta          # To initiate Delta Sync
  < or > 
  Start-ADSyncSyncCycle -PolicyType Delta       # To initiate Full Sync
• An Azure AD tenant allows by default 50K objects and increased to 300K objects on domain verification.

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