Tag: Core Server

Sep152018September 15, 2018March 10, 20215Commentsby Thomas Maurer
Install SNMP Feature on Windows Server Core

Install SNMP on Windows Server Core

Posted in Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server

If you run Windows Server as Core Installation, like Windows Server 2016 Core or any Microsoft Hyper-V Server edition and you want to use SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) on that system, you first have to install the SNMP feature on that Core Server. After that you can use the MMC to remotely connect to the services list on the Core Server.

Install SNMP on Windows Server Core

First lets see if the SNMP feature is installed, using PowerShell:

Get-WindowsFeature *SNMP*

By default the SNMP feature is not installed. To install the SNMP feature on Windows Server Core, you can run the following command:

Install-WindowsFeature SNMP-Service -IncludeAllSubFeature -Verbose
Read More

Sep222016September 22, 2016September 1, 20181Commentby Thomas Maurer
PowerShell get Drvier Version

Get Installed Driver Version using PowerShell

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, PowerShell, Virtualization, Windows, Windows Server

If you are using Windows Server Core or you just want to check the driver version using PowerShell you can using the following command:

 
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver| select DeviceName, DriverVersion, Manufacturer

You can also filter a specific driver name using the following command:

 
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver| select DeviceName, DriverVersion, Manufacturer | where {$_.DeviceName -like "*Intel*"}

 


Feb102016February 10, 2016January 7, 20192Commentsby Thomas Maurer
Azure Remote Server Management Nano Server

Manage Nano Server and Windows Server from Azure using Remote Server Management Tools

Posted in Hardware, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, PowerShell, Virtualization, Windows, Windows Server

Today Microsoft announced the preview of the Remote Server Management Tools hosted in Azure, written by Kriti Jindal, a program manager on the Server management tools team. This service allows you to manage your servers directly from Azure using a web-based HTML5 portal. I personally think that this could replace Server Manager and allows you to easily manage non-GUI servers such as Windows Server Core and Nano Server. This is the first public preview of the Remote Server Management Tools and it limited right now to manage Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview server, hosted on-prem or in Microsoft Azure. The Remote Server Management Tools today include the following features:

  • View and change system configuration
  • View performance across various resources and manage processes and services
  • Manage devices attached to the server
  • View event logs
  • View the list of installed roles and features
  • Use a PowerShell console to manage and automate

Overview

To remotely manage your Windows Server from Azure, you have to deploy a Remote Server Management Gateway into your network. This can be a Windows Server 2012 R2 Server running the WMF 5.0 (Windows Management Framework 5.0) or Windows Server 2016 with no additional preparation. You also need a Microsoft Azure subscription and an account.

Microsoft Azure Server Management Tools Topology

The gateway will handle the connection to Azure, so the Remote Server Management Gateway needs connection to the internet. The managed servers do not need a direct connection to the internet, the gateway will connect to the managed server. With that, the gateway need connection to the sever which will be managed by Azure.

Setup Server Management Tools

Well to set this up some steps are required, first create a new server for the Remote Server Management Gateway. In my case I installed a new Windows Server 2016 virtual machine. I made sure I could connect to the internet and it has the lastest updates installed.

Microsoft Azure Server Management Tools New Connection

After I created the virtual machine I logged in to the Azure portal and added a new Server Management Tools Connection. You can search “Server management tools” in Marketplace or navigate to it: Marketplace -> Management -> More -> Server management tools. This will also create the first Server Management Tools Gateway for your connection.

Microsoft Azure Server Management Tools Connection

After the connection is created you can see the connection and but you will get the information that the gateway is not ready. As the next step you will configure the gateway on the prepared server.

Microsoft Azure Server Management Tools Gateway

Under the Server Management Tools Gateway blade you can find a setup for the gateway which will generate a custom install package for your gateway. You can copy this link to the server and download this package and install it.

  1. Allow gateway updates to be installed automatically (recommended), or choose to install updates manually. You may change this later under gateway settings.
  2. Click the below to generate a customized gateway deployment package link.
  3. Use the generated link to download the gateway deployment package now, or copy the link URL to download the package later from the machine on which you intend to install the package.
  4. From the machine that you want to designate as the gateway, unzip the package and run GatewayService.MSI.
  5. Once the gateway installation completes, return to the Microsoft Azure portal and reopen your Server management tools connection.
  6. You should now be able to manage your Windows Server 2016 machine if the Microsoft Azure portal can reach it through the gateway.

Azure Remote Server Management Gateway Installer

After you have installed the Remote Server Management Gateway package on your gateway server you can see the connection in the Azure portal.

Azure Remote Server Management Nano Server

Now you start remote manage your server. As mentioned before, this is really handy if you want to manage Server Core or Nano Server.

Additional Stuff:

There are some additions for the configuration if you want to manage servers in a workgroup environment:

In order to manage workgroup machines (e.g. non-domain-joined Nano Servers), run this command as an administrator on the Server management tools gateway machine:

winrm set winrm/config/client @{ TrustedHosts=”<<IP address>>” }

When creating a Server management tools connection to the workgroup machine, use the machine’s IP address as the computer name.

Additional connectivity requirements

If you wish to connect using the local Administrator account, you will need to enable this policy on the target machine by running the following command in an administrator session on the target machine:

REG ADD HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy /t REG_DWORD /d 1

If you wish to connect to a workgroup machine which is not on the same subnet as the gateway, run the following command in an administrator session on the target machine:

NETSH advfirewall firewall add rule name=”WinRM 5985″ protocol=TCP dir=in localport=5985 action=allow

Remote Management Server Tools Features

Azure Remote Server Management PowerShell

As mentioned the Remote Management Server Tools bring some really cool web-based management features. One of my favorites is the web-based PowerShell console.

  • Device Manager
  • PowerShell Console
  • Computer Configuration (Name, Domain,…)
  • Network Configuration
  • Task Manager
  • Process
  • Registry Editor
  • Roles and Features
  • Services
  • Local Administrators
  • Updates Management (coming soon)
  • Shutdown / Restart

More Information


Feb142012February 14, 2012February 14, 20121Commentby Thomas Maurer

Hyper-V Server: Enable Jumbo Frames on Intel NICs

Posted in Hardware, Microsoft, Virtualization, Windows Server

Hyper-V R2 SP1

If you are using iSCSI as storage connection you can win a lot of performance by enabling jumbo frames. It is important that your Storage, Switch and Network Card do support the use of jumbo frames.

Now if all parts do support jumbo frames you have to enable this on your network adapters.

First you have to enable this for the operating system. This is very simple done with the netsh command line tool.

netsh int ipv4 set subint "Interface Name" mtu=9000 store=persistent

jumboframes2

Now if you are Intel network cards you have to enable jumbo frames in the registry.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}

Here you can see all of your network interfaces and you can simply change the “*jumbopacket” value to 9014.

If you don’t now which network interfaces are the iSCSI interfaces you can check the interface GUID here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces

jumboframes

If you need more information on iSCSI und Hyper-V check out this blog post.


Oct312011October 31, 2011August 18, 20184Commentsby Thomas Maurer
Windows Server Core

Commands for Windows Server Core & Hyper-V Server

Posted in Microsoft, PowerShell, Virtualization, Windows Server

For some KTSI projects I have been working a lot with Windows Server Core or Hyper-V Server. Now I had to do a lot of automation, so I made this little connection of commands. If you configure the server manually you can do the most important things with the sconfig utility.

Windows Server Core

Networking

Set Hostname

netdom renamecomputer %COMPUTERNAME% /NewName:&lt;NewComputerName&gt;

Join Domain

netdom join %COMPUTERNAME% /domain:&lt;DomainName&gt; /userd:&lt;UserName&gt; /passwordd:*

Remove Domain

netdom remove

Rename Network Interface

netsh interface set interface name=”old name” newname=”new name”

Configure IP Address

netsh interface ipv4 set address name=”&lt;Interface Name&gt;” source=static address=&lt;IPAddress&gt; mask=&lt;SubnetMask&gt; gateway=&lt;DefaultGateway&gt;

Configure DNS Servers

netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=”&lt;Interface Name&gt;” address=&lt;DNS Server IP&gt; index=1

Disable Firewall (not recommended)

netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off

 

Remoting

Enable PowerShell Remoting

Enable-PSRemoting

Enable Remotedesktop

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”remote desktop” new enable=yes

Enable Remote Administration

advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Administration” new enable=yes

Enable Remote Firewall Administration

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Windows Firewall Remote Management” new enable=yes

Enable ICMP (Ping)

netsh firewall set icmpsetting 8

Enable Remote Disk Management

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group=”Remote Volume Management” new enable=yes

 

Licensing

Enter License key

slmgr.vbs -ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Activate Windows

slmgr.vbs -ato

 

Windows Update

Enable automatic updates

cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au 4

Disable automatic updates

cscript C:'Windows'System32'Scregedit.wsf /au 1

 

Roles & Features

Get availibale features & roles

Dism /online /get-features /format:table

Enable feature & roles

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:&lt;featurename&gt;

 

Basics

Change Administrator password

net user administrator *

Restart Computer

shutdown /r /t 0

Logoff

logoff

More information about Server Core: TechNet


Oct122011October 12, 2011January 7, 20196Commentsby Thomas Maurer

Install SNMP on Hyper-V R2 Core Server

Posted in Microsoft, Virtualization, Windows Server

Hyper-V

If your running Microsoft Hyper-V R2 or any Windows Server 2008 R2 Core Server you can install the SNMP Feature on the command line with the command line tool dism.

First you can list all Windows Features

Dism /online /get-features /format:table  

Now you can install for the SNMP Service:

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:SNMP-SC

SNMP Feature Core Server

After you have done this you and you have enabled Remote Management you can mange and configure smtp via remote MMC.

SNMP Service

Important: If you need to configure the SNMP Service on a remote machine you have to install the SNMP feature on the local administrative computer. Otherwise you will not see the SNMP specific tabs.

SNMP Service

More Information on installing Windows Features on a server running a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 R2: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee441253(WS.10).aspx


Dec202010December 20, 2010December 9, 20100Commentby Thomas Maurer

Install HP Support Pack on Hyper-V R2 Core Server

Posted in Hardware, Microsoft, Virtualization, Windows Server

If you are using Microsoft Hyper-V R2 Core Server, installing the HP Support Pack is a little different. This post should show you how this is done.

  1. Download the latest HP Support Pack for Windows Server 2008 R2 and extract that on your Management Server or PC.
  2. Now copy the extracted folder to the Hyper-V Core Server. In my case i copied in the C:\ root of the Core Server via the administrative network share. If you have easy physical access to the server, you could also use a USB stick or something like that.
    Copy HP Support Pack to Core Server
  3. Now connect to the Core Server and use the cmd.exe to navigate to the folder with the HP Support Pack
    Hyper-V Core Server HP Support Pack
  4. Run the “hpsum.exe” to start the HP Smart Update Manager
    hpsum.exe
  5. When the HP Smart Update Manager is started you can use it like on a Full Server installation of Windows Server 2008
    HP Smart Update Manager on Hyper-V Core ServerHP Smart Update Manager on Hyper-V Core ServerHP Smart Update Manager on Hyper-V Core Server

You could also try to run the HP Smart Update Manager on another machine and use the remote connection feature.


Dec102010December 10, 2010July 5, 20197Commentsby Thomas Maurer

Remote Disk Management with “RPC server is unavailable” Error

Posted in Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server

If you have a Windows Server 2008 R2 Core Server or a Hyper-V R2 Server, which is also managed like a Core Server, you are really happy if you can use the Server Manager for this Remote Machine. Basiclly I had the the Remote Setup done. I could connect to the remote Machine with the Server Manager but when I tried to use the Disk Management on a remote Server and I got the following error “RPC server is unavailable”. After checking it I found the solution. The Problem is that the Firewall blocks the remote communication to virtual disk service. So you have to open the Firewall on the Management Machine

  1. First make sure you activated all the Remote Management options on the Remote Machine. I had all done this but its good to check that.
  2. Now you can run the following Command in cmd on the Management Machine to add the a new firewall rule 
    netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Remote Volume Management" new enable=yes

firewall


Nov042010November 4, 2010November 2, 20100Commentby Thomas Maurer

How to add a Windows Server 2008 R2 Core as Secondary DNS Server

Posted in Microsoft, Windows Server

This shows you how you can add a secondary DNS Server to your Network on a Windows Server 2008 R2 Core.

  1. As usual you configure the Windows Server 2008 R2 Core with Sconfig
  2. Now install the DNS Server role on the Windows Server 2008 R2 Core
    Windows Server 2008 R2 Core DNS Serverstart /w ocsetup DNS-Server-Core-Role
  3. On the primary DNS Server open the DNS Server MMC
  4. Right click properties on the DNS zones you wanna transfer to the new core server
  5. Add the new DNS Server in the Name Server Tab. In this case this is server04.corp.pepsi.local
    Windows Server 2008 R2 DNS Server
  6. Allow Zone Transfers to this Server or Server in the Name Servers Tab
    Windows Server 2008 R2 DNS Server

Feb222010February 22, 2010September 2, 20190Commentby Thomas Maurer

Cheatsheet: Using Diskpart on a Server Core installation #4

Posted in Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server

Using Diskpart on a Server Core installation. Disk Administration or Partition a disk.

Create a new partition and format a partition

SELECT DISK 0
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
ASSIGN LETTER=E
SELECT PARTITION 1
FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="New Volume" QUICK
EXIT

Commands you may then issue at the DISKPART prompt:

LIST Disk
LIST Partition
LIST Volume

SELECT Disk n
SELECT Volume n
SELECT Partition n

DETAIL Disk
DETAIL Partition
DETAIL volume

HELP
REM (remark/comment)
EXIT

Commands to Manage Basic Disks:

(set the current in-focus partition to be the system partition)

ASSIGN (allocate the next free drive letter)
ASSIGN LETTER=l (Choose a free letter)

CREATE PARTITION Primary Size=50000 (50 GB)
CREATE PARTITION Extended Size=25000
CREATE PARTITION logical Size=25000

DELETE Partition

EXTEND Size=10000

REMOVE letter=l (Remove drive letter l from the in-focus partition)
REMOVE /ALL (Remove ALL current drive letters and mount points)

Commands to Manage Dynamic Disks:

(set the current in-focus partition to be the system partition)

ASSIGN (allocate the next free drive letter)
ASSIGN LETTER=l (Choose a free letter)

ADD disk=n (Add a mirror to the in-focus SIMPLE volume on the specified disk.)

BREAK disk=n (Break the current in-focus mirror)

CREATE VOLUME Simple Size=n Disk=n
CREATE VOLUME Stripe Size=n Disk=n,n,...
CREATE VOLUME Raid Size=n Disk=n,n,...

DELETE DISK
DELETE PARTITION
DELETE VOLUME

EXTEND disk=n [Size=n]
IMPORT
ONLINE

REMOVE letter=l (Remove drive letter l from the in-focus volume)
REMOVE /ALL (Remove ALL current drive letters and mount points)
RETAIN

Commands to Convert Disks:

CONVERT mbr
CONVERT gpt
CONVERT dynamic
CONVERT basic

CLEAN ALL (remove all partition and volume info from the hard drive)
RESCAN



  • About Thomas Maurer

    Thomas Maurer

    My name is Thomas Maurer. I am a Senior Program Manager & Chief Evangelist for Azure Hybrid at Microsoft. I am part of the Azure engineering team (Cloud + AI) and engage with the community and customers around the world. Opinions are my own.

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