Tag: SCOM

Mar142019March 14, 2019March 14, 20193Commentsby Thomas Maurer
System Center 2019 Download

System Center 2019 now generally available!

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, System Center, Virtualization, Windows Server

A couple of weeks a go the System Center team announced that System Center 2019 will be available in March 2019. Today is the good day, the general availability of System Center 2019 is announced. You can now download the LTSC release in the MSDN and the VLSC portal, and if you want to have a summary about what is new in System Center 2019, you can read my blog: System Center 2019 – What’s new

This will bring several enhancements around datacenter management, Windows Server 2019 support and Microsoft Azure integration. If you want to know more about what is new in Windows Server 2019 or Windows Admin Center, check out my blog posts.

As customers grow their deployments in the public cloud and on-premises data centers, management tools are evolving to meet customer needs. System Center suite continues to play an important role in managing the on-premises data center and the evolving IT needs with the adoption of the public cloud.

Today, I am excited to announce that Microsoft System Center 2019 will be generally available in March 2019. System Center 2019 enables deployment and management of Windows Server 2019 at a larger scale to meet your data center needs.

Download System Center 2019

You can download System Center 2019 from different Microsoft portals, depending on your needs:

I wish you all happy downloading and updating. If you have any question around System Center, feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email.

As always, we would love to hear what capabilities and enhancements you’d like to see in our future releases. Please share your suggestions, and vote on submitted ideas, through our UserVoice channels.

Also check out the full System Center documentation at Microsoft Docs.


Dec042018December 4, 2018July 5, 20199Commentsby Thomas Maurer
System Center Journey

System Center 2019 – What’s new

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, System Center, Virtualization, Windows Server

Microsoft just launched Windows Server 2019 and Windows Admin Center, which also raised the interest in System Center 2019. At Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft was talking about what is new in System Center 2019, the future of System Center, and how it fits in with Windows Admin Center and other management tools.

Microsoft Cloud and Datacenter Management Story

Microsoft Cloud and Datacenter Management Overview

With Microsoft now offering a range of products to manage your Cloud and Datacenter environments, the question comes up “which is the best solution?”. It is not only depending on the size of your company, it also depends on which services you are using and what your job role is. Coming from the Azure site, you have Azure Security and Management, which allows you not only to manage your Azure resources but also integrates and extends with your on-premises environment. System Center is aimed to manage datacenter environments at scale, and Windows Admin Center helps you to dig deeper to manage individual servers or single cluster management. Both Windows Admin Center and System Center 2019, can be used side by side and both are integrated into Microsoft Azure.

System Center Windows Admin Center better together

System Center vs Windows Admin Center

I often get the question, does Windows Admin Center replace System Center? The answer to this is no, System Center is aimed to do management at a datacenter scale, while Windows Admin Center is giving you deep management access to a single server or clusters. In small environments you might end up using Windows Admin Center only, but in larger datacenter deployments, you are likely to use a combination of System Center and Windows Admin Center.

System Center 2019 Suite Improvements

System Center 2019 Focus

The System Center 2019 release focuses on three main areas. First of all, it adds more capabilities to the existing components and features which were requested by customers. Secondly, it brings integration for the next version of Windows Server, Windows Server 2019 and brings new Windows Server features to life in System Center. Last but not least, System Center 2019 adds more Hybrid Cloud integrations with Microsoft Azure.

Read More

Aug272018August 27, 2018August 27, 20181Commentby Thomas Maurer
SCOM Days 2018

Speaking at SCOM Days 2018 Gothenburg

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft MVP, Speaking, System Center

I am happy to announce that I will be speaking at the Swedish SCOM-dagen 2018 conference in Gothenburg. This years main topic of the SCOM-dagen or SCOM Days 2018, is Hybrid Cloud Monitoring. In my session I will cover an overview about Azure Stack and than focus on Azure Stack operations and monitoring.

The SCOM Days 2018 will take place on October 10 in Gothenburg. This will be the first time at SCOM Days and I am already very exited. I heard a lot of great things about this event, and of course I am also happy to visit Gothenburg for the first time.

SCOM Day attracts Operations Manager users from all over Sweden. Since the start in 2014, SCOM Day has turned into being the most popular event for the Swedish System Center Operations Manager community.

My Session at SCOM Days

SCOM Days 2018

Azure Stack Operations

Already looking forward to this event, and hopefully meet you there!


Feb092018February 9, 2018August 27, 20180Commentby Thomas Maurer
System Center

Microsoft released System Center 1801 Semi-Annual Channel

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, System Center, Virtualization, Windows Server

Microsoft just release the first Semi-Annual Channel release for System Center, called System Center, version 1801. This is the first release which now comes out to support the Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel releases like 1709 and also brings some new features and performance improvements.

System Center, version 1801 is the first of our Semi-Annual Channel releases delivering new capabilities at a faster cadence. Semi-Annual Channel releases have an 18-month support policy. In addition, we will continue to release in the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) at a lower frequency. The LTSC will continue to provide 5 years of mainstream support followed by 5 more years of extended support.

What’s in System Center, version 1801?

System Center, version 1801 focuses on enhancements and features for System Center Operations Manager, Virtual Machine Manager, and Data Protection Manager. Additionally, security and bug fixes, as well as support for TLS 1.2, are available for all System Center components including Orchestrator, Service Management Automation, and Service Manager.

I am pleased to share the capabilities included in this release:

 

  • Support for additional Windows Server features in Virtual Machine Manager: Customers can now setup nested virtualization, software load balancer configuration, and storage QoS configuration and policy, as well as migrate VMware UEFI VM to Hyper-V VM. In addition to supporting Windows Server, version 1709, we have added support for host monitoring, host management, fall back HGS, configuration of encrypted SDN virtual network, Shielded Linux VMs on Hyper-V management, and backup capabilities.
  • Linux monitoring in Operations Manager: Linux monitoring has been significantly improved with the addition of a customizable FluentD-based Linux agent. Linux log file monitoring is now on par with that of Windows Server (Yes, we heard you! Kick the tires, it really works).
  • Improved web console experience in Operations Manager: The System Center Operations Manager web console is now built on HTML5 for a better experience and support across browsers.
    Updates and recommendations for third-party Management Packs: System Center Operations Manager has been extended to support the discovery and update of third-party MPs.
  • Faster, cost-effective VMware backup: Using our Modern Backup Storage technology in Data Protection Manager, customers can backup VMware VMs faster and cut storage costs by up to 50%.
  • And much more including Linux Kerberos support and improved UI responsiveness when dealing with many management packs in Operations Manager. In Virtual Machine Manager, we have enabled SLB guest cluster floating IP support, added Storage QoS at VMM cloud, added Storage QoS extended to SAN storage, enabled Remote to VMs in Enhanced Session mode, added seamless update of non-domain host agent, and made host Refresher up to 10X faster.

You can get System Center, version 1801 from the Evaluation Center or the Volume Licensing Service Center.


Dec122017December 12, 2017August 27, 20180Commentby Thomas Maurer
Microsoft Exam 70-745

Passed Microsoft Exam 70-745 Implementing a Software-Defined Datacenter

Posted in Certification, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, PowerShell, System Center, Virtualization, Windows, Windows Server

This summer I took the Microsoft beta exam 70-745 Implementing a Software-Defined Datacenter, which focuses on implementing Software-Defined Datacenter solutions, based on Hyper-V, Windows Server, Software Defined Networking and Storage, System Center Virtual Machine Manager, System Center Operations Manager and everything around it.

  • Plan and Implement System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) Core Infrastructure
  • Implement Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
  • Implement Software-Defined Storage
  • Implement Datacenter Compute Solutions with Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)
  • Secure your Software-Defined Datacenter
  • Monitor and Maintain the Software-Defined Datacenter

Passing Exam 745: Implementing a Software-Defined Datacenter validates the skills and knowledge to implement a software-defined datacenter (SDDC) with Windows Server 2016 and Microsoft System Center 2016 Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM). Candidates have experience implementing and managing highly available SCVMM infrastructures as well as implementing software-defined storage, compute, and networking components.

This week I finally got the message that I passed the Beta exam. If you want to take that exam you should really be familiar with the products and solutions mentioned above, otherwise you will have a hard time passing the exam.

If you want to know more about the exam, check out this link: Microsoft Learning Exam 70-745 Implementing a Software-Defined Datacenter

Also big congrats to all the others who passed the exam like Charbel Nemnom.


Aug072017August 7, 2017August 27, 20180Commentby Thomas Maurer
eBook on SCOM and OMS

eBook: 5 Top Questions about SCOM and OMS

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, System Center

Together with Microsoft MVP Dieter Wijckmans, I collaborated on an eBook with Savision about the 5 top questions that we have come across regarding System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) and Microsoft Operations Management Suite (OMS).

There is much debate around SCOM and OMS, and the common belief is that OMS is competing against SCOM. This is contributing to people thinking that OMS is still SCOM in the cloud, or that they are both doing the same thing.

For those already using Microsoft technologies to monitor their IT elements, is OMS the same as the Microsoft System Center Suite? Is OMS a replacement for Microsoft System Center?

eBook SCOM and OMS

5 Top Questions about SCOM + OMS

  1. What is OMS?
  2. Is OMS replacing System Center?
  3. What are the main differences between SCOM and OMS?
  4. Do you still need SCOM?
  5. How can I get better insights from SCOM + OMS?

To download the eBook for free, just visit the Savision download page: 5 Top Questions about SCOM and OMS


May292017May 29, 2017November 1, 20180Commentby Thomas Maurer
Savision SCOM and OMS Webinar

ONLINE SESSION: Monitoring and Analytics with Microsoft SCOM & OMS

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft MVP, PowerShell, Speaking, System Center, Virtualization, Windows Server

I am happy to announce that I will present in another webinar. Together with Savision, Dieter Wijckmans and I will present how to do Monitoring and Analytics with Microsoft SCOM and OMS.

So if you are wondering, like many others, if you can and should use SCOM and OMS together? If you are, you are not alone. Join Savision’s upcoming live online session “Combining Monitoring & Analytics with SCOM and OMS” and let the experts answer your questions. Hosted by Savision’s Support Manager – Chris Malay, the session will feature renowned Microsoft MVPs Thomas Maurer & Dieter Wijckmans who will focus on:

  • OMS: What is new in OMS? | OMS Service Map | OMS Log Analytics
  • SCOM & OMS: Is OMS a replacement for SCOM? | Why doesn’t OMS do monitoring? | Why do you still need SCOM?
  • Advanced Dashboards for SCOM + OMS: Getting better insights from your data
  • Demos and real-use cases from the field
Join

Free Webinar

Monitoring and Analytics with SCOM & OMS

The session will take place on:
Thursday, June 22nd at 4PM CEST | 10AM EDT | 9 AM CDT

 


May092017May 9, 2017July 29, 20190Commentby Thomas Maurer
Azure Stack

SCOM Management Pack for Azure Stack

Posted in Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, System Center, Windows Server

Today, Thomas Roettinger Senior Program Manager in the Azure Stack Team announced the Technical Preview of the Microsoft Azure Stack Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager. System Center is a datacenter management tool used by many enterprises out there, Operations Manager allows you to monitor your complete datacenter environment based on Management Packs which includes the logic and intelligence to monitor different solutions and products. With the release of the Azure Stack Management Pack, Microsoft enables you to monitor Azure Stack using System Center Operations Manager 2012 R2 or System Center Operations Manager 2016.

The Azure Stack Management Pack allows you to send notifications when alerts in Azure Stack pop up. It also allows you to schedule maintenance windows during an Azure Stack update. The MP leverages Azure Stack Health Resource Rest API which is the official API for all Azure Stack help related information and is used by the Azure Stack Portal itself, the PowerShell module and also the Nagios monitoring plugin for Azure Stack. If you are not using SCOM or  Nagios you can of course also work against the Azure Stack Health Resource Rest API to get health data out of your Azure Stack appliance.

Feel free to test the new SCOM Management Pack for Azure Stack (download) and provide feedback to Microsoft.


Apr292015April 29, 2015April 29, 20150Commentby Thomas Maurer
System Center 2012 R2 Update Rollup 6

Summary: Update Rollup 6 for System Center 2012 R2 and Azure Pack now available

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

Microsoft just released System Center 2012 R2 Update Rollup 6, which includes a lot of new features and fixes. With this Update Rollup 6 Microsoft now supports SQL Server 2014 as databases for the System Center and Windows Azure Pack components.

Components that are fixed in this update rollup

  • Data Protection Manager (KB3030574)
    • Option to keep online backup data while deleting a protection group
    • Support for SQL Server 2014 as DPMDB
  • Operations Manager (KB3051169)
  • Service Manager (KB3039363)
  • Service Provider Foundation (KB3050307)
  • Service Reporting (KB3050321)
  • Virtual Machine Manager (KB3050317)
    • Add Azure Subscription feature
    • Improved E2A ASR protection scenario
    • Option to use Generation 2 VMs in Services and VMRoles
    • Total Networking Usage Exposure rules in Management Pack
    • Option to overcommit Cloud and Host Group capacity for Replica VMs
  • Windows Azure Pack (KB3051166)
    • Adds support for Webjobs in Windows Azure Pack Websites.
    • Adds support for Deployment Slots in Windows Azure Pack Websites.
    • Adds support for Virtual Machine Checkpoint.
    • Adds support to maintain Data Consistency between the SQL Resource Provider configured properties for resources with the actual provisioned resources on the SQL Server Hosting server.
    • Compatibility with the next version of Windows Server
    • Fixes several SQL Server Resource Provider issues
  • Windows Azure Pack Web Sites (KB3051142)

I already posted some information on the Update Rollup 6 for Windows Azure Pack and System Center Virtual Machine Manager. I also want to highlight a change which was made in several different components in System Center and Windows Azure Pack. With UR6 you are now able to track Total Networking Usage Exposure rules in Management Pack. This change introduces two rules that target Hyper-V Hosts:

  • Total Incoming VNic Network traffic collection rule
  • Total Outgoing VNic Network traffic collection rule

These rules measure the total incoming and total outgoing traffic in Kilo Bytes per VNic per virtual machine in the following method:

For each VM:

  1. Enable Hyper-V Metering if it is not enabled.
  2. Run Measure-VM.
  3. Collect metering data for every remote address of “0.0.0.0/0” or “::/0” per VNic.

By default, these rules run every hour. Users may opt to override this setting by overriding the IntervalSeconds property. These rules should not be run more frequently than every five minutes (300 seconds).

Behavior in previous versions: VMM did not measure data consumption. It measured only throughput.


Apr282015April 28, 2015April 28, 20150Commentby Thomas Maurer
Scale Windows Server Storage Spaces

System Center Operations Manager Management Pack for Windows Server Storage Spaces

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

Microsoft just released the System Center Operations Manager Management Pack for Windows Server Storage Spaces 2012 R2 to the public. This allows you to monitor your Storage Spaces deployments with Operations Manager.

You can download the Management Pack for Storage Spaces from the Microsoft Download Site.

Monitoring Scenarios

This Management Pack contains rules to monitor physical disk and enclosure state in storage spaces.
Health is calculated by the storage service and is passed to Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) using the Storage Management API (SM-API), and is in turn passed to Operations Manager (OM) through the OM connector for VMM.

Supported Configurations

This management pack requires System Center Operations Manager 2012 SP1 or later. A dedicated Operations Manager management group is not required.

The following table details the supported configurations for the Management Pack for Storage Spaces:

Configuration Support
Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 with Update Rollup 4 or later installed
Windows Server File Servers 2012 R2 with KB 3000850 (November 2014 update rollup) or later
Clustered servers Yes

Management Pack Scope

This management pack supports up to:

  • 16 Storage Nodes
  • 12 Storage Pools
  • 120 File Shares

Prerequisites

The following requirements must be met to run this management pack:

  • Operations Manager Connector for Virtual Machine Manager installed and configured.
    https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427287.aspx
  • Configuring this connection will install the required VMM Management Packs.
  • Storage Spaces managed by Virtual Machine Manager
  • KB2913766 “Hotfix improves storage enclosure management for Storage Spaces” must be installed on the VMM server and file server nodes


  • 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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